3 key questions as hurricane season starts

A Tampa Bay Times Editorial

Here we go again. Another hurricane season starts today, and Floridians should not be lulled into a false sense of security following last weekend's alarms about a tropical storm that turned out to be a nonevent for Tampa Bay. Remembering the downed trees, traffic jams and hot nights without power following last year's Hurricane Irma should jolt everyone into making the necessary preparations. From reviewing evacuation plans to buying hurricane supplies, it's not too early to gear up.

The state has provided a useful incentive with an expanded sales-tax holiday on hurricane supplies that starts today. Batteries, coolers, portable generators and radios are among the items that will be tax-free through June 7. Stock up, and remember that experts advise residents to be prepared to be self-sufficient for up to 72 hours after a storm.

While Floridians do their best to prepare their own households for hurricane season, here are three broader questions that could keep everyone up at night:

1. How prepared is the state's top emergency manager?

Wes Maul became the permanent director of the state Division of Emergency Management in December, and there is little to suggest he is ready for the challenge. Maul is just 30 years old, and his primary qualification is that he served as Gov. Rick Scott's travel aide for about two-and-a-half years. He spent about 18 months as the chief of staff at emergency management, a job that didn't exist at the time he was appointed, before becoming the interim director last fall after Irma. There also has been staff turnover in other key positions in emergency management in recent months.

In short, Maul is no Craig Fugate, the former division director who worked closely with Gov. Jeb Bush to expertly steer the state through the hurricanes of 2004 and 2005 and went on to head the Federal Emergency Management Agency. While Scott generally received good reviews for his performance during Irma, his direction for nursing home operators, local government officials and others who needed immediate help from the state to call his cellphone did not work so well.

2. How prepared are electric utilities for big power outages?

It's no surprise about 9 of every 10 comments in the 700 received by the Florida Public Service Commission about the electric utilities' response to Hurricane Irma were critical. Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy and other utilities told the PSC at a hearing last month they are working to improve after last year's massive power outages. While utility officials said they lost far fewer poles than they did more than a decade ago during Hurricane Wilma, they acknowledged communications with customers fell short.

FPL told the PSC it is working on an improved app for smartphones that would offer streamlined information about outages. Duke Energy said it has worked to repair software issues that made its outage maps malfunction, and it acknowledged some of its estimated times for power to be restored were too optimistic, further frustrating customers.

A new state law requires nursing homes and assisted living facilities to have generators or access to an alternative power supply, a response to the 12 seniors from a Hollywood nursing home who died after the home lost power for air conditioning during Irma. But it is unclear whether all of those facilities are ready, and lawmakers reduced the proposed penalties for failing to comply.

3. What will happen to federal flood insurance?

Good question. Congress has until July 31 to renew the program, and if it misses that deadline FEMA would stop selling and renewing policies across Florida and the nation smack in the middle of hurricane season. Some of the changes in a bill approved by the House in November are untenable, including one that would lead to even larger annual premium increases on homes built at least 43 years ago, including thousands of middle income Tampa Bay homes.

There are some positives in the House bill, including efforts to open the flood insurance market to private carriers and to require more accurate flood maps so that the cost of insurance better reflects the risk. Remember that Florida has about 35 percent of the flood insurance policies but has received less than 7.5 percent of the total payouts over four decades. That's not fair, and it's up to the Senate to come up with a more equitable approach. Fast.

In the meantime, stock up on batteries and flashlights -- and hope for the best.