The audience at the JSA Medical Group’s 3rd Annual Hurricane Expo was offered a hands-on look at some of the equipment used to monitor hurricanes. This instrument, called a Dropwindsonde, is dropped from an aircraft into a storm. A parachute guides it through the winds while it gathers information, which is transmitted back to the aircraft. Chere Simmons photos.
Recently, JSA Medical Group, 787 Cortaro Drive in Sun City Center, hosted its third annual Hurricane EXPO. The opening welcome and emergency medical supplies information was provided by Jahayra Flores of JSA.
At the height of concern, with Hurricane Erika on the horizon, a capacity crowd gathered to hear keynote speaker Diane Kacmarik a Bay News 9 meteorologist, give helpful tips on what to look for in a weather emergency. Our furry friends’ safety was addressed by M.J. Maruca, animal control supervisor of the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center. Katherine Watts, RDN, LDN, patient services/dietician from South Bay Hospital, spoke on the special attention we should pay to the food we eat during a crisis.
Robin Watt, community relations director from the Sun City Center Emergency Squad, focused mainly on preventing falls from hurricane debris; while Silver Sneakers representative Rosie Korfant, JSA activities coordinator, demonstrated a variety of items that are useful to keep muscles and brain engaged in activity during extended shelter duration.
Finally, Mike Holmes, flight director at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, gave an illuminating presentation of weather reconnaissance into the eye of a hurricane.
Mike Holmes, flight director from NOAA, gave his presentation on monitoring storms by using aircraft equipped with radar and fully staffed with 18 computer workstations.
There are numerous hurricane guides still available free to the public at the JSA Medical Group office. The guides are provided by both Bay News 9 and Hillsborough County.
Robin Watt spoke about preventing falls and also the importance of having an updated Vial of Life.
