West Palm Beach, FL
- The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) will conduct its annual "Hurricane Freddy" drill on Wednesday, April 17 as part of its preparation for the upcoming rainy season.
SFWMD has conducted the annual Hurricane Freddy drill since the mid-1990s. The drill, which involves District staff in the Emergency Operations Center responding to a fictional hurricane scenario impacting South Florida, begins with a briefing at 8 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m.
The media is invited to watch the drill starting at 11 a.m.
"Exercises are an important component of maintaining readiness for hurricanes and other disasters. This event provides us with an opportunity to test staff's capability as well as critical technology," said SFWMD Emergency Management Director Beth McElroy. "Hurricane Freddy allows us to practice command, control and coordination throughout our 16-county region, not just with internal staff, but also with our critical external stakeholders, thus allowing for a seamless response to any disaster."
In addition to the Hurricane Freddy exercise, SFWMD is hard at work preparing for the rainy season including performing aerial inspections of the entire flood control system along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to spot any areas of concern that need to be addressed. SFWMD also performs year-round maintenance of its regional flood control system such as clearing vegetation that can block canals and overhauling pumps and engines during the dry season.
What:
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SFWMD Hurricane Freddy Exercise
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When:
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Wednesday, April 17, 2019 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Media availability at 11 a.m.
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Where:
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SFWMD Emergency Operations Center
3301 Gun Club Road
West Palm Beach, FL 33406
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For more information:
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Call Randy Smith at (561) 682-2800 or rrsmith@sfwmd.gov
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