The Florida coastline is at risk from a variety of natural hazards, most notably the winds, waves, and floods generated by tropical storms. In fact, catastrophic loss due to hurricanes is the largest and most pervasive risk the state faces. The insured losses from Hurricane Andrew in 1992 were placed at $15.5 billion, the highest ever for a natural disaster. Early cost estimates from the recent Hurricane Charley range from $5 billion to $14 billion, the second costliest event in history.

     Risks to life and property from these recurring hazards will increase with the anticipated growth of coastal populations over the coming decades. What is needed is a dedicated effort to reduce the economic and social costs of natural hazards.

     Through research and education, Florida Sea Grant is involved in several efforts to enhance preparedness for coastal storms and reduce their effect. One area of research has focused on creating or retrofitting homes and buildings that better withstand winds and storms.

     Another vein involves the analysis and management of costs associated with hurricane damage to assist community leaders with land-use planning and hazard mitigation. There is also research underway to study sand and sediment movement along coastal shores, which has helped project planners and developers deal with shoreline change from both normal and storm activity. Most recently, Sea Grant researchers are developing a predictive model of rip currents that may help dramatically reduce the number of drownings caused by rip currents each year.

     Sea Grant's participation in a nation-wide pilot project, the NOAA Coastal Storms Initiative, will help emergency planners and the public in general better prepare for storm surges, flooding, spill tracking, mitigation, and evacuation route planning. The project is actually a compilation of nine projects in Northeast Florida that will result in a large suite of new and improved tools, forecast models, and training for the coastal communities in the pilot study area.

     Both research efforts and extension programs will continue to develop information and provide data for better prediction of, reaction to, and recovery from storms.