June 1, 2026
Thank you to Bill Kearney for his terrific article about lightning safety. (“Lightning Risk is about to ramp up in Florida. Here’s how to stay safe,” Orlando Sentinel, June 1, 2026) And thanks to the Sentinel for your superb editorial and news series about hurricane safety.
Working together, we can reduce the damage, disruption, and death from disasters. But we have to be smart. That job is getting harder now as FEMA, once a stellar agency, is being systematically dismembered.
As disasters get larger and worse, we can no longer expect that the government or insurance can endlessly bail us out if trouble comes. More of the safety burdens now fall on us.
As best we can, each of us needs to make sound decisions about where and how we live, with clear-eyed understanding about our risk and how to mitigate (reduce) it.
We often talk about preparedness, response, and recovery – all important – but forget mitigation. There are things we can do -- before, during and after a disaster – that can actually reduce or even avoid the next disaster. Mitigation steps can range from trimming your trees to rebuilding a flooded home in a safer way or place.
Fortunately, in Florida we can access excellent leaders in disaster education. Two of the world’s best disaster-education nonprofit organizations are headquartered here: FLASH.org (Federal Alliance for Safe Homes) and IBHS.org (Institute for Business and Home Safety).
And special thanks to the Sentinel for your great work to keep us safe.
Ann Patton is an Orlando-based writer, retired after 30 years’ work in disaster safety. She is a long-time member of the League of Women Voters of Orange County.