Bob Graham Center for Public Service

The East Central region consists of a wide variety of counties with rich nature and a vigorous tourism industry. Flagler, Indian River, Volusia and Brevard counties are coastal, while Seminole, Orange, Osceola and Okeechobee border coastal counties. This makes the region particularly vulnerable not only to flooding along the coasts, but in interior lakes and rivers.

As reported elsewhere along the Atlantic, beach erosion is severe in some areas. Volusia’s famously wide beaches have diminished in size. In Indian River County, more than half the shoreline is considered critically eroded—a problem for not only for the human residents, but their well-known sea turtle neighbors.

The region relies heavily on agriculture, meaning extreme weather events from heat to hurricanes can damage the livelihoods of livestock ranchers, citrus growers and other farmers. Scientists in the region reported that warming winters and earlier springs give deadly citrus greening a longer transmission period, meaning a projected increase in diseased trees.

Tourism is also a key industry in the greater Orlando area, containing Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties. Many residents work for tourist attractions or in hospitality, which see lower attendance rates in severe weather and extreme heat events. According to Visit Florida*, Hurricane Irma caused severe losses in key tourism destinations, including a reduction of passengers traveling through the Orlando International Airport, Florida’s busiest airport.

All East Central counties have applied for FEMA disaster aid for flooding in the past ten years. Meanwhile as hurricanes and other storms have continued to pound the coast in recent years, inland county officials reported increasing in-migration.

Only Volusia County had both a resiliency officer and a climate vulnerability assessment.

Percent of counties that had a Local Resilience Officer (based on interviews): 37.5% Percent of counties that have conducted a climate vulnerability assessment (based on interviews): 37.5% Percent of counties that have had to apply for FEMA disaster aid within the last ten years (based on interviews): 100%

Total number of people with a disability, 2016: 430,705 Total number of individuals over 65 and living alone, 2016: 132,888 Average number of houses in FEMA flood zones, 2011: 20,101

* For time series data, see the Data Explorer page
Average number of extreme heat days, 2016: 27.38 Average number of extreme precipitation days, 2016: 37.88 Average number of weeks of moderate drought or worse, 2016: 0

* For time series data, see the Data Explorer page
Average number of emergency department visits for asthma, 2018: 58.68 Average number of emergency department visits for COPD, 2017: 99.81 Average number of emergency department visits for heat related illness, 2018: 35.70