April 15, 2019
West Palm Beach, FL - The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) will conduct its annual "Hurricane Freddy" drill on Wednesday, April 17 as part of its preparation for the upcoming rainy season.
SFWMD has conducted the annual Hurricane Freddy drill since the mid-1990s. The drill, which involves District staff in the Emergency Operations Center responding to a fictional hurricane scenario impacting South Florida, begins with a briefing at 8 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m.
"Exercises are an important component of maintaining readiness for hurricanes and other disasters. This event provides us with an opportunity to test staff's capability as well as critical technology," said SFWMD Emergency Management Director Beth McElroy. "Hurricane Freddy allows us to practice command, control and coordination throughout our 16-county region, not just with internal staff, but also with our critical external stakeholders, thus allowing for a seamless response to any disaster."