Hurricane Milton is Upon Us
Courtesy: National Hurricane Center
At the writing of this message, Hurricane Milton is a Category 5 storm churning in the Gulf of Mexico with its sights set on Florida. Based on everything we know now; Orlando will experience a strong hurricane this week.
Growing up in Florida, I’ve experienced every kind of storm and endured some of the worst we’ve seen in the state.
As we all prepare to take care of our families and do our jobs, I wanted to write and encourage you to reach out if you find yourself in need. FPRA is many things, but above all else we are colleagues and friends to support each other, especially in times like this.
20 years ago, Hurricane Charley changed the narrative of hurricanes in Central Florida when it ripped through the community after entering the state through the southwest coast. The storm retained much of its strength and caused damage we had not seen in a generation. I remember huddling with my wife and children in the bathroom of our first house, riding out the storm until I needed to report for duty at the Orange County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on behalf of my client Duke Energy, where I lived for the next week.
What I remember the most about that time is the reliance I had on all my contacts, connections, and friendships, many of which were in FPRA and PRSA. Please lean into the chapter and other members if you need anything…personal or professional. I recognize that for many of you, this might be your first experience in a hurricane, please reach out if you need to talk with someone about the experience.
I know many of you are going to be deployed to your hospital, government office, EOCs and other entities around the region to aid in the recovery and restoration of the community. In addition, I commend those of you who must deploy during the storm to ensure services are available for the community.
On a related note, our friends at UCF have cancelled Intern Pursuit this week.
Be ready for power outages and to be without power for a few days. Make sure that you stay inside during the time and until the storm has completely passed and be very careful and on the lookout for downed power lines.
I’m praying for our safety and know our community has extraordinary resilience for difficult times like this and that our FPRA members are fortified for the work that lies ahead.
Thank you,
Roy Reid, APR, CPRC, MCPC
