With the hurricane season approaching, everyone is hoping not to host a “hurricane party.” Hurricane parties, while often considered a potential hazard, can offer numerous benefits for all attendees.
Devastation follows in the wake of hurricanes. However, with a group of people, recovery and preparation can be quick and nearly painless. An average home can take one to two days to prepare, including tasks such as cleaning shutters and other miscellaneous tasks. With a group, this can be as little as a few hours. If everyone in the group had pitched in at each other’s respective homes, the preparation would have gone from 3-4 days to a single day.
One of the highlights of the hurricane party is the group dynamic. During a traumatic and devastating event, a group setting can ease the tension. Without power, groups can still have fun reading, playing board games or with a power bank, enjoy movies and television shows.
Critics of hurricane parties argue that they can be wasteful and potentially dangerous. While it may be tempting to celebrate a natural disaster, gathering at a hazardous location is not a wise move.
Publix Super Markets, Florida’s unofficial sub supplier and grocery store chain, was known for its “Hurricane Cakes,” a trend that ended following the detrimental effects of Hurricane Ian on Florida in 2022. While these ways to honor an event may be immoral and wrong at times, they are no more destructive than the effects of a hurricane party.
Even if a group sheltered together receives no damage, they can aid others when it is safe to do so. They can also serve as a neighborhood watch, keeping an eye on each other’s properties and checking in on family and friends who are not part of the group. This system is particularly favorable in rural areas, where it benefits private livestock owners.
After a storm, groups can still support one another’s well-being by sharing basic chores. Every member of a hurricane party may have a different task, such as boiling water, clearing debris, gathering gasoline or preparing food.
It may be a struggle, but it is one of the best solutions to a common problem. With proper precautions, a hurricane party can have a positive impact, not just for the participants but for the community as a whole.
