Florida is often referred to as the Sunshine State. We have license plates that read,” Endless Summer”. While there are certainly many reasons to love this state it does come at a cost. That cost is having to worry about hurricanes. Although hurricanes can technically occur at any time, the “official” hurricane season is June 1st through November 30th. Hurricanes can, and have, caused devasting damage to our vibrant state.
The negative environmental impact of hurricanes can be enormous. These massive hurricanes cover wide swaths of land and water bringing with them tremendous rain and severe winds. The storm doesn’t need to be classified as a Category 5 to do long-lasting damage to the environment. The list of damage can be exhaustive:
- Relocation of invasive species of plants and animals from the huge waves and unrelenting winds.
- Release of toxic chemicals. This can come from industrial facilities and homes being damaged and can include substances such as diesel fuel, gasoline, chlorine, propane tanks, lead acid batteries, solvents, paints, and pesticides, among others.
- Damage to zoos and animal shelters that house vulnerable animals. Animals being released from their facility during the storm is always a possibility.
- Leveling of trees and plants leading to damaging erosion.
- Fish kills brought about by “turnover”. This occurs when high winds push water to one side of a lake allowing water from the bottom to come up and fill the space. This brings with it sediment and organic material as well as bacteria. Eventually all of this leads to decomposition of all the organic material and uses up the available oxygen-leading to a fish kill.
- Permanent changes to geography of channels, especially in intercoastal areas causing animal and plant species to be pushed into areas where they may be more vulnerable.
We must realize that there is more than just property damage that is a by-product of hurricanes, there are environmental consequences we must deal with as well. Preparation is key to mitigating these negative impacts to the environment.
A-C-T has a long history of quickly responding to natural disasters. We have been there for our clients and our communities alike. A-C-T has the necessary resources to respond in your time of need. Call us today!
