2018 Hurricane Season Summary
/The storm season is drawing nearer to a conclusion with the end of 2018 approaching. This gives us an opportunity to look back and recap on the program’s activity throughout 2018.
An unprecedented freezing event was the first activity of the year. This event was characterized by heaving freezing on major state roads across both Mississippi and Louisiana. This forced state law enforcement to temporarily close bridges and certain areas of major state roads for public safety. Organizations registered with the program received expedited access to these closed areas, showing how the Mississippi Emergency Access Program (MEAP) and the Louisiana State Credentialing Access Program (LSCAP) can provide seamless reentry access to not only hurricanes, but also freezing and all-around limited access events as well.
The 2018 Hurricane Season was busier than expected, as we were active and supported both Tropical Storm Gordon, as well as Hurricane Florence. These two storms impacted two separate regions, as Gordon made landfall along Mississippi and Alabama, and Florence produced much destruction along the east coast. No reported issues arose with either event and this highlighted how the program was successful not only in supporting Mississippi and Louisiana, but also with reentry access within Virginia.
This season demonstrated the success and growth of the program, as we supported Virginia for the first time. Virginia opted to entrust their reentry needs during and after Hurricane Florence with our CERRA supported program. Hurricane Florence’s impact and long-term effects were minimalized in Virginia with the help of a seamless reentry process.
As storms may be minimal with this upcoming offseason, it’s never too early to prepare for any unforeseen event, whether it be an unsuspected freeze in the near winter months, or an early 2019 hurricane, disaster preparedness should always be a priority. For more information, and to register for the program, please visit https://www.eritn.com/registration
