Hurricane Irma Case Study to Educate Peers on Emergency Planning Best Practices

Target Audience: The Hurricane Irma Case Study provided HART leadership a tremendous opportunity to create a case study that showcased how the Authority prepared and how committed the employees were to give a necessary public service in emergency situations. The purpose of the case study was to share the Authority's experience and lessons learned during the emergency with industry peers and the Tampa Bay community.

Strategy Objective:The objective of the campaign was to engage with industry peers and community stakeholders to share best practices during emergency situations. HART leadership felt that a case study was the best way to share the Authority's experience and lessons learned from the storm.

Situation Challenge: In preparation for this past hurricane season, HART gathered its crisis team together to discuss lessons learned and what areas and functionality each department can improve upon. One of the biggest lessons learned during Hurricane Irma and stood out during the preparation of the case study was that transit agencies need to continually update emergency plans and always prepare for the big one. With emergency situations, there is no such thing as too much communication ' including minute-by-minute updates and evacuation plans.

Results Impact: Although, Hurricane Irma tested HART's preparedness during a storm, it provided the Authority a chance to demonstrate its ability during a crisis. The efficiency and effectiveness displayed by the Authority showed County leaders and residents alike that HART is more than just a bus agency. With a prominent role in Emergency Operation Center briefings, HART's position as the county's transportation leader rose following Hurricane Irma. DOT recognized HART for allowing out-of-state emergency vehicles to use its diesel fuel. As a result of the timely assistance, HART and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) are considering an ongoing partnership during such emergencies.

Why Submit: HART received laurels from various organizations including the American Transportation Association (APTA) for the vital work the agency did. In 2017, the Tampa Downtown Partnership recognized the Authority with 2017 Urban Excellence Award/Downtown Collaboration Award for response and relief operations performed in conjunction with the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County and the Tampa Emergency Operations Center.