Pet therapy program
Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital is introducing Brevard County’s first hospital-based pet therapy program to support emotional well-being. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital is launching a new program called “PetSmart Paws for Hope” The initiative aims to support the emotional well-being of patients, visitors, and health care workers, using trained therapy dogs. Studies indicate that interaction with certified therapy dogs can reduce patient anxiety by up to 35%, helping reduce stress in busy healthcare settings.
Heavy hurricane season ahead
With the start of hurricane season just over two weeks away, the director of the National Hurricane Center looked at lessons learned from last season. Director Michael Brennan spoke at the annual Governor’s Hurricane Conference in West Palm Beach. WFIT’s Terri Wright tells us more.
Although El Niño is expected to tamp down hurricane season, Brennan warned last year delivered one of the most powerful storms on record. And as we hear a lot about what the twenty twenty-six hurricane season might look like with El Niño coming, that risk is gonna be there regardless of what you hear about any seasonal forecast. Last year, the season fell below average for the first time in 9 seasons. Yet it still produced three fierce Cat 5 storms - the most in 20 years. And despite growing interest in AI generated forecasts, Brennan said the National Hurricane Center accurately predicted Hurricane Melissa would become a Cat 5 three full days before it hit Jamaica. These are forecasts that we simply were not able to make more than five or ten years ago. This coming season, the cone of uncertainty will increase to 90 percent. The hurricane center is also rolling out a friendlier mobile version for phones.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration plans to issue its preseason forecast May 21st.
Children's book on water safety
As warmer weather and the summer months approach, water safety is top of mind. Cocoa Rotary Club is distributing a water safety book for kids.The Collinsworths, who lost their son to drowning, made it their mission to educate with the messages ‘Babies Float First’ and ‘Float 4 Life’. They began the ‘Josh the Otter’ water safety program and wrote a book named in their son’s memory. Cocoa Rotary is giving out water safety books to Pre-K and 1st graders at elementary schools across central Brevard. The group raised half of the $3,000 cost for the books, with a grant covering the remaining amount. The leading cause of death for children ages 1-4 is drowning. There are a reported 4,000 unintentional drownings in the United States every year.
Another amazon mega-warehouse
Amazon has spent more than $400 million on warehouse facilities across Melbourne and Cocoa, creating at least 400 jobs for local residents since 2020. Development plans for an additional mega-warehouse in West Melbourne is predicted to create a surplus of 1,000 more available full-time jobs. The warehouse will span 1.2 million square feet, and stand 60 feet tall. Officials such as West Melbourne City Manager Tim Rhode are hopeful for the new development to bring in more people and elevate activity in the Space Coast Town Center.