Red Alert

By: Mike Walsh
Posted In: News

NEWPORT – The last time a state of emergency was declared in Rhode Island was Aug. 26, 1991. Hurricane Bob, a lowly Category 1 storm, was just about to strike parts of southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Nick Logothets, the director of emergency services for the Rhode Island Red Cross, remembers the events of that day vividly.

“We opened up the Gaudet School, and nobody came,” said Logothets. “We ended up playing basketball with each other.”

It’s fairly easy to acknowledge that the United State’s mindset regarding disastrous situations has changed in the 15 plus years that have passed since then. Enter the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. Then throw in Katrina, the worst hurricane in the history of the country. Now, Americans have many reasons to be prepared for when disaster strikes. However, some recently conducted studies suggest otherwise.

According to Boston’s Newscenter 5, a study by the American Highway Users

Alliance revealed that the Hub’s emergency evacuation plan is lacking in many

ways. Various factors, ranging from the city’s geography and population to its

congested roads led to a disturbing “F” on its report card.