EMA DIRECTOR ADDRESSES WEAKNESSES

The failures that left thousands of Florida residents unprepared for Hurricane Wilma should be addressed by launching a new election-style marketing campaign, expanding the tax-free shopping week and beefing up Florida’s evacuation plans, according to Craig Fugate, the state’s emergency management director.

Fugate told the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel that Wilma, which left millions of South Florida residents without food, water and power for days, showcased the urgent need to boost public awareness.