Taking Matters Into Your Own Hands
On October 10th, 2018, Hurricane Michael became the fourth-strongest hurricane by wind speed to make landfall in the contiguous U.S. It was a category five storm, with sustained winds of 160 mph. Michael devastated Mexico Beach, and went on to wreak havoc in Panama City. 90% of the structures in Panama City were damaged. The storm may have displaced as many as 20,000 people. Winds gusted to 164 mph in Panama City, and the entire metro area was a sea of tangled structural and tree debris. In the middle of all that wreckage, five homes stood out — defiantly, and almost inexplicably. They are modest, one-level homes that were built by Habitat for Humanity. They looked like they had been untouched by the storm, and for the most part, that was true. Among all five homes, the damage was limited to an A/C unit, some siding, and one window. It was a demonstration of what effective hurricane fortification looks like. One of the five Habitat for Humanity homes, after Michael hit Panama Ci...