The Atlantic storm season has begun. One storm, Ana, has already jumped the gun and meandered across the ocean before June 1, the official start date. Then, it fizzled in colder waters. However, as summer drags on and the Gulf of Mexico warms, all eyes will turn to the U.S. Gulf coast and what it could yield when extreme heat, water and winds mix.
Representatives from Bell County, Temple, Harker Heights and Belton are heading to College Station on June 16-18 for the 2009 Houston Galveston Area Rehearsal of Concept drill, nicknamed ROC.
“This gives us an opportunity to work on our plan and see if the minor changes we made will improve the overall operation,” said Dennis W. Baker, Bell County emergency management coordinator.
Colorado State University climatologists predict an average season - five hurricanes and 11 named storms for this year, with two major storms. Historically, August and September pose the greatest threats to Gulf coast states.
However, all Texas needs is one to create havoc for months, like Ike. On Sept. 10, Hurricane Ike, a Category 2 hurricane with 110 mph winds, cut a wide swath through Galveston, devastating the island city and surrounding counties. About 1,200 evacuees and 86 pets found shelter in Bell County.
In 2005, an estimated 4,500 evacuees flocked to Bell County shelters after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Some had just the clothes on their backs. With the help of Bell County cities, churches, hundreds of volunteers and social service agencies, the evacuees were fed, housed and helped until they could return home. Those experiences exposed problems of poor communications and redoubling of relief efforts that strained the system, said Baker.
Bell officials, including representatives from area hospitals, want to be ready in case history and hurricanes repeat. Since 2005, state agencies, with help of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and relief organizations such as the Red Cross and Salvation Army, streamlined operations and matched Gulf coast counties with “sister” inland counties. Brazoria County evacuees have been matched to Bell County.
Last year, a special needs shelter opened in the former police station, where 106 Hurricane Ike evacuees stayed for several weeks. General population shelters opened at the Mayborn Center and Belton’s First Baptist Church. Other churches opened their doors to evacuees.
Local officials are not waiting until the last minute to determine needs and gather supplies. “We now have an adequate supply of cots to open shelters,” Baker said. “This is one of the most important items to make evacuees feel safe and help them make the best of a difficult situation. We also have a good record of the items we purchased to support the shelters. This shopping list will help us be more responsive in supplying the shelters across the county.”
Baker listed two areas needing improvement – bringing health care to shelters and getting more help. “A couple of things we will do differently is to work with the Home Health Care professionals in our area to help out in the shelters with the evacuees that need a little extra help,” he said. “Also, we will request shelter management teams from the state to augment the shelter staff we have now.”
The county’s success with Ike evacuees has proven the importance and effectiveness of a solid corps of volunteers when the time comes.
“We are always excited when folks volunteer,” Baker added. “There are several avenues a person can follow to offer their time. Many of the local churches have organized volunteer groups; the Salvation Army has opportunities to volunteer. There are active Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), including CERT teams in Temple and Killeen. There is a group that works in the Bell County Emergency.
pbenoit@temple-telegram.com
