< Previous10 | The Daily News | Hurricane Preparedness | 2022 By JAY MORENO The Daily News To prepare for hurricane season, the Texas Division of Emergency Management is promoting a self-reporting survey for disaster damage. The Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool, also known as iSTAT, was created for those affected by hurricanes and other disas- ters, such as tornadoes and flooding, to report damages that will notify emergency management officials. While the tool has been used for some years, the organization is now further promoting it to prepare for disasters, Galveston Emer- gency Management Chief Mark Morgan Sr. said. The tool was not used during Hurricane Harvey, though it was used in some circumstances during Hur- ricane Laura in 2020, which caused a total of 81 fatali- ties. The same year, it also was more commonly used because of the COVID-19 pandemic during a time where social distancing mea- sures remained in place. “They’re just kind of doing more of a big push to get it out,” Morgan said. The Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool is different from the state’s already-existing Public State of Texas Assessment Tool, known as the pSTAT. The latter is primarily for govern- ment facilities and infrastruc- ture, while the iSTAT is meant for homes and businesses. Those affected can visit the organization’s official website to report damages, allowing New tool encouraged to report disaster damage To learn more about iSTAT, scan the QR code with your smartphone. them to select whether the impacted location is a home or business, as well as spec- ifying if they are able to stay in the home affected. They also can specify whether they have lost electricity, natural gas and running water. “It makes it a lot faster for us to submit our disaster out- lines to the state for approv- al,” Morgan said. “It would give us real time data.” A maximum of 10 photos of damage can be submit- ted through the survey, and submitters should not include photos of vehicles and non-residential struc- tures, such as outbuildings and fences. The survey also will allow people to ask for volunteer clean-up support if it is pro- vided in the area. Complet- ing the survey will provide information to nearby re- sources such as food, water, tarps and shelter. STUART VILLANUEVA/The Daily News file photos ABOVE: Bacliff resident Carlos David Rivera Lopez pulls wet furniture from his house on Moody Reef Drive on June 5, 2021. Lopez’s house took in water when the area flooded in heavy rains June 4, 2021. BELOW: Lance Lindsley retrieves plywood from floodwaters outside of the garage of his house on Appleblossom Lane in Friendswood on Sept. 22, 2020. We are in the business of helping people. We specialize in Homeowners, Windstorm & Hail and Flood Insurance including a new Windstorm Included Home Policy for Texas Gulf Coast Homeowners. How can we help you today? Brad Spurgeon Insurance Agency Inc. 1118 14th Street N Texas City, TX 77590 409-945-4746 www.privatewindstorm.comT he 2022 hurricane season is expected to result in a greater than average number of named storms in the Tropical Atlantic Basin, according to the Tropi- cal Meteorology Project. Because of that, good hur- ricane planning and prepara- tion are especially important as we head into this summer and fall. The prima- ry goals of planning and preparation are saving lives and minimizing property damage. In game theory as well as military terminology, “strategy” refers to the plan developed to achieve a stated goal, objective or outcome. Tactics usually refers to actions taken in response to specific situations that arise in pursuit of the plan, includ- ing actions not listed in the initial plan. This perspective can be useful in hurricane planning and preparation. Every storm is different. Don’t be fooled by a belief the next storm will be the same as the last one. Some tropical cyclones are major hurricanes, bearing cata- strophically destructive winds. Others bring massive storm surges threatening property in areas subject to tidal flooding. Some produce excessive rains, bringing floods even to areas hundreds of miles inland from point of landfall. Some hurricanes and trop- ical storms develop far from land and move very slowly, providing plenty of time to react. Others develop rapidly or move fast, leaving very little time to respond. Some storms move ashore to the south, putting Galves- ton County on the “dirty,” more dangerous, side of the storm. Another storm might move ashore east of our area, usually, but not always, re- sulting in less severe weather. And, as if to complicate things, some storms track far inland over Texas bringing dangerous conditions far from the coast and maybe even causing havoc along evacuation routes. In other words, tropical cy- clones require both planning and flexibility. Planning should begin as soon as possible before the official start of the hurri- cane season on June 1. It should list all the actions and information you need to be prepared if a hurricane or tropical storm threatens our area. Planning for hurricanes and tropical storms should address some of the vital “P’s” of preparedness. Planning, preparation require strategic, tactical thinking STAN BLAZYK 12 | The Daily News | Hurricane Preparedness | 2022 JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News file photo Holly Hopkins, owner of MOD Coffeehousein downtown Galveston, and Carter Fowler put up a water barrier ahead of Tropical Storm Nicholas on Sept. 13, 2021. Some hurricanes and tropical storms develop far from land and move very slowly, providing plenty of time to react. Others develop rapidly or move fast, leaving very little time to respond. PEOPLE AND PETS You should have a plan that ensures the safety for all in your family and household whether you’re sheltering or evacuating. You need some basic supplies, such as batteries, first aid kits, medications, im- portant documents, cash and credit cards, cell phones and chargers, along with a list of emergency contacts. If you’re evacuating, plan for reliable transportation and the means to provide for those accompanying you. PERSONAL NEEDS If you’re sheltering in place, be sure to have suf- ficient supplies for family members and others. You should store enough water to supply at least a gallon a day for each person, plus enough non-perishable food to last about five days. PRICELESS ITEMS These include personal heirlooms, photographs and pictures of significance and important records, such as in- surance information and legal CUSTOM CONTAINERS & TOTAL REMODELING Commercial | Residential Licensed | Insured | Bonded TOTAL REMODELING Indoor/Outdoor Kitchens & Baths CUSTOM CONTAINERS Tiny Homes or Storage YOU DREAM IT, WE BUILD IT!! 409-256-6257 DON’T HESITATE TO CALL BECASUSE WE DO IT ALL. 14 | The Daily News | Hurricane Preparedness | 2022 JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News file photo Carlos Joya, left, and Antonio Gomez board up the windows for a resident on 17th Street in Galveston on Aug. 24, 2020 ahead of Tropical Storm Laura. documents. If you’re staying at home, have waterproof storage boxes to protect these valuables from wind-driven rain and rising water. If you need to evacu- ate, decide what items you should, or need, to take with you and determine whether you have space in your vehi- cle to do so. PROPERTY If staying for a storm, it’s important to know how resilient your property is to strong winds and rising water. Knowing your flood zone is important. Storm clips and protection for win- dows from flying debris are key elements in your home’s ability to withstand the rav- ages of a major storm. It’s wise to identify a safe room, ideally an interi- or area such as closet or bathroom, to gather in if it appears the storm is causing considerable damage to your place of shelter, or you think a tornado is in your vicinity. Before the storm, secure outdoor items that might be damaged or cause damage. Know where you can shelter if your home becomes too damaged to remain. Preparedness If a storm appears head- ed in your direction or likely to significantly impact your area, it is time to review your planning and put it into action. If you have planned well, then much of this phase is simply carrying out the actions outlined in your plan. Your first decision should be to stay or evacuate. Fortunately, we have agencies that will assist in making that decision, includ- ing the National Hurricane Center, the Houston-Gal- veston National Weather Service, Galveston County Emergency Management and local emergency manage- ment centers such as city of Galveston Office of Emer- gency Management.Valuable Advice in Advance Planning. Compassionate Guidance in Your Time of Need. We offer quality, understanding and expertise in funerals, cremations and preplanning. Our entire team is committed to providing honest and knowledgeable service in times of need, making us the funeral home our community trusts to ensure dignified and personalized final arrangements for cherished loved ones. We’re here for you Preplan Today & Save Get the value and peace of mind that come with preplanning, and spare your loved ones the hardship of making difficult decisions in their time of grief. Contact us today to arrange your free preplanning consultation with an experienced professional. 3828 Ave O | Galveston, TX 77550 409.762.8470 E. R. Johnson Family Mortuary16 | The Daily News | Hurricane Preparedness | 2022 JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News file photo Mark Morgan, Galveston’s chief of emergency management, watches a weather update as he listens to a supply chain conference call with Houston officials as the region prepared for Tropical Storm Nicholas on Sept. 13, 2021. Even the best plans can go awry. It’s important to think about what your options are if this worst-case situation happens. All these agencies will be providing information of rec- ommended actions and po- tential risks associated with any approaching storm and will be reported on through local media. In both planning and preparation, you can check your evacuation zone and ob- tain flood plain maps through these agencies. They also can provide information about designated evacuation routes. Also, if you lack reliable transportation or have special needs, these agencies have in- formation on how to apply for assistance with your evacuation. This is where some flexibil- ity might be important. If you have a choice about where you can evacuate to, then you can decide where to go based on hard information about projected storm track. For example, I advised some friends to evacuate to Victoria with Hurricane Laura, even though it’s near the coast, because forecast projections clearly showed the area would be much less impacted than other options they were considering. Even the best plans can go awry. It’s important to think about what your options are if this worst-case situation hap- pens. Examples of worst-case scenarios can be rapid inten- sification as a storm is moving ashore, making your place of shelter seem vulnerable or unsafe, or an unanticipated storm surge suddenly placing you at risk of drowning. Your first response should be to contact emergency services to report your dilemma. That option is not always available during a storm, with power out- ages and other failures, however. In thinking of these possibilities, I have identi- fied structures nearby that I would be willing to go to at the last moment in these circumstances. For instance, I know which structures in my area of town could provide potential shelter from exces- sively strong winds. I’m very aware of every high-rise parking garage in my vicinity. If I thought a storm surge would overwhelm my residence, I would go over to one of these as a last resort. Many storm chasers have used these structures in hurricanes. They might not be the most comfortable places to ride out a hurricane, but they are far better than the alternative. Stan Blazyk is a life-long weath- er enthusiast, long-time Galveston resident and author of "A Century of Galveston Weather." He has writ- ten about weather for The Daily News for more than a decade.By KERI HEATH The Daily News Interstate 45 construction might prompt local leaders to call for evacuations earlier this season than usual. The Texas Department of Transportation is making plans to ensure that evacua- tions and reentry plans don’t face any delays because of the construction along the major highway, a spokesman said. For years, the state has been expanding and replac- ing portions of I-45, including replacement of the Santa Fe Overpass northbound bridge. The city of Galveston will be coordinating with the state and other local agencies during evacuations, Emergen- cy Management Coordinator Mark Morgan said. If an evacuation is called for this year, city leaders might need to make that call about 12 hours earlier to compensate for potential traf- fic on I-45, Morgan said. “We may not have to do that,” Morgan said. “It depends on what they do with their plan of moving the northbound lanes over to the southbound side and how many outbound lanes we can have during evacuation.” The state’s goal is always to keep the same number of lanes available for evacuation that were available before construction, department of transportation spokesman Danny Perez said. “During construction, our project teams continuously look at ways to minimize the impacts on the traveling public while working to fin- ish the projects sooner than later,” Perez said. When completed, the I-45 project will make evacuating easier for residents, he said. Part of the concern is the state’s plan to replace the northbound Santa Fe Over- pass bridge near Tiki Island, Morgan said. The transportation depart- ment plans to close the north- bound side of the overpass, a raised section of highway between the Texas City Wye and the Galveston causeway, and shift traffic onto the southbound side. Plans for the closure hadn’t been completed in May, but construction likely will take more than a year, according to the transportation depart- ment. “As we move into hurricane season, we will make sure to keep the necessary capaci- ty available to move traffic efficiently in case of a major weather event,” Perez said. After Hurricane Ike in 2008, a number of local emergency management and law enforcement departments created a plan to get people back to their communities in a more organized fashion, Morgan said. During hurricane season — June 1 to Nov. 30 — residents should make sure to have at least half a tank of gas in their cars, Morgan said. That step will save them time and money if an evacuation is called, he said. If a storm is bad enough, the city may set up a check- point for people trying to return after the storm passes, Morgan said. People should bring some proof of address with them when they evacuate and business owners should bring proof of their business’s ad- dress, he said. That could include a driver’s license, identification card, utility bill, mortgage deed or property tax docu- ment, among other papers, he said. Morgan hopes a checkpoint isn’t necessary, he said. “No matter how organized the checkpoint is, it’s going to be very difficult, with all that traffic, to get people back on the island,” Morgan said. Morgan expects to get more information from the transportation department that will clarify plans for evacuation and reentry. Interstate 45 construction could mean early evacuation calls JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News file photos ABOVE: Northbound lanes on Interstate 45 at the causeway are bumper to bumper during evening rush hour leaving Galveston on May 9, 2022. Crews are working on preparing an alternate route for overweight vehicles before the Santa Fe Overpass at Tiki Island. BELOW: Crews remove bollards for a traffic barrier on Interstate 45 at Tiki Island on May 9, 2022 as they work to reconfigure the traffic flow on the Santa Fe overpasses. 18 | The Daily News | Hurricane Preparedness | 2022Next >