The response to Hurricane Florence shows the power of the private sector and government working together toward a common goal.
After years of responding to massive storms separately, the government has figured out that companies and other organizations are a tremendous asset to relief operations. The Federal Emergency Management Agency realized that Waffle House does an astounding job keeping their restaurants open around the clock in almost any weather. (Indeed, the restaurant teaches its staff which menu items can be cooked without certain resources.) FEMA uses the Waffle House Index to measure the impact of storms. Waffle House, for its part, set up a storm center to track Florence and keep its employees safe while keeping its restaurants as functional as possible.
Less publicized, but no less powerful, is the new alliance between the Department of Defense and the Cajun Navy. The Cajun Navy, a group of volunteer boaters who have rescued people from floods after Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey, mobilized hundreds of people to descend on the Carolinas before the storm hit. The group used to work on its own, as sort of its own 911 service that ran parallel to government services. Now, the Department of Defense has recognized that while they have the technology, the Cajun Navy has the manpower. According to Cajun Navy Texas Capt. Taylor Fontenot, “We have government contacts, [Department of Defense], local military that will kind of guide us ’cause nobody wants to see what happened in Harvey and Katrina happen again.”
The private sector stepped up for evacuees in myriad ways. U-Haul offered free storage for people trying to protect their belongings from floodwaters. Delta, United, and American Airlines waived their luggage and pet fees for travelers escaping the storm. AT&T and Verizon are giving unlimited calling, texting, and data to people in Florence’s path.
All of these companies had the opportunity to price gouge (and to rake in cash from desperate people while they’re at it). With a huge storm threatening to flood an entire region, U-Haul surely could have sold its storage at a premium. Airlines are famous for squeezing every last dollar out of travelers, and people would have certainly shelled out to bring their pets to safety. The telecom companies could have made a mint from overage fees. Instead, they looked at an opportunity with remarkable price elasticity and did the kind thing instead of the profitable thing.
Is it all for good press? Maybe, but it doesn’t matter. If you’re an evacuee, you care that someone is helping you travel, protect your belongings, and communicate with loved ones — not necessarily why they’re helping you.
Indeed, it is the lack of local cooperation that hindered response efforts to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Literal tons of food and water made it to the island within days of the storm, but much of those resources remained at the port and never made it to the people in need. Truck drivers didn’t show up, leading the head of one shipping company to put to work any eligible driver he could find. When Puerto Rican authorities claimed roads were blocked, several mayors protested, saying that the roads were clear. One drove himself to San Juan to prove it. Infrastructure might be constructed by government, but if no one uses it, it’s as if it never existed at all.
In the aftermath of Florence, the fact remains that hundreds of thousands of people are better off today because businesses and private citizens decided to do the kind thing instead of the profitable thing. Any good press that comes from such decisions is well-deserved.
In the information age, the free market has a heart.
Angela Morabito (@AngelaLMorabito) writes about politics, media, ethics, and culture. She holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Georgetown University.
