WARWICK, R.I. -- What would be the impact if a storm as big as
the Great Hurricane of 1938 struck Rhode Island today? That is
what emergency management officials from nearly all 39 Rhode
Island communities were asked during a hazard mitigation
workshop, offered by the Rhode Island Emergency Management
Agency (RIEMA) with support from the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) and the University of Rhode Island
Coastal Institute. Representatives from 32 communities and 16
federal and state agencies learned that critical facilities in
the state, including emergency operation centers, fire and
police, would have severe damage on the first day of the
disaster. An estimated 14,310 people would be displaced. Once
the 111-130 mph winds of the Category 3 hurricane winds passed,
it would leave the state with 393,929 tons of building debris,
1.1 million tons of tree debris, and an estimated $3.1 billion
in economic losses. The devastating details were a stark
reminder to the dozens of emergency managers, city offic