ReadyNow Hurricane Readiness

Inspiration

We were inspired by the devastation and damage done by hurricanes during the 2024 hurricane season. We also found that many of the hurricane readiness websites were complex and had a lot of navigation and pages. We thought that for those dealing with a hurricane crisis, there should be a more straightforward website that directs them to the resources they need the most. We wanted there to be a simple and easy-to-use source for various types of hurricane readiness and relief information.

What it does

This website provides various resources for anyone who is facing a hurricane crisis. It is split into three sections: before, during, and after a hurricane lands. In the before section, there is a pre-hurricane checklist, hurricane tracker, emergency plan generator that allows the user to write and download a pdf file of an emergency plan, and a local weather forecast with severe weather alerts. In the during section, there is crucial info for what to do if you are in the midst of a hurricane. In the after section, there is a post-hurricane safety checklist as well as a news feed of hurricane news.

How we built it

We built this app using Node.js and React. For the UI elements, we used the ChakraUI library. We used the national weather service API for forecasts and alerts and embedded ABC newsfeed and a hurricane tracker app. We implemented location-finding technology to get the local user data and the React-pfd package so the user can download their emergency plan.

Challenges we ran into

For most of our users, this was the first type developing a webapp and the first time working on a project in a group. We had to learn a lot of Javascript and React on the fly as well as understanding how to use git and work collaboratively.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of making a completed project that looks good and that will be genuinely useful. We are also happy to have functionality for local user data and for allowing the user to generate and download their own emergency plan. Finally, we are proud of being able to implement so many useful resources in our project.

What we learned

We learned how to make webapps, how to work collaboratively, how to use git, and how to create a complete project with simple navigation.

What's next for ReadyNow Hurricane Readiness

In the future, we plan to refine the UI and implement location-based features that allow users to find local storm shelters and receive notifications about power outages and road closures in their area.