Hurricane Irma has come and gone, and you whisper, “Good riddance,” as she spreads herself thin across the southeast. With your power finally restored and A/C cranked on high, you take a deep breath and prop yourself in front of the TV to catch up on the news.
There appears your favorite meteorologist spouting off about Maria, yet another Category 5 storm about to bear down on our island neighbors not so far away. You can almost feel the eye of Maria shift her sight to Florida, and now you can only wait and hope she stays clear of our shores.
With over a month left in hurricane season, many Floridians admit to one common question crossing their minds, even just for a moment: “Should we really be living in Florida?”
Honestly, it’s an understandable question. There’s those infamous sweltering summers where you can (literally) fry an egg on the sidewalk. There’s a massive influx of summer tourists and bumper-to-bumper traffic on major highways. Oh, don’t forget those pesky mosquitos and strange, massive bugs that may as well have been taken straight off an alien planet. Not to mention the occasional hurricane barreling through your neighborhood, knocking down trees and power lines as if they were made of Legos.
Despite all this, according to a 2016 US Census Bureau report, Florida is among the fastest growing states in our nation with a population of approximately 20.6 million. Furthermore, Florida gained the second-most residents of any state just last year – an additional 367,000 citizens who now call the Sunshine State their home.
Further research into the Census Bureau reports reveals evidence of major growth in Florida. From the rise of new building permits over the past two years to low unemployment rates around 4.5%, the Florida economy shows no intentions of slowing down any time soon.
Now let’s talk about the weather. Admittedly, there’s a few months out of the year where it’s insultingly hot, plain and simple. Thankfully though, some of the most beautiful months of the year happen between November and May, amounting to 7 months of low rain chances and incredibly comfortable temperatures. While you’re relaxed and warm on the beach just a few weeks before Christmas, our Northern friends are shoveling snow, scraping ice, and strapping on their boots just to grab a carton of milk from the grocery store.
We know what you’re thinking: “Snow is snow. But a hurricane? I’d rather not have my house blown away, thank you.” Fair point, sir, but let’s talk about one hurricane that hit Florida over 20 years ago that may have helped remedy that problem.
In 1992, Hurricane Andrew slammed Florida, particularly Miami, with over 165 mph winds. Andrew obliterated many homes in its path and left behind almost $26 billion of damage and destruction. Once the storm passed, the spread of damaged and flattened homes in Miami revealed a serious issue with building codes and contractors. For example, staples were being used where roofing nails were needed, and sturdy plywood under roofs was being traded instead for inadequate particle board.
In response to Andrew, Florida began to enforce some of the strictest building codes across the U.S. to ensure that all Florida homes can withstand hurricane winds of 111 mph and above. The building codes now call for features including impact-resistant windows, reinforced concrete pillars, and roofs with strengthened fasteners. As evidenced by how Brevard and other areas held up through Irma, these building codes have significantly helped reduced the overall damage from this hurricane and many others prior.
At the end of the day, the resilience of our state and communities are what will always pull us through disaster, helping Brevard County remain an all-around wonderful place to live. Though fighting Mother Nature will often be a losing battle, a thriving human spirit and ambition will always lead us to rise and rebuild once more.
