About two weeks ago, Texas was dealt a fatal blow from a rare winter storm. Millions of Texans experienced below-freezing temperatures and had to ride out the storm relatively unprepared. Numerous states have been constructed based on their demographics. For example, California's lack of tall buildings and the number of sturdy homes are for minimizing the damage from Earthquakes. These precautions are necessary due to California being on the San Andreas Fault. In Florida, the power grid is made to withstand wind and rain as Florida is known for its tropical weather. In no way are homes built for freezing temperatures in Florida, as below-freezing temperatures are incredibly rare. Texas was in a similar spot. Their power grid was not prepared for anything close to what was coming. Millions lost power just hours after the temperatures dropped below freezing, leaving their houses dangerously cold without power to heat them. The damage to the power grid will cost tens to hundreds of millions of dollars to repair. COVID-19 vaccine distribution and natural gas production borderline froze. As a result, gas prices in Texas have skyrocketed, something that seems unfair for homeowners to need to deal with. To date, the temperatures in Texas have risen back to normal, but homeowners are facing costly challenges. When they got their power back, many peoples' water pipes dried, froze, and exploded. A water crisis is the most dangerous of them all. The total damage estimates are piling up, and government officials warn this storm may cause more than Hurricane Harvey in damages. According to my research, I feel these issues could have been suppressed with some preparednes. Texas did not have any modern adjustments or plans in place for its power grid or recovery process. Living in Florida, do you think we should have plans enforced in case of a freak winter storm? We now know the effects can be devastating.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/20/us/texas-winter-storm-explainer.html
Hi Zev. I think having a plan just in case this happens to ever occur in Florida may be smart. People never thought this could happen in Texas but with major global warming in full effect, we never know and its entirely possible. I think it'd be fun if it ever snowed down here, but probably not in the magnitude and severity like it is up there. I think having a plan in case this ever happens here is a good idea so what Texas is going through doesn't happen to us.
ReplyDeleteHey Zev, after what happened in Texas, I feel that it's imperative to have a plan just in case this rare occasion would actually happen. I agree that it's unfair to the homeowners that the gas prices have gone up because they're probably already dealing with other costly problems. Winter storms are nothing like a normal snowy day, they aren't fun AT ALL.
ReplyDeleteHi Zev, I think it's super important for all states to have emergency plans for all types of emergencies or natural disasters. I have family that lives in Dallas, Texas, and they were hit really bad. It's so sad to see things like this happen due to lack of preparation.
ReplyDeleteHey Zev,
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think that there should definitely be extensive systems put in place to help prepare for natural disasters. Whether it be snow storms, hurricanes, tornados, or tsunamis etc, every part of the country should be prepared for a natural disaster. This would help cut down on possible casualties and keep everyone as safe as possible.