Articles by Jennifer Kay

Disaster Plan Should Include Social Media, Says Hurricane Center

Nobody is going to push the “like” button for a hurricane, but the National Hurricane Center hopes to get some Facebook fans for its storm advisories. The hurricane center joined the online social network in January to give a behind-the-scenes …

Hurricane Scale No Longer Has Storm Surge, Inland Flooding Estimates

The five-category system that describes a hurricane’s strength and the havoc its winds could bring to the U.S. has been updated for the 2010 storm season. Gone from the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale are estimates for storm surge and inland …

Florida Judge: $97M Nicaraguan Judgment Against Dole Unenforceable

Florida judge has said a $97 million judgment against U.S. food giant Dole and Dow Chemical Co. cannot be enforced because the Nicaraguan court that issued it neither had jurisdiction nor met international legal standards. A trial court in Chinandega, …

U.S. Hurricane Center Applying Storm Surge, Other Lessons Learned

Tropical storms are unpredictable, but as the National Hurricane Center’s director contemplates ways to improve forecasting errors and communicating with the public, he is confident he has an ally at the Federal Emergency management Agency (FEMA). Bill Read celebrated the …

Lawsuit Claims Ala.-Based Insurance Co. Discriminated Against Haitians

Three Florida residents have sued Alabama-based Liberty National Life Insurance Co. claiming their insurance was canceled or undervalued because of discrimination against Haitian-Americans. The new class-action lawsuit was filed by three Haitian-Americans seeking at least $75,000 in compensatory damages. The …

Poll: Many coastal residents still not ready for hurricanes

Many people along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts still lack a hurricane survival plan and don’t feel vulnerable to storms, despite Katrina’s dramatic damage and pleas from emergency officials for residents to prepare before the season starts, according to a …

Poll: Many Coastal Residents Still Not Ready for Hurricanes

Many people along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts still lack a hurricane survival plan and don’t feel vulnerable to storms, despite Katrina’s dramatic damage and pleas from emergency officials for residents to prepare before the season starts, according to a …

National Science Board Urges More Coordinated Hurricane Research

Hurricanes cost taxpayers billions of dollars, but the government has not invested enough money in understanding them, according to a federal report that calls for more coordinated research. The National Science Board’s draft report, “Hurricane Warning: The Critical Need for …