When Everything Goes Down

In October 2005, Hurricane Wilma intensified into one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes ever recorded. According to the National Hurricane Center, peak sustained winds reached 185 mph and the minimum central pressure fell to 882 millibars—the lowest central pressure recorded in an Atlantic hurricane.

Wilma reached Cozumel on October 21 with Category 4 intensity and sustained winds near 150 mph. The storm moved slowly across Cozumel and the northeastern Yucatán Peninsula, subjecting the area to destructive winds, heavy rain and storm surge for an extended period.

Those facts describe the storm. They do not fully describe what happens to daily life when an island's infrastructure is damaged at the same time.

When a hurricane damages power lines, cellular equipment, roads, homes and businesses across the same area, the emergency does not remain confined to one category.

Power loss affects lighting, refrigeration, charging and communications. Damaged cellular equipment makes it harder to reach family, obtain information or coordinate help. Blocked roads slow repairs and resupply. Fuel becomes more difficult to obtain. Water and sanitation can become urgent concerns. Businesses may remain closed even after the sky clears because their employees, suppliers and utilities are facing the same disruption.

This is the part that can be easy to miss while everyday systems are working: our conveniences are connected, and so are their failures.

A storm's passage has an ending. Recovery does not happen on the same timetable.

Debris must be cleared before some roads can reopen. Utility crews need access before damaged power and communications equipment can be repaired. Supplies must reach the community. Homes and businesses must be inspected, cleaned and rebuilt.

That means the period after the storm can demand just as much planning as the storm itself. The critical question is not only, “Can I get through the night?” It is also, “What will I need if the systems around me remain limited for days or longer?”

Cozumel faces hurricanes. Other communities face wildfires, earthquakes, winter storms, tornadoes, flooding, extreme heat, volcanic activity or regional power outages.

The event changes. Many of the consequences do not.

People still need safe water. They need light and a way to charge critical devices. They need reliable information and a way to contact others. They need food, medications, basic tools and enough flexibility to function while normal services are interrupted.

Preparedness should reflect local risks, individual health needs, household size, budget and living situation. There is no universal shopping list and no single product that solves everything.

In 1992, after graduating from Arizona State University, I moved to Plant City, Florida, between Tampa and Lakeland. I bought a lawn and landscape company and lived there for the next eight years.

Every summer and fall brought hurricane season. Most storms missed us, but the preparations, forecasts and near misses were a regular reminder of how quickly conditions could change. Hurricanes do not create only wind damage. Storm surge, flooding and tornadoes can compound the emergency, while power, roads and communications may all be affected at the same time.

On August 24, 1992, Hurricane Andrew struck South Florida.

I was returning from a vacation and flying into Tampa International Airport. As we approached the airport, I looked out the window and saw the enormous storm system affecting Florida. Andrew went on to cause catastrophic destruction across parts of South Florida.

My church later called on us to travel south and help communities dealing with the aftermath. Seeing that destruction firsthand left an indelible mark on me. It showed me that a hurricane is not merely something represented by a forecast cone or satellite image. When it reaches a community, it changes real homes, real neighborhoods and real lives.

That experience stayed with me.

Now I live in Cozumel—an extraordinary place, but also an island exposed to hurricanes and tropical storms. I have not personally experienced a hurricane in Cozumel, and I do not want the page to imply that I have. What I do bring with me is the memory of South Florida after Andrew and an understanding that these events can overwhelm several systems at once.

That is why I take preparedness seriously.

I live in Cozumel now, where hurricane risk is part of the reality of island life. I cannot prevent a storm, guarantee that the power will stay on or control how quickly damaged infrastructure will be restored.

What I can do is reduce unnecessary dependence on any single system.

That is why I am building my preparedness in layers: backup power, more than one path to communication, stored water, essential supplies and practical plans for the interruptions most likely to affect daily life here.

I am documenting the process honestly. I will show what I already own and use, what I plan to test, what works, what does not and what I learn along the way. This is not a claim that my setup is perfect, complete or right for everyone.

It is simply a decision to become better prepared than I was yesterday.