WXEL joined forces with the local NBC affiliate, WPTV, Channel 5, and the Sun-Sentinel newspaper to bring continuous coverage via WXEL-FM, offering life-saving information to its listeners. With the loss of electricity almost universal, portable radios became the prime source of up-to-date bulletins for most people in WXEL-FM’s multi-county coverage area. Several other radio and TV stations were knocked off the air.

WXEL quickly turned on its emergency electric generators at both its studios and its transmitter sight and kept broadcasting throughout the storm. The radio station required 120 gallons of fuel to keep its studios up and running; WXEL-TV used up more that 1,500 gallons of fuel.

In addition to carrying the Channel 5 audio, WXEL-FM provided its own reports as well as those from the Florida Radio Network and National Public Radio. The station also broadcast Emergency Alert System (EAS) warnings and information to be relayed by other radio and TV stations. WXEL is the official EAS station for its coverage area.

WXEL’s coverage began way before the tediously slow arrival of the storm on Saturday. Wednesday evening WXEL-TV’s South Florida Today devoted its half-hour program to life-saving storm-preparation information. City representatives described what they had done to protect their neighborhoods, a Coast Guard officer gave out hints on how to protect boats, animal shelter officials gave advice on where to take your pets and how to help them get through the experience.

WXEL-FM’s Florida Forum broadcast a program on emergency preparation early in the hurricane season. Host Ann Bocock interviewed the head of the local Emergency Operations Center, Red Cross personnel and a 211 Helpline representative. A new program was prepared to air after the hurricane to go over what people should have done versus what they did do, what residents experienced, what emergency procedures worked, what didn't work, and what they can do now to make things easier.

Before the hurricane, listeners were kept posted on the movement of the storm and told when to evacuate, where to go, the location of shelters, the whereabouts of gas stations which still had gas and stores which still had such essentials as water, batteries, portable grills and plywood, and what to do to keep safe during the storm. During the hurricane listeners learned about wind speeds, rainfall, damage which occurred, and how to survive without electricity, telephone and air conditioning.

Following the storm WXEL-FM provided information on curfews, damaged roads, how to handle crossroads where traffic signals no longer worked, how to keep from getting electrocuted by downed power lines, who to call to file insurance claims, school closings, and much more. Politicians, government officials, power company spokespersons, storm experts and others were interviewed.

WXEL President and CEO Jerry Carr was proud of the performance of his staff throughout the Hurricane Frances emergency. “Nevertheless,” he said, “as much as WXEL loves serving its community day and night, 365 days a year, and as pleased as we are to be able to provide such useful service in a crisis, we’d still prefer that Hurricane Ivan not give us the opportunity to do all this again so soon! But if it comes, we’ll do it all over again.”

Submitted by Fred Flaxman