In preparation for Ian, Florida’s most devastating hurricane since 1935, Vester’s staff took precautions to protect their equipment, which was critical to the continuity of research after the storm. Before the storm, four of Vester’s boats were transported to FGCU’s main campus and secured alongside other campus boats. Two other boats that could not be moved due to a lack of trailers were lost in the storm, but the proactive relocation of important research equipment made a significant difference.
Important tools for determining general water parameters were also secured before the storm. These efforts enabled The Water School Faculty and staff should resume their critical research activities immediately after Ian, underscoring the importance of strategic preparation.
“When a hurricane comes ashore in a low-lying area and causes a storm surge of 10 to 15 feet and a couple of feet of rainfall, all sorts of precautions or preparations are no longer important unless there is absolutely nothing on the ground floor and everything is elevated,” says Adam Catasus (’15, Bachelor, Marine Sciences; ’19, Master, Environmental Sciences), Coordinator for Education and Research at Vester.
