In September 2017, Puerto Rico was hit by Hurricane Irma and Maria—category five and four storms—in succession. The impact was widespread and catastrophic. Damage to essential infrastructure affected systems of energy, transportation, communications, water supply, and disaster response operations. Federal aid emergency resources were stretched thin as the storms came at the end of hurricane season.
In this case study, Rosenbaum discusses the immediate impacts of the hurricanes before exploring the reported shortcomings of the event. Poor communication caused a misrepresentation of casualties, which impacted funding and response to the hurricanes. Rosenbaum notes how a delay in resources to the disaster zone highlighted the need for a robust emergency response plan and improved communication protocols for future hurricane events.