2009-02-17 seminar - hurricane ike galveston lessons learned
DESCRIPTION
Brandon Wade, PE, Deputy City Manager for City of Galveston, discusses the importance of a community to be prepared for a disaster at work, at home, protectiing your assets as well as damage to tax/rate base ability to recover, impacts of debris to a community, lessons learned and more.TRANSCRIPT
Hurricane Ike 2008G l I l dGalveston Island
Brandon Wade, P.E.Deputy City Manager
City of Galveston
Galveston SurgeGalveston Surge
• Behind SeawallBehind Seawall– 12 to 13 ft. Surge
• West End– 10 to 12 ft. Surge
• Entire Island Affected– 90% Heavily Damaged
LL1a: Be Prepared at Work !LL1a: Be Prepared at Work !• THIS MONTH !
– Identify what your “risks” are (Hurricanes and Storm Surge for Galveston)
– Identify what you can do toIdentify what you can do to mitigate those risks (Design / Const. of Hardened Utility Systems)
Before summer• Before summer– Communicate to
Stakeholders.– PrioritizePrioritize
• For next budget– Get the $$$$– Build it !!Build it !!
• REPEAT until you Retire
LL1a: More PreparedLL1a: More Prepared
• Have a ResponseHave a Response and Recovery Plan
• Discuss it ! And again !
• Prepare your staff for p ywhat they might face.
• Prepare for contingencies when your plan fails.
LL1b: Be Prepared at Home !LL1b: Be Prepared at Home !
• Have a Personal PlanHave a Personal Plan– Family, dogs, cats– Spouse, homep– Insurance, photos, etc.– CASH ! FUEL !
• Encourage Employee Pl iPlanning– Same as above
Discuss Risk Situation– Discuss Risk Situation
LL 2: Be VigilantLL 2: Be Vigilant
As I was leaving my houseAs I was leaving my house…
It was a rough commute F id iFriday morning…
And it got worseAnd it got worse…
LL 3: Protect your Assets !LL 3: Protect your Assets !
• Protecting againstProtecting against– Wind and Rain– Storm Surgeg– Fatigue
• Based on Risk– San Luis Hotel– Moody Gardens– UTMB
• Develop your plan.
Damage to InfrastructureDamage to Infrastructure• 100% System Failurey
• New InfrastructureSimple Restart– Simple Restart
– Performed as designed– CIP “on-hold”—Funding
• Old Infrastructure– Major Failure– Latent Damage
• $970 Million Estimate$
Damage to BusinessesDamage to Businesses• Flooded, Mud Damaged,
Inventory Destroyed• Only 35% in Operation
Damage to HomesDamage to Homes
• 75% Heavily Flooded, Possessions Destroyed75% Heavily Flooded, Possessions Destroyed• City-wide Housing Need $735 M• Public Housing Need $250 MPublic Housing Need $250 M
Damage to Tax/Rate BaseAbili RAbility to Recover
• Well Prepared—Reserves, Loansp ,• Taking Action—Hiring Freeze, Pay cuts, Budget
Reduction $15 M, Possible Layoffs• Property Tax down 35%, Water and Sewer down 40%
Hollywood HeightsS l di / 61 t S ASaladia / 61st Street Area
Cohen SubdivisionCohen Subdivision
West End DamageWest End Damage
LL 4: Worst Nightmares C C TCan Come True
• Adapt your designs toAdapt your designs to fit your Risk– Different Roadway
Layout?– Higher Lift Station
Control Panels?Control Panels?– Different Sewer
(Grinder Pumps?)( p )– Different Backup Drive
Fuel / Generators?
Bermuda BeachBermuda Beach
LL 5: Don’t Expect Immediate HelpLL 5: Don t Expect Immediate Help
LL 6: Debris is a Wh l Diff B llWhole Different Ballgame
• YOU need a debris specialists (or two, or p ( ,three)– Separate Rules– The Rules are…
InconvenientDebris Affects– Debris Affects EVERYTHING
Galveston DebrisGalveston Debris• 1.2 Million Cubic Yards to
F b 12 ’09Feb. 12, ’09
• 1.8 Million Pounds of Household Hazardous Waste
• 53,000 White Goods
• 7 200 Televisions/etc7,200 Televisions/etc.
• $43+ Million so far.
LL 7: There are Other Agencies B id YBesides Yours
• Texas Department pof Transportation
• Texas General L d OffiLand Office
• Galveston CountyT Hi t i• Texas Historic Commission
• FEMA• FEMA• FHwA• OthersOthers
LL 8: Don’t Expect FEMA Rules to M k SMake Sense
• FEMA has rulesFEMA has rules• They are serious
about themabout them• You need help• There are FEMA• There are FEMA
specialists• Hire oneHire one
LL 9: Systems are IntegratedLL 9: Systems are Integrated• When you have 100% y
system failure– You have no water
pressurepressure
• It’s Hard to fight a fire with no water
• The Fire Department• The Fire Department needs to understand that…Plan for it.
LL 10: Citizens Clean UpS fSort of…
It gets pushed to the Cityg p y
• Citizens don’t understand FEMA rules…
• Citizens don’t understand your resource constraintsyour resource constraints
• If not cleaned…you need a Debris Specialist…
• If cleaned…you need a Debris Specialist…
The Biggest Lesson LearnedThe Biggest Lesson Learned
• SAFETYSAFETY
– Prepare your people for:Prepare your people for:• Response to the storm• The long haul• The unexpected
– You can never prepare too much– You can never harp too much on it– Start today
It’s a marathon not a sprintIt s a marathon, not a sprint…
Finally…Never spend the night on a pier
during Ikeduring Ike