When Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands as a devastating Category 4 hurricane Sept. 20, 2017, emergency fuel supplies were critically needed to power generators, vehicles and other equipment. Hurricane Maria was the strongest storm in 90 years to hit the island of 3.4 million people. After Puerto Rico’s aging electric grid was destroyed, most of the island remained without power for months.
For the emergency fuel managers across the island for 300 days, there were lessons learned including the importance of contingency fuel preparedness planning; effective, proactive communication between all parties involved with emergency fuel activities; and the importance of fuel driver training and security before, during and after Maria struck.
Sufficient fuel supplies had to be sourced and secured prior to the storm to keep emergency response fleets and generators running for the long period following Maria’s devastating impact. Diligent preparation and preplanning before hurricane season are essential, as it may be impossible to obtain adequate fuel supplies following a disaster.
Providing emergency services in disasters requires personnel with compassionate interpersonal skills and training.
Emergency management personnel should work closely with fuel distributors in advance of anticipated storm events to secure fuel supplies for generators and equipment utilized by first responders, rescue and recovery teams, hospitals and others when access to the electric grid is interrupted. In advance of Hurricane Maria, emergency fuel managers worked closely with government agencies, utilities and other parties in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to map out a plan to deal with the impending disaster. Prior to Hurricane Maria, emergency fuel drivers in Puerto Rico were adequately trained.
Another recurring issue faced during Hurricane Maria’s recovery was the need to maintain constant communication between on-the-ground emergency operations and emergency fuel personnel. It is important the appropriate agencies and fuel operations managers communicate frequently so fuel plans are clearly understood.
While Puerto Rico is only 35 miles wide and 100 miles long, Hurricane Maria generated tons of debris, including building rubble, tree waste and personal property, which made roads very difficult and time-consuming to navigate. Fuel drivers had to travel to remote areas with very limited and challenging access. It was important for emergency fuel drivers to have security on board to protect the fuel team and the community and to secure the actual emergency fueling activity. In a number of cases, residents did not understand why drivers were there, so it was essential to have someone on hand to explain the protocol in the local language and keep residents calm during a very difficult period.
During the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, it was important for government agencies to work closely with emergency fuel drivers on how to handle difficult and sensitive situations with residents who were without electricity. Most on the island did not have running water, and they had no way of knowing when things would return to normal. Fuel drivers had to respond to residents’ concerns with compassion, especially if they had questions about the island’s access to fuel supply for generators so grocery stores, hospitals, offices, critical services and schools could remain operational.
Providing emergency services in regions impacted by disasters requires company personnel with compassionate interpersonal skills and training. It is important that government agencies consider these factors when they select a fuel provider, to ensure they do not create unintended consequences during time-critical recovery operations if vendors are not equipped to handle sensitive and very complex tasks that arise throughout disaster response events.
For more information, visit www.suncoastresources.com, email emergencyfuel@suncoastresources.com or call (800) 677-FUEL [3835].
