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[Tvoivozhd <tvoivozd AT infionline.net>]

   Hurricane-Proof?


Published: September 9, 2004

        
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To the Editor:

Florida's hurricane-induced mess (news article, Sept. 7) brought back 
memories of my years on the Japanese island of Okinawa.

Located in "Typhoon Alley," Okinawa gets hit with four or five typhoons 
a year. Unlike the situation in Florida, things are generally back to 
normal within hours or days, depending on the typhoon's strength.

Why? Houses and even roofs are made of reinforced concrete, and many 
utility lines are located underground. This protects local residents not 
only from the effects of typhoons, but also from another ever-present 
threat: earthquakes.

Perhaps these Okinawa building techniques can be studied and used by 
Florida builders to lessen the effect of future hurricanes.

Russ Maheras
Highwood, Ill., Sept. 7, 2004

tvoivozhd---as a former tract-developer and builder, and owner of two 
insurance brokerages, I find it incomprehensible that the Feds and Statd 
government continue to reward substandard construction incapable of 
withstanding the ravages of constantly recurring hurricanes and floods.

Except for building concrete domes, few structures will survive a 
tornado, but all others are easily designed and constructed to easily 
handle hurricanes and banning flood-zone housing will reduce the 
multi-billion annual losses to a relatively trivial amount.

Your (wasted) tax dollars at work.