Don’t Worry Hurricane Country | facts are on the way!

“GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The wind roared against the house. Shingles and tar paper flew off the roof, exposing bare plywood. The front window buckled, then shattered, shooting glass shards into the living room.” — Aaron Hoover, University of Florida News June 20, 2006

And this was just a simulation.

credit: FIU, Laboratory for Wind Engineering Research

As I’ve dug further into Hurricane protection research I’ve become increasingly frustrated by the lack of hard data that people reference when presenting their recommendations. Perhaps it is because I am a marketer by trade, a field dominated by hard-to-measure subjective information, that I am so focused on quantifiable facts. Is it too much to ask to see published information from reliable sources quoting specific studies that experts base their recommendations on?

If someone like me, who is trained in research and has already dedicated countless hours to actively researching Hurricane Protection information, has little to show in hard facts, what chance does the average consumer have of getting accurate, reliable information? Do we all need to become reporters in order to protect our homes and small businesses from the threat of Hurricanes?

That’s why I was particularly happy to find this University of Florida News page that has some great information on new ‘real-world’ testing that they’re involved with. UF is partnering with FIU and their Laboratory for Wind Engineering Research, Florida A&M, The University of Western Ontario (who knew), and The Institute of Business and Home Safety on this important project that is funded with a $190,000 grant from The Florida Department of Consumer Affairs. I do have to say though, given the millions upon millions of dollars that were squandered in Hurricane Katrina FEMA relief - 190k seems a little slim.

Regardless, what’s particularly great about this study is that the project participants are focused on what retrofits can help an older (pre Hurricane Andrew code) structure survive a Hurricane. That’s the majority of us in Hurricane Country. Even better, the studies are being conducted on real homes, rather than structured laboratory conditions that don’t always tell the full story.

Here are some quotes from the University of Florida News article.

“What we’re trying to do is evaluate how much we can reduce an older home’s vulnerability by applying post-construction retrofits,” said Kurt Gurley, lead researcher on the state-funded project and an associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Florida.”

and this

“We want to quantify how much you reduce your vulnerability to wind with the various retrofits so that people can weigh the options,” Gurley said. “Some homeowners will have limited budgets, so we hopefully we’ll come up with a way for them to prioritize.”

and this

“Engineers have extensively tested building components and retrofits, but the work is usually done in labs, Gurley said. That means that while the results may have merit, they don’t necessarily match field conditions, where rusted nails, rotted wood and other conditions frequently complicate matters.

“That’s about the most important thing: We’re working in real conditions, capturing data from real houses,” said Forrest Masters, an assistant professor of civil engineering and director of the Laboratory for Wind Engineering Research at the International Hurricane Research Center at Florida International University.”

We’ll look forward to more information on how we can protect our homes and businesses as the study progresses.

- Big W