2011 Hurricane Season: Clemson University Experts

CLEMSON,SC – May 24, 2011 – Federal forecasters say the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season couldproduce an above-average number of storms, including as many as sixmajor hurricanes. Clemson University experts can help you in yourcoverage of the hurricane season and storms. For more help, contact Media Relations at 864-656-2061 or [email protected].

Wind damage and structural engineering

Clemson University’s Wind and Structural Engineering Research (WiSER) Facility is one of the nation’s top laboratories for the study of wind effectson structures. Its research uses wind-tunnel data as well as wind towersdeployed to hurricane watch areas in the Carolinas and Florida todevelop measurements of wind loads on houses and other structures. Civilengineering professor Scott Schiff, director of the WiSER Facility, isactive in the public policy arena. He warns, We must learn to managerisks by reducing the vulnerability of structures and improving theperformance of homes, shelters, hospitals and critical facilities. Forinformation on the effects of wind and how building codes andstructures have adapted to our increased understand of it, contactSchiff at 864-656-0456 or [email protected] or Tom Hallman in Media Relations at 864-656-2061 or [email protected].

Hurricanes aren’t getting stronger

Mathprofessor Robert Lund has studied changes in the tropical cycle recordin the North Atlantic between 1851 and 2008 and concluded that althoughthe number of hurricanes and tropical storms in the Atlantic Basin isincreasing, there is no evidence that the strength of the storms — ortheir chances of making landfall — are any greater now than in thatperiod. Lund says that while this a hot button in the argument forglobal warming, … we do not see evidence that warming waters of theAtlantic are increasing the strengths of storms. Lund can be reached at864-656-0861 or [email protected]. Contact Tom Hallman in Media Relations at 864-656-2061 or [email protected] for assistance.

Evacuating hospitals and special populations

Intelligenttransportation systems use video cameras, traffic sensors, messagesigns and advisory radios to monitor and control highway traffic inreal time with the aid of wired and wireless communicationinfrastructure. A single failure can cause a domino effect that resultsin chaos. Public transportation agencies have a mission to ensure thatcommunication infrastructure not only is in place but is reliableduring such extreme weather conditions as hurricanes and floods, bothto manage evacuations and to coordinate with other agencies. RonnieChowdhury in Clemson’s civil engineering department is an expert innew-generation communication alternatives that could be the answer tokeeping systems up and running efficiently without the risk of failureduring emergencies. For more information, contact Chowdhury at864-656-3313, [email protected], or Tom Hallman in Media Relations at 864-656-2061, [email protected].

Rebuilding after the storm

Clemson professorUmit Yilmaz took his planning and landscape architecture students to atown near San Salvador that was destroyed when an earthquake rocked ElSalvador in 2001. He and his students devised a practical plan for thetown leaders to rebuild the town using limited resources. ContactYilmaz at 864-656-7349 or [email protected] to find out how coastal areas hit by hurricanes can look foropportunity among the ruins. Contact Media Relations’ Ross Norton at864-656-2061 or [email protected] for assistance.

Lessons learned from previous hurricanes

Arethe communities along the Eastern Seaboard better suited to withstand amonster hurricane or were lessons learned during previous hurricanesforgotten? Planning and landscape architecture associate professor GrantCunningham studies coastal development, resource policy and communitydevelopment. Contact Cunningham at 864-656-4456 or [email protected] or contact Media Relations’ Ross Norton at 864-656-2061 or [email protected].

Clean water

Clemson University environmentaltoxicologist John Rodgers is an expert on wetlands and toxic effluentin waterways. He has constructed a number of artificial wetlands forindustries that need to clean up polluted water, including a Shell Oilrefinery just west of New Orleans. Rodgers has met with the EPA andother federal officials to discuss the problems of toxic chemicals infloodwaters. The Savannah River Site has one of Rodgers’ largestartificial wetlands and shows how to build new wetlands to protectcoastlines and reclaim polluted waterways. Contact Rodgers(864-656-0492, 864-646-2960 or 864-650-0210) at [email protected] or contact Peter Kent in Public Service Media Relations at 864-557-3491 or [email protected] for assistance.

Saltwater intrusion in coastal wetland forests

Coastal wetland forests can stand up to hurricane-strength winds, butstorm surges can drown them in saltwater. Clemson Universityresearchers are looking at data to learn about the effects of excesssaltwater on coastal ecosystems. For more information, contactforestry scientist William Conner at 843-546-6323, [email protected], or contact Peter Kent in Public Service Media Relations at 864-557-3491, [email protected], for assistance.

Agricultural chemicals in stormwater

High windsand floods don’t just disrupt agricultural operations during the storm;severe weather can cause both dollar loss and environmental pollutionfrom agricultural chemicals. Fertilizers, pesticides, solvents, fuelsand other agricultural chemicals can be lost, contaminating thesurrounding environment and environments downstream of storage and useareas. For more information, contact Bob Bellinger, extension pesticidecoordinator, at 864-656-5042,[email protected], or contact Peter Kent in Public Service Media Relations at 864-557-3491, [email protected], for assistance.

Food safety

Advance preparation is a key to foodsafety during a hurricane and the floods that can accompany it. Thoseliving in hurricane areas should keep adequate supplies on handbecause power likely will be disrupted, putting food in danger.Clemson University’s Home & Garden Information Center hasfact sheets with useful information to help people prepare to keeptheir food safe in event of a hurricane. The information is online in English and Spanish versions. For more information, contact food safety specialist Pam Schmutz at 1-888-656-9988 or [email protected].

Animal care and recovery

Humans aren’t the onlyones in need of shelter and emergency services when hurricanes hit.Cats and dogs, along with farm livestock, require care and recoveryactions. Planning, tracking and responding to animal issues, rangingfrom shelter to carcass cleanup, is Charlotte Krugler’s job. She is theveterinarian at the Clemson Livestock and Poultry Health unit inColumbia, S.C., where she oversees the state response to naturaldisasters. Krugler leads efforts to find kennels and temporary housingsites so people have a place to leave their pets in safe places. Shecan provide information about animal care during hurricanes. ContactKrugler at 803-788-2260, ext. 286, 843-709-2472 or [email protected], or contact Peter Kent in Public Service Media Relations at 864-557-3491 [email protected], for assistance.

Restoring tourism after the storm

Clemsonresearchers have found that open communication is key to attractingtourists after a disaster. According to a study led by professor ofparks, recreation and tourism management Sheila Backman, a littletruth can go a long way. For more information on how to build acommunications plan aimed at recovering tourism, contact Backman at864-656-5236 or [email protected] or for assistance contact Media Relations’ Ross Norton at 864-656-2061 or [email protected].