Is Massachusetts ready for a hurricane like Ian?
By Mike Sullivan, WBZ-TV
BOSTON - As emergency crews pick up the pieces of Florida neighborhoods following Hurricane Ian, the question can be asked, is Massachusetts ready for a hurricane like Ian?
Some buildings in Florida were able to survive the storm surge thanks to building code changes that went into place following hurricanes Andrew and Charlie. Structures were changed architecturally and in terms of building elevation and window protection. Hurricane prevention experts say the high-pitched, gable roofs in Massachusetts are not built to withstand a hurricane. They are built for heavy snowfall.
"I have a house across from me with a gable-style roof, and that whole end is opened up, and all the insulation came flying out," says Brian Rist, a UMass Lowell graduate and Florida native who started Storm Smart, Florida's largest hurricane protection company, "There's a 40-foot sailboat in my neighbor's backyard just sitting on its side. There's an 18-foot speed boat in between my house and my neighbor's house on the other side."
Without strong reinforcements, Rist says high-pitched roofs can be vulnerable in hurricanes.
"The rising water is what I fear will cause the most fatalities in south Florida," adds Rist.
Insurance experts tell us 65,000 homes in the state have flood insurance, but those numbers are dwindling. Coastal areas may be designated as high-risk by FEMA, and homeowners are forced to carry flood insurance. The homeowners inland may not be protected.
"We know that about 40% to 50% of flood claims coming from areas not mapped as high-risk," explains Joe Rossi, president and CEO of Joe Flood Insurance Brokerage, "With Ian, we are seeing a lot of those inland areas like Orlando having flood water where I don't think anyone expected water to be. I believe that mandatory insurance is extremely beneficial."
Flood damage is defined as outside water that comes onto a property overland. With Ian, that came into effect with the heavy storm surges.