Published: July 21, 2008 06:50 pm            

Emergency management keeping eye on the Gulf

By Debby Schamber

The Orange Leader



Local emergency management officials are keeping the lines of communication open as Tropical Storm Dolly makes her grand entrance into the Gulf of Mexico.

“We are as prepared as we will ever be,” said Orange County Judge Carl Thibodeaux, who is also the regional incident commander for all of Southeast Texas. “If it comes here — we can handle it.”

Thibodeaux added Hurricane Rita was a learning experience for all involved, including emergency management personnel and citizens alike.

“We have made some adjustments and have a better means of evacuating in the event (another storm) does hit here,” Thibodeaux said.

Tropical Storm Dolly could become the first hurricane to strike the United States this year. The storm’s projected path has Dolly making landfall Thursday near Brownsville.

Only one hurricane, Humberto, made landfall in the U.S. last year. Humberto hit near High Island with 85 mile per hour winds and caused a reported $30 million in damage.

Humberto came as a rude awakening for most Southeast Texans, as the storm was projected to make landfall as a tropical storm.

Thibodeaux said he wants to assure everyone that no matter what Dolly or other possible storms might bring, emergency personnel will be ready.

“We have the best in the state,” he added of the emergency management team. “And we have systems in place to be prepared for the aftermath.”

Thibodeaux and other county leaders were involved in conference calls Monday with the governor’s emergency management office, as the state braces for the possible hurricane.

Officials with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles are monitoring the storm and said Monday they are unsure if the storm will become a hurricane. A hurricane watch has been issued for the Texas coast from Brownsville north to Port O’Connor

Looking at the latest satellite trends of Dolly, NWS forecasters say dry air being entrained into the center of the storm is not conducive for further development.

If the storm does gain enough strength to become a hurricane, forecasters say Dolly is expected to be a Category 1 storm with sustained winds of 74 to 95 mph winds. Emergency management officials said they will not evacuate the area until the storm reaches Category 3 status.

In anticipation of the storm, Gov. Rick Perry Monday activated 1,200 Texas National Guard troops, Texas Task Force 1, the Lone Star Task Force and three incident management teams.

The Texas Department of Transportation is using dynamic message signs to advise residents along the Texas coast to maintain a full tank of gas. If needed, 250 buses have also been activated and will be staged in San Antonio, fuel teams are ready to respond to an increased demand for fuel, and volunteer organizations are prepared to provide mass care support for residents. All state resources are ready for rapid deployment, according to information released Monday by the governor’s office.

“Texans should take proper precautions now to ensure that they are prepared for possible severe weather in their communities,” said Gov. Perry in a statement issued Monday. “Residents should remain vigilant, heed the warnings from their local officials and continue monitoring this storm.”

Locally, weather conditions are expected to include a stronger wind convergence near the coast and a better chance for sea breeze showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon and early evening hours between Tuesday and Thursday.

Tides are also expected to increase Tuesday. Officials have issued a coastal flood advisory for minor inconvenience flooding along the coast. Actual tide readings should peak out between 3 and 3.5 feet during high tide times, according to the National Weather Service.

“It is still too early to tell what the intensity of the storm will become or its landfall, but everyone along the Texas coastline should be preparing for a hurricane,” said Mark Hanna, a spokesman for the Insurance Council of Texas (ICT), in a statement issued Monday.

Officials with the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission on Monday urged people who need evacuation assistance to register with 211 now. Calling early in the hurricane season allows more time for emergency officials to plan evacuation transportation. Residents can dial 211 anytime day or night, seven days a week.



Reach this reporter at 409-883-3571, Ext. 2613, or dschamber@orangeleader.com

        

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