ENHANCING HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS AND RECOVERY: A COMPREHENSIVE ARCGIS HUB FOR THE CITY OF DAPHNE, ALABAMA

Abstract

Personal readiness for emergencies plays a vital role in minimizing the adverse effects of disasters. Hurricanes pose significant threats to communities, and inadequate preparedness can lead to devastating consequences for individuals. Addressing barriers such as insufficient emphasis on disaster preparedness, lack of information, and lack of motivation is essential for enhancing community resilience and ensuring citizen safety. This project seeks to address the problem of inadequate hurricane preparedness in the City of Daphne, Alabama. Many citizens are unprepared due to challenges in accessing and understanding essential information for hurricane preparation and response. To tackle this issue, this project will create a comprehensive ArcGIS hub site and dashboard to centralize information on hurricane preparation and recovery. The hub site will serve as a primary landing zone, while the dashboard will provide specific guidance on hurricane preparation. Data sources, including Active Hurricanes, Cyclones and Typhoons from the National Hurricane Center, city layers for road closures, and county layers for emergency shelters and hurricane preparedness will be integrated to ensure comprehensive coverage of essential information. Citizens will be able to locate current road closures, find the closest shelter, observe active storms, and locate important preparation material, which will help them prepare effectively, make informed decisions and resume normal activities more quickly after a hurricane event. By improving access to crucial information and guidance, the project will contribute to a safer and more resilient community.