JMU faculty experts available to discuss hurricane preparedness and response

James Madison University faculty experts are available to discuss disaster preparedness and response in the wake of back-to-back major hurricanes affecting the southeastern U.S. 

Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm Oct. 9 near Siesta Key, Florida. About 11 million people are currently at risk of flash and river flooding, and more than 3 million are without power.  

JMU experts can provide insight into the following areas: 

Raktim Pal: disaster preparedness and response. 

“Disasters like hurricanes are recurrent and predictable, and unlike earthquakes, hurricanes provide ample lead time to plan ahead,” said Pal. “Communities can prepare better to be more resilient. Governmental agencies and Nongovernmental organizations can coordinate to mitigate the impact. Appropriate preparation and response are going to be even more important than ever as hurricanes are predicted to be more frequent and intense with global climate getting warmer and sea level rising,” added Pal. 

Bill Ritchie: hurricane fatigue, media hype, relocation challenges, and the renovation/recovery process. 

Mert Tokman: impacts on logistics infrastructure and the delivery of necessary support; supply chain issues. 

Carole Nash: impacts on and recovery of historic resources and archaeological sites. 

To schedule interviews with any of these experts, contact Chad Saylor, [email protected].