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>> WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED AND WELCOME TO
[Hurricane Preparedness Town Hall Meeting on June 15, 2021.]
OUR HURRICANE TOWN HALL MEETING FOR THIS EVENING 06:00 PM.I'M THE MAYOR OF THE CITY. I DO HAVE A FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBER HERE, COUNCILMAN TOWNSEND HERE.
I HAVE CITY STAFF HERE AND WE JUST WANT TO SAY WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING VIA ONLINE.
HOPE YOU GET SOME VALUABLE INFORMATION TONIGHT IN REGARDS TO THE WEATHER, POSSIBLE FUTURE FORECASTING, AND THEN ALSO SOME GOOD INFORMATION FROM INSURANCE OVERVIEW FROM TWILIO, WHICH IS ALWAYS GOOD TO ALWAYS BE LOOKING AT THAT AND MAKING SURE YOU HAVE ADEQUATE COVERAGES, WHAT YOU MAY NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE SHOULD WE BE IMPACTED BY HURRICANE HOW YOU CAN GET BACK TO NORMAL ONCE THE STORM PASSES AFTER YOU'VE HAVE DAMAGE.
ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU GUYS FOR EVERYBODY WHO IS LISTENING OR WHO WILL BE PROBABLY LISTENING LATER ON TO OUR TOWN HALL MEETING FOR THE 2021 HURRICANE SEASON.
WITH THAT I'M GOING TO ROLL THIS OVER TO OUR EMERGENCY MANAGER COORDINATOR, MR. GLEN LAMONT.
HE WILL FACILITATE THE MEETING THIS EVENING. THANK YOU, GLEN.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MAYOR.
I WILL START OFF WITH OUR FIRST PRESENTER THIS EVENING.
HE COMES FROM FAR AWAY AT LAKE CITY.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OVER THERE HE'S THE WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST AND HE'S BEEN WORKING WITH US OVER HERE IN THE CITY COUNTY FOR YEARS, DAN REILLY, AND HE'S GOING TO TELL US WHAT WE CAN EXPECT FOR HURRICANE SEASON 2021.
>> THANK YOU, GLENN. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SHARE MY SCREEN NOW.
[NOISE] CAN YOU SEE MY COVER SLIDE NOW?
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE INVITATION TONIGHT. OF COURSE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW GLENN DID IT, BUT HE PLANNED THIS EVENT RIGHT AHEAD OF A POSSIBLE TROPICAL SYSTEM.
THAT WAS VERY CLEVER ON GLEN'S PART.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER ON BUT LET'S GO AND GET STARTED AND TALK ABOUT HURRICANE HAZARDS IN GENERAL AND A LOOK AT THE 2021 SEASON.
THE TYPE OF STORM WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS CALLED A TROPICAL CYCLONE.
THE STRONGEST VERSION OF THAT IS CALLED A HURRICANE.
JUST ONE STEP BELOW THAT IS A TROPICAL STORM AND THEN THE WEAKEST FORM OF THIS TYPE OF SYSTEM IS A TROPICAL DEPRESSION.
THESE ARE STORMS THAT FORM OVER THOSE WARM OCEAN WATERS.
ONCE THE WATER IS WARM UP TO A CERTAIN TEMPERATURE, ABOUT 80 DEGREES, THAT'S WHEN WE CAN GET HURRICANES.
THAT'S A NECESSARY CONDITION AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A HURRICANE SEASON IN THE SUMMER AND FALL.
WHERE ARE WE IN THE HURRICANE SEASON? WHAT THIS CHART SHOWS IS, IF YOU GO BACK 100 YEARS AND YOU LOOK AT EACH DATE BETWEEN MAY AND DECEMBER, YOU CAN COUNT UP THE NUMBER OF HURRICANES IN YELLOW OR HURRICANES AND TROPICAL STORMS IN RED THAT WERE IN THE ATLANTIC ON THAT DATE OVER ALL THOSE YEARS.
THE RESULT IS KIND OF A FREQUENCY MAP.
WHAT YOU SEE IS TYPICALLY IN JUNE AND JULY THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT GOING ON USUALLY.
ACTUALLY, THERE'S QUITE A BIT GOING ON RIGHT NOW, BUT WE GET A FEW STORMS HERE AND THERE IN JUNE AND JULY BUT ONCE WE GET TO AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, ESPECIALLY, WE SEE A BIG OBJECT ALMOST LIKE A SWITCH WENT ON AND YOU SEE MULTIPLE STORMS DEVELOPING OUT OVER THE ATLANTIC AND IN THE GULF.
THE PEAK OF THE SEASON IS RIGHT AROUND SEPTEMBER TENTH.
AFTER THAT WE GET A DECLINE IN FREQUENCY.
HERE IN TEXAS IF WE CAN GET TO MID-OCTOBER WE'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE BECAUSE THOSE LATE SEASONS STORMS ARE MORE LIKELY TO CURVE OUT TO SEA.
BUT IT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHEN THESE TYPES OF STORMS ARE MOST COMMON IN THE ATLANTIC AND YOU CAN SEE WE'RE JUST STARTING THE HURRICANE SEASON NOW.
FOR THOSE OF Y'ALL THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND AND SEEN A FEW OF THESE, YOU KNOW THAT HURRICANE IKE WAS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN HURRICANE HARVEY, WHICH WAS DIFFERENT THAN ALICIA, WHICH WAS DIFFERENT THAN CARLA BACK IN 1961.
WE'VE HAD MANY STORMS. EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT.
WE DID A HURRICANE DRILL WITH THE COUNTY.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE 1932 STORM THAT WAS A CATEGORY 4 THROUGH
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A VERY YOUNG BRAZORIA COUNTY DOWN THE FREE PORT AREAS.THAT WAS THE STRONGEST HURRICANE REALLY IN THE LAST 90 YEARS.
THEN NEAR THE COAST WE DON'T WANT TO FORGET HIGH SURF AND RIP CURRENTS.
IT'S THESE FIVE HAZARDS AND EVERY STORM IS DIFFERENT.
IT'S GOT SOME COMBINATION OF THESE.
FOR IKE, STORM SURGE WAS PROBABLY THE DOMINANT HAZARD.
EVERY STORM IS DIFFERENT. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NEXT STORM WILL BRING.
OF THOSE HAZARDS, WHICH ARE THE MOST DANGEROUS? THAT'S WHAT THE PIE CHART SHOWS ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE.
IT SHOWS THE CAUSE OF DEATHS, THE PERCENTAGE OF FATALITIES FROM EACH OF THE HAZARDS WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT AND YOU CAN SEE STORM SURGE ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT HALF OF THE FATALITIES.
FLOODING RAINS, NOT TOO FAR BEHIND.
WHAT YOU SEE IN GENERAL, IT'S THE WATER-RELATED HAZARDS THAT ARE THE MOST DEADLY.
WHAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT IS IF YOU'RE IN A SAD ZONE, YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO GET OUT OF HARM'S WAY AHEAD OF A STORM LIKE AN IKE OR SOME BIG STORM SURGE PRODUCER.
AS A COMMUNITY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PEOPLE CAN GET OUT BEFORE THE STORM HITS BECAUSE STORM SURGE FLOODING IS SO DANGEROUS.
THEN, OF COURSE, FLOODING RAINS.
REALLY ANY OF US CAN GET AFFECTED BY THAT.
TROPICAL STORM CLAUDETTE IN 1979, 43 INCHES OF RAIN IN 24 HOURS IN ALVIN.
THAT'S A NATIONAL RECORD FOR 24-HOUR RAINFALL, SO ANY OF US CAN GET FLOODING WHEN WE HAVE THAT AMOUNT OF RAIN.
WINDS ARE POTENTIALLY DEADLY BUT THEY'RE NOT THE HIGHEST THREAT.
IT REALLY IS THE WATER HAZARDS.
THEN MANY OF YOU PROBABLY RECOGNIZE TOO THAT IT'S NOT SO MUCH THE DIRECT EFFECTS EVERY TIME BUT IT CAN BE THE INDIRECT.
THINGS THAT ARE NOT DIRECTLY WEATHER-RELATED BUT ARE CAUSED BY THE STORM.
EVERY TIME WE HAVE A STORM YOU HAVE TO SLOW DOWN, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
THERE'S A LOT OF STRESS, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE STORM.
WE SEE A BUMP IN HEART ATTACKS, WE SEE MORE CAR ACCIDENTS WITH DEBRIS ON THE ROAD, AND SO ON.
THEN A LOT OF THINGS RELATED TO POWER OUTAGES, INCLUDING CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING.
WE SAW THIS WITH THE FREEZE TOO IN FEBRUARY.
SOMETIMES THESE EFFECTS ARE GREATER THAN THE DIRECT EFFECTS OF THE STORM IF PEOPLE HAVE MEDICAL DEVICES THAT RELY ON POWER, SUCH AS DIALYSIS AND SO ON.
THERE'S A WHOLE HOST OF THINGS.
YOU GET AN UPTAKE OF FIRES AS WELL WITH DOWN POWER LINES AND ALSO EVEN CANDLELIGHT.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS TO CONSIDER EVEN AFTER THE STORM TO BE CAREFUL OF THESE KINDS OF RELATED HAZARDS.
WHAT IS THE HURRICANE LOOK LIKE FROM RADAR? THIS IS A LOOK AT HURRICANE IKE.
AT THIS TIME I WAS IN THE WEATHER OFFICE WHICH IS AT WHERE THIS LITTLE RED DOT IS THERE IN LAKE CITY.
[NOISE] YOU CAN SEE THE EYE OF THE HURRICANE IKE IN 2008 RIGHT OVER GALVESTON BAY.
WHAT ARE THE WINDS LIKE IN THE EYE? VERY CALM.
I CAN CONFIRM THAT BECAUSE I WENT OUTSIDE, I ADMIT IT.
WHEN THE EYE OF THE STORM WAS OVER THE WEATHER OFFICE THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF US, WHAT OTHER PEOPLE DID.
BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HURRICANE, OTHER PARTS.
THIS RING AROUND THE EYE IT'S CALLED THE EYEWALL.
THAT'S THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE STORM.
THAT'S WHERE YOU FIND YOUR HIGHEST WINDS.
IF YOU HEAR THAT IKE IS A CATEGORY 2 WITH A 110 MILE PER HOUR WINDS, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO FIND THOSE MAXIMUM WINDS? THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN THE EYEWALL.
NOW, WHAT ABOUT BRAZORIA COUNTY? YOU CAN SEE THE EASTERN PART OF BRAZORIA COUNTY DID CATCH THE EYEWALL OF HURRICANE IKE.
I REMEMBER VERY WELL AFTER IKE CAME THROUGH I TALKED TO STEVE ROSA AND DOC AND SOME OTHERS.
I SAID, "WHAT'S THE DAMAGE LIKE IN THE COUNTY?" WELL, IT'S PRETTY BAD AND THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY, THE WIND DAMAGE. THAT FITS THIS.
BECAUSE THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY GOT THE EYEWALL.
THE WESTERN PART OF BRAZORIA MAY HAVE MISSED IT AND SO DIDN'T HAVE NEARLY THE WINDS.
THE OTHER FEATURE I WANT TO POINT OUT, THESE SPIRAL BANDS SPIRALING OUT FROM THE CENTER, THESE CAN GIVE US VERY HEAVY RAIN AND TORNADOS AND WE SAW THAT WITH HARVEY.
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IT WAS NOT THE EYEWALL WITH HARVEY THAT AFFECTED THE COASTAL BEND.WE'VE GOT THE HEAVY RAINS WITH THE SPIRAL BENDS.
THESE ARE SOME DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE HURRICANE.
YOU MAY HEAR OF THE STORM BEING RATED A CAT 1, A CAT 2, OR A CATEGORY 3, AND SO ON, WHAT DOES THAT SCALE REPRESENT? IT TELLS YOU ABOUT THE WIND HAZARDS.
IF THERE'S A HIGH-CATEGORY STORM COMING, YOU KNOW IT'S GOT SOME VERY SEVERE WINDS IN THAT EYEWALL AREA, AND YOU COULD HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE IF YOU GET HIT BY THE EYEWALL OF A HIGH-CATEGORY STORM.
YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES HERE FROM 1-5, WHERE FIVE IS THE MOST SEVERE AND THEN THE WIND SPEEDS THAT GO WITH EACH.
BUT NOTICE CATEGORY 1, 74-95 MILES PER HOUR SUSTAINED WINDS.
SO YOU NEVER HEAR SOMEONE SAY, IT'S JUST CATEGORY 1.
THAT'S GOING TO GIVE YOU REALLY, REALLY SIGNIFICANT WINDS.
CATEGORY 2, 96-110 MILES PER HOUR.
ONE ISSUE WE HAD WITH PEOPLE ON THE BARRIER ISLANDS, I'M THINKING OF GALVESTON AND BOLIVAR PENINSULA, IS A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS FOR IKE'S STAYED BECAUSE THEY WERE SAYING THINGS LIKE IT'S "JUST A CATEGORY 2." BUT IN REALITY, THE STORM SURGE PART OF IT DEPENDS ON MORE THAN THE CATEGORY, IT ALSO DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE STORM.
IKE WAS SO BIG, SO MASSIVE, IT WAS CAPABLE OF PUSHING A LOT OF WATER ONTO LAND AND GENERATING A LOT OF STORM SURGE.
MY POINT HERE IS THAT YOU CAN USE THE SCALE TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE WIND THREAT IN THE EYEWALL AREA, BUT DON'T USE IT AS AN OVERALL SEVERITY INDICATOR.
HARVEY, FOR EXAMPLE, IT WAS A TROPICAL STORM WHEN IT MOVED OVER OUR AREA BUT IT WAS CAPABLE OF A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DEVASTATION FROM THE RAIN HAZARD.
THEN THIS LITTLE GRAPHIC HERE, IF IT HELPS YOU, THAT'S FINE.
NO CATS WERE HARMED IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH HERE.
THESE ARE SOME SCENES FROM GALVESTON WEST END AND YOU COULD SEE HOW THE STORM HAD PUSHED THE SEAWATER OVER THE WEST END THERE, COMPLETELY FLOODED OUT.
WE DO TEND TO GET A LOT OF FIRES.
THESE PEOPLE ARE PROBABLY EVACUATED OUT AND THERE'S SOME HIGH WINDS STOKING THAT FIRE AND THERE'S NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO ABOUT IT BECAUSE THE ROADS ARE FLOODED OUT THERE.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POINT, [NOISE] THE STORM SURGE COMES IN WELL AHEAD OF THE WINDS.
LET'S SAY YOU'RE IN A SURGE ZONE AND YOU'RE CONSIDERING EVACUATING, YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO LEAVE AT LEAST, I WOULD SAY 36 HOURS BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF THE WINDS BECAUSE AT THAT POINT THE WATER LEVEL STARTS TO RISE AND WHAT THESE FOLKS DISCOVERED IS THEY WERE TRAPPED BECAUSE THEIR ESCAPE ROUTES WERE FLOODED, SO THEY HAD TO BE RESCUED BY BOAT OR BY AIR, AND THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT WERE RESCUED THIS WAY IN THE DAY LEADING UP TO IKE.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE WE'VE HAD A HIGH-CATEGORY STORM IN BRAZORIA COUNTY.
YOU REALLY DO HAVE TO GO BACK TO 1932.
ALICIA WAS A THREE SO THAT'S PRETTY CLOSE, BUT THAT HIT JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TO THE EAST.
HARVEY WAS A CATEGORY 4, BUT THE AREAS IMPACTED ARE IN THAT EYEWALL AREA ONCE AGAIN, IN THIS CASE, DOWN NEAR PORT ARANSAS AND ROCKPORT.
YOU COULD SEE SOME WIND GUSTS OF 150 MILES PER HOUR AND THE CORRESPONDING DAMAGE.
GOD FORBID, WE GET THAT TYPE OF STORM WITH A MORE DIRECT HIT ON OUR AREA.
WE'RE GOING TO BE FACING THIS TYPE OF WIND DAMAGE POTENTIALLY EVEN IN ANGLETON.
FOR THE HOUSTON-GALVESTON AREA, IT REALLY WAS NOT ABOUT THE WINDS IN HARVEY.
WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE MUCH WIND WITH IT, BUT WE HAD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RAIN.
YOU COULD SEE MANY, MANY COUNTIES, INCLUDING BRAZORIA, AND ESPECIALLY INLAND AREAS AWAY FROM THE IMMEDIATE COAST JUST HAD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RAIN.
ALL OF THESE AREAS IN PURPLE HERE ARE BASICALLY THREE FEET OR GREATER OF RAIN.
HERE IN LAKE CITY, I WAS IN THAT 45-50 INCH RANGE AND MANY OF YOU EXPERIENCED IT AS WELL.
IT WAS ALMOST LIKE THERE WAS A WATERFALL GOING ON OUTSIDE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME THAT SATURDAY NIGHT.
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THE RECORD FOR ANY STORM, 60.58 INCHES STORM TOTAL RAINFALL FROM HARVEY.WE'RE SETTING RECORDS IN THIS AREA IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS, RECORD FOR THE TOTAL RAINFALL FROM A TROPICAL CYCLONE IN NORTH AMERICA AND A RECORD 24-HOUR RAINFALL.
I MENTIONED EARLIER FOR CLAUDETTE, 43 INCHES IN 24 HOURS IN 1979.
WHEN IT RAINS, IT CAN REALLY RAIN AROUND HERE.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO MUCH ABOUT PREPAREDNESS, SOME OF THE OTHER SPEAKERS ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT IN MORE DETAIL.
BUT ONE STEP IN PREPAREDNESS IS TO DETERMINE YOUR RISK, WHERE YOU LIVE, WHAT KIND OF WINDS CAN YOUR HOME WITHSTAND SAFELY? ARE YOU IN A STORM SURGE ZONE? WHAT ABOUT A FLOOD ZONE FROM HEAVY RAIN? ALL OF THESE DECISIONS WILL WEIGH IN TO WHETHER YOU'LL NEED TO EVACUATE.
YOUR MAYOR IS GOING TO GIVE YOU GOOD GUIDANCE ON THAT, BUT YOU ALSO WANT TO EVALUATE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL THE HOME YOU'RE IN.
FOR EXAMPLE, A MOBILE HOME IS GOING TO BE VULNERABLE TO WINDS AT A LOWER BAR THAN A HOME BUILT WITH CODE, A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME, A BRICK HOME, FOR EXAMPLE.
THEN LOOK AROUND IN YOUR YARD.
YOU HAVE A LOT OF LARGE TREES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
MAKE THAT EVALUATION AS PART OF YOUR PREPAREDNESS EVERY YEAR.
IF A STORM IS BAD AND HOW BAD DOES IT HAVE TO BE BEFORE I WOULD NEED TO EVACUATE.
BUT AGAIN, OTHERS WILL SPEAK MORE OF THIS.
I DID WANT TO SHOW JUST QUICKLY THOUGH HOW YOU CAN ASSESS YOUR STORM SURGE FLOOD RISK.
THERE IS A WEBSITE HERE THAT I'LL LEAVE WITH GLENN AND HE COULD SHARE WITH THE ATTENDEES AND OTHERS AFTER YOU CAN SEE THE WEBSITE UPFRONT, AND YOU CAN GO TO THIS WEBSITE AND PLOT A WORST-CASE FOR A STORM IMPACTING ANY POINT DIRECTLY.
LET ME SHOW YOU SOME EXAMPLE MAPS.
CONSIDER THIS A FLOOD INUNDATION MAP, MEANING DEPTH OF WATER ABOVE GROUND FOR A WORST-CASE CATEGORY 1.
THINK ABOUT A VERY LARGE STORM LIKE IN IKE COMING IN RIGHT DIRECTLY ON ANY POINT ON THE MAP, OR MAYBE JUST TO THE LEFT.
WHAT YOU CAN SEE IS ANGLETON IS NICE, HIGH, AND DRY THERE.
AS YOU GET CLOSE TO THE COAST IN YELLOW, SAY IN THE SURF-SIDE AREA, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU START TO SEE SOME FLOODING, MAYBE 4-7 FEET EVEN ABOVE GROUND IN SOME OF THESE REALLY LOW-LYING AREAS.
THEN CATEGORY 2, AND NOW THE RED AREAS ARE 10 FEET OF WATER ABOVE GROUND.
YOU COULD SEE IT'S STARTING TO PUSH FURTHER INLAND.
A FAIRLY HIGH ELEVATION IN ANGLETON AND DANBURY.
THE 35 CORRIDOR HERE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TOO FAR TO THE SOUTHEAST TOWARDS THE COAST TO RUN INTO SOME WATER FOR A WORST-CASE CATEGORY 2.
THIS IS LIKE IN IKE IF IT HAD MADE A DIRECT HIT ON THESE AREAS.
THEN CATEGORY 3 WORST-CASE, NOW YOU CAN SEE MUCH OF BRAZORIA COUNTY IS UNDER A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WATER.
THIS IS WHAT I SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE NEED TO GET THESE FOLKS OUT IF WE DO GET THIS REALLY SEVERE TYPE OF HURRICANE.
YOU GOT TO GET OUT OF HARM'S WAY BECAUSE THAT'S GREATER THAN 10 FEET OF WATER.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY HARD TO SURVIVE THAT.
THE GOOD NEWS FOR ANGLETON PROPER IS MUCH OF THE TOWN IS STILL HIGH ENOUGH THAT YOU'RE NOT SEEING STORM SURGE FLOODING.
BUT IT'S POSSIBLE SOME PARTS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN CITY LIMITS OR NOT TOO FAR TO THE SOUTHEAST, I SHOULD SAY, YOU DO START TO SEE SOME ISSUES.
ANYWAY, THAT'S JUST ONE WAY TO ASSESS YOUR STORM SURGE RISK.
NOW, THE NEXT TOPIC I WANT TO COVER BRIEFLY IS KEEPING TRACK OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE TROPICS.
DO WE HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON NOW? YES, WE DO, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT.
SOME USEFUL WEBSITES, HURRICANES.GOV, WEATHER.GOV/HOUSTON, AND THEN YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND CITY PAGES.
ANGLETON HAS SOME GREAT WEBSITES, SOCIAL MEDIA THAT YOU CAN TIE INTO TO GET INFORMATION REALLY LOCAL TO YOUR AREA.
OUR WEBSITE IS WEATHER.GOV/HOUSTON.
OUR LANE IS TO LET YOU ALL KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT WEATHER WISE.
THIS WEEK WE'RE TALKING ALL ABOUT THE HEAT AND ALL ABOUT THE TROPICS.
ONE THING TO LOOK AT EVERY DAY DURING HURRICANE SEASON IS THIS GRAPHICAL TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK.
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HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF A FIVE-DAY FROM LAST YEAR.WHAT IT WILL SHOW YOU IS THE STORMS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
THIS WAS FROM SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR.
AT THAT TIME WE HAD SALLY, TEDDY, AND VICKY THAT WERE TROPICAL STORMS IN A HURRICANE.
BUT NOTICE THESE XS, THESE MARK LOCATIONS OF DISTURBANCES THAT MAY DEVELOP INTO TROPICAL CYCLONES.
THE HURRICANE CENTER ANALYZES THIS.
THEY DRAW A POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AREA AND THEY COLOR CODE IT BY THE PERCENT CHANCE THAT IT WILL OCCUR.
WHAT DOES ALL THAT MEAN? WELL, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THIS CASE, THERE WAS A DISTURBANCE IN THE SOUTHWEST GULF WITH A HIGH CHANCE OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEXT FIVE DAYS.
THAT'S HOW TO READ THIS; ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A DISTURBANCE COMING OFF AFRICA WITH A HIGH CHANCE OF DEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA.
I REALLY RECOMMEND GOING TO HURRICANES.GOV AND GETTING FAMILIAR WITH THIS PRODUCT.
THERE IS ALSO A TWO-DAY VERSION OF THIS, JUST SAYING, WHAT ABOUT THE NEXT TWO DAYS? WHAT COULD DEVELOP THEN? ANYTHING OUT THERE NOW, MANY OF YOU I'M SURE KNOW, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE ATTENDING THIS MEETING ARE USUALLY PRETTY WHETHER WE'RE AWARE, WE DO HAVE SOMETHING IN THE GULF.
NOW THE TWO-DAY OUTLOOK IS TELLING US A DISTURBANCE HERE NEAR THE MEXICAN COAST HAS A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF BECOMING A TROPICAL CYCLONE, BE IT A DEPRESSION OR STORM IN THE NEXT 48 HOURS.
THEN WHAT THE COMPANION FIVE-DAY VERSION TELLS US IS THAT THERE'S AN 80 PERCENT CHANCE IT WILL BECOME A TROPICAL DEPRESSION OR TROPICAL STORM IN THE NEXT FIVE DAYS.
WHAT DOES ALL THAT MEAN? IT MEANS THERE'S SOMETHING DOWN THERE THAT COULD BECOME TROPICAL STORM CLAUDETTE BY WEEK'S END.
NOW, NOTICE THE DEVELOPMENT AREA IS TO THE NORTH OF THE CURRENT POSITION.
THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE THAT DISTURBANCE IS FORECAST TO TRACK.
IT IS DUE TO TRACK NORTH TOWARD EITHER THE TEXAS COAST OR THE LOUISIANA COAST.
IT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO WATCH EVEN FOR THE COMING WEEKEND.
LET'S LOOK AT THIS IN MORE DETAIL.
I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU SOME FORECASTS MODELS RIGHT OUT OF THE OVEN, BRAND NEW IN THIS CASE.
THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT MODELS, THERE'S A DOZEN OF THESE AND THEY'RE ALL A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT I WANTED TO SHOW YOU TWO OF THE BETTER ONES TONIGHT.
THE TIME HERE IS SATURDAY MORNING AND SATURDAY MIDDAY.
THE TOP ROW IS WHAT WE CALL THE EUROPEAN MODEL, THE BOTTOM ROW IS WHAT WE CALL THE GFS OR THE AMERICAN MODEL.
WHAT YOU SEE IS, SATURDAY MORNING, THE EUROPEAN MODEL ACTUALLY HAS THE STORM RIGHT OFF THE COAST OF BRAZORIA COUNTY.
AT SATURDAY MORNING AND BY MIDDAY, IT'S MOVED INLAND, TRACKING A LITTLE BIT HERE OVER GALVESTON BAY.
THE COLORATION HERE INDICATES RAINFALL.
THE TAKEAWAY HERE IS THE EUROPEAN MODEL IS GIVING BRAZORIA COUNTY A FAIRLY DIRECT HIT OF PROBABLY NOT A HURRICANE, BUT MORE LIKE A TROPICAL STORM, BUT WHERE MOST OF THE RAIN IS ON THE EAST SIDE.
WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN FOR THE COUNTY? SOME HIGH SURF, SOME GUSTY WINDS, PROBABLY NOTHING TOO HIGH, AND SOME RAIN, BUT THE BULK OF THE RAIN IS STAYING EAST.
THE GFS OR AMERICAN MODEL IS TRACKING FARTHER EAST.
IT ACTUALLY TRACKS CLOSE TO THE LOUISIANA-TEXAS BORDER, AS WE SAW MANY STORMS DO LAST YEAR, INCLUDING LAURA.
IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, WE WOULD HAVE VERY LITTLE IMPACT.
PROBABLY LITTLE OR NO RAIN, CONTINUED HOT WEATHER, AND MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF SURF.
IT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF JUST TWO OF THE POSSIBILITIES.
WE COULD BE LOOKING AT SOME STORMY WEATHER ON SATURDAY FROM TROPICAL STORM CLAUDETTE POTENTIALLY OR IT COULD JUST MISS US TO THE EAST.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW AND KEEP IN MIND THAT'S STILL FOUR DAYS AWAY, AND THIS SYSTEM HAS TO CROSS THE GULF IN THOSE FOUR DAYS.
THERE'S A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY, IT HASN'T EVEN DEVELOPED YET.
BUT THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN WITH THIS SYSTEM AND HOW WE NEED TO CHECK IN WITH A FORECAST REALLY EVERY DAY THIS WEEK.
FINALLY, THE FORECAST FOR THIS YEAR IS FOR ABOVE AVERAGE AND WE'RE OFF TO A FAST START, THE FORECAST NUMBER OF NAMED STORMS, INCLUDING TROPICAL STORMS AND HURRICANES, 13-20, THE AVERAGE IS 14, 6-10 HURRICANES, THE AVERAGE IS SEVEN,
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3-5 MAJOR HURRICANES KEPT THREE OR HIGHER, THE AVERAGE IS THREE.THE FORECAST IS FOR ABOVE AVERAGE.
HERE'S A LOOK AT THE NAMES FOR THIS YEAR AND COMING YEARS.
YOU CAN SEE WE'VE ALREADY HAD TWO.
BILL IS OUT THERE NOW OFF THE EAST COAST.
THE NEXT ONE WOULD BE CLAUDETTE, AND OF COURSE WE HAVE A HISTORY OF CLAUDETTES IN TEXAS, BUT THE NAME STILL HAS NOT YET BEEN RETIRED.
YOU CAN SEE THE OTHER NAMES GOING FORWARD.
REMEMBER, LAST YEAR WE HAD 30 NAMED STORMS. THE MOST ACTIVE SEASON EVER.
IN THAT CASE, WE RAN THROUGH ALL THE NAMES ON THE LIST, HAD TO GO TO THE GREEK ALPHABET.
ONE CHANGE FOR THIS YEAR IS NO MORE GREEK ALPHABET.
THEY'LL PULL FROM A SEPARATE NAME LIST IF THAT WERE TO OCCUR AGAIN. WILL IT OCCUR? IF WE GET MORE THAN 21 NAMED STORMS, IF WE GET DOWN THROUGH WANDA, THEN YES, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THAT SEPARATE LIST.
LIKE I SAY, I REALLY WANT YOU ALL TO PLUG IN TO OUR WEBSITE, THE HURRICANE CENTER'S WEBSITE SO YOU CAN GET JUST THE BASIC INFORMATION ON WHAT YOU NEED.
IF YOU LOOK AT SOCIAL MEDIA NOW, IT'S FULL OF INFORMATION, SOME ACCURATE, SOME NOT, AND THAT INCLUDES IN THE WEATHER ARENAS.
WE REALLY WANT TO BE YOUR TRUSTED SOURCE FOR WEATHER INFORMATION AND THEN LEAN HEAVILY ON THE CITY AND ALL THE RESOURCES THEY PROVIDE FOR SPECIFIC PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION.
WE WORKED TOGETHER A LOT ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, INCLUDING WEATHER PREPAREDNESS.
WE ALSO HAVE A HURRICANE GUIDE HERE.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A 2021 VERSION, THE COUNTY HAS A GREAT GUIDE OF THEIR OWN, BUT YOU CAN LOOK AT OUR VERSION AS WELL.
THEY'RE BOTH GREAT RESOURCES FOR PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE. I DON'T KNOW GLENN, IS THERE A TIME FOR QUESTIONS OR?
>> DAN, THERE'S ALWAYS TIME FOR QUESTIONS.
YOU GAVE US A GOOD AMOUNT OF INFORMATION AND SOME GREAT INFORMATION.
BUT I'M GOING TO ASK, I'VE GOT SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE AND SOME FOLKS IN OUR AUDIENCE, IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS FOR DAN REILLY? DAN YOU ARE COMPLETE.
>> A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION. JOHN'S GOT A QUESTION.
>> HI, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE INFORMATION.
ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WAS AROUND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN MODEL AND THE AMERICAN MODEL WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FORECASTS AND THE HURRICANES.
I SEE A LOT OF DIFFERENT MODELS OUT THERE SOMETIMES WHEN YOU WATCH LIKE THE WEATHER CHANNEL OR WHATEVER, AND YOU SAID THOSE ARE THE TWO MOST ACCURATE.
CAN YOU TELL US WHICH ONE HAS BEEN THE MOST ACCURATE AND IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS TO YOU? MAYBE FORECASTING LAURA LAST YEAR AND HOW YOU COME UP WITH THOSE TWO?
>> GREAT QUESTION. I CAN TELL YOU IN GENERAL, THE AVERAGE OF ALL THE MODELS DOES BETTER THAN ANY ONE MODEL.
THE FIRST ORDER, WHAT YOU CAN DO IS AVERAGE THE EUROPEAN AND THE GFS AND PROBABLY GET A PRETTY GOOD IDEA.
BUT LAST YEAR, THE EUROPEAN DID NOT DO WELL FOR LAURA.
IT WAS TOO FAR TO THE LEFT, AND THAT WAS THE ONE THAT HAD GALVESTON, CITY OF HOUSTON, AND EVEN BRAZORIA COUNTY MORE CONCERNED BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY HAS SOME TRACKS CLOSER TO US.
LAST YEAR, FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE EUROPEAN DID NOT DO WELL.
THE GFS DID BETTER AS DID THE OTHER MODELS.
ONE THING WE'LL DO IS WE'LL LOOK AT ALL OF THEM, AND MAYBE THERE'S A DOZEN OR SO.
MAYBE FIVE OR SIX ARE REALLY PRETTY GOOD.
IF WE SEE EVERY OTHER MODEL FALLING IN LINE BUT THE EUROPEAN IS ON ITS OWN TOO FAR TO THE LEFT, WE'RE GOING TO IGNORE IT IN THAT CASE.
I THINK MANY YEARS, THE EUROPEAN IS THE BEST MODEL.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF A MODEL IS HAVING A PROBLEM IN A GIVEN SEASON.
>> HELLO DAN. IT'S BEEN SOME TIME SINCE I LAST SAW YOU BUT LET ME ASK YOU A DATA REGARDING EL NINO AND LA NINA.
WHAT'S THE EFFECTS ON LA NINA.
I'M I CORRECT? WHAT EFFECTS IS IT GOING TO BE MORE OR LESS?
>> LAST YEAR WE HAD A LA NINA.
FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, THAT'S A CLIMATE PATTERN WHERE WE HAVE COLD WATER NEAR THE EQUATOR IN THE EASTERN PACIFIC.
IT JUST TURNS OUT THAT THAT SETS OUT FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR STORM DEVELOPMENT IN THE ATLANTIC.
LAST YEAR WE HAD THAT LA NINA.
THAT CONTRIBUTED TO OUR SUPER ACTIVE SEASON.
THIS YEAR WE'VE COME OUT OF LA NINA, BUT WE HAVEN'T MADE IT TO EL NINO.
[00:30:02]
WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE, WHAT WE CALL NEUTRAL OR DENIED.SOME PEOPLE SAY HALF JOKINGLY.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR OUR SEASON? IT MEANS CONDITIONS ARE MAYBE NOT QUITE AS FAVORABLE THIS YEAR FOR A LOT OF STORMS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE EL NINO WHICH CAN SHUT THINGS DOWN.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HELP US AS MUCH AS IT COULD IF WE WERE FULL EL NINO.
THAT HAS A LIMITING FACTOR ON THE NUMBER OF STORMS IN THE ATLANTIC.
>> ACTUALLY, THAT'S GREAT INFORMATION.
WE'VE GOT SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
>> ALL RIGHT, GREAT. I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, THANK YOU AGAIN DAN.
THAT'S GREAT INFORMATION AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE OVER AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT INSURANCE.
I HAVE WITH US HERE IN THE AUDIENCE MANUEL DAN REILLY FROM TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE.
HE'S ALSO AT THE TWITTER TEXAS WINDSTORM INSURANCE ASSOCIATIONS.
HE'S GOING TO EDUCATE US ON INSURANCE PROBABLY AT SOME OF THE EASIEST THING YOU CAN DO TO MITIGATE DAMAGE, BUT IT CAN BE CONFUSING.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND GET SOME OF THAT CONFUSION OUT OF IT.
>> THANK YOU GLENN, AND THANK YOU MARY FOR THE INVITE AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF.
THE THING ABOUT INSURANCE IS PREPAREDNESS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING THE INSURANCE COVERAGE.
I'M THE TEXAS WINDSTORM INSURANCE ASSOCIATION OMBUDSMAN.
I DO EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH AND PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO YOUR CONSTITUENCY IF THERE'S ANY PARTICULAR ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING TWITTER.
AS FAR AS RIGHTS, WE ALL KNOW ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR LEGISLATURE AND TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD HAVE TO STEP BACK FROM BECAUSE AT THIS TIME, WE'LL SEE WHAT THE EFFECTS ARE THROUGH OUR LEGISLATURE AND WHAT THEY PLAN TO DO IN A FUTURE ABOUT FUNDING.
I KNOW THERE ARE SOME PROPOSALS TO OUR LEGISLATURE ABOUT HAVING SOME FORM OF CASINOS AND THINGS OF THIS SORT AND OTHER FORMS OF GETTING FUNDINGS, NOT ONLY HERE IN THE COASTAL AREA BUT UP NORTH BECAUSE SOME FOLKS ARE SAYING WAIT, WE PAID FOR A LOT OF STORMS UP NORTH BECAUSE OF HAIL DAMAGE.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS COMING SOON FROM OUR REPRESENTATIVES.
BUT IMPORTANTLY, I'D LIKE TO STRESS THAT HERE IN BRAZORIA COUNTY.
SURPRISE THAT I JUST REALIZED THAT THE TWO HIGHEST IS GASTONIA AND WEST COUNTY THAT MAKES UP ABOUT 50 PERCENT OF THE EXPOSURE IN THE TEXAS COAST.
BUT BRAZORIA COUNTY IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE WEST COUNTY AND THE WEST COUNTY IS 18.9 AND BRAZORIA COUNTY IS AT 15.5.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF EXPOSURE HERE IN THE COASTAL AREA OF BRAZORIA COUNTY.
BUT IMPORTANTLY IS THE FACT THAT AS FAR AS FUNDING, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY FUNDING WISE 4.03 BILLION TO PAY FOR ALL THESE STORMS. WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THESE MULTIPLE STORMS LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN LOUISIANA.
QUESTIONS ARE ASKED, WHAT HAPPENS AFTER 4.03 BILLION IS EXHAUSTED? WE DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER. I'M MORE SURE THOUGH DEEP INTO THE REIGNING FUND, BUT AT THIS POINT THAT'S ALL WE HAVE.
WE'RE HOPING THAT THERE'S BEEN A MAJOR EVENT AND THAT HAVE TO GO AND OR WORRY ABOUT GOING BEYOND $4.03 BILLION.
BUT IMPORTANTLY TODAY, THE MESSAGE I WANT TO SEND OUT TO PEOPLE IS THE IMPORTANCE OF READING THEIR POLICY.
ALL OF US HERE, AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS AND HOMES IS WHEN YOU LAST READ YOUR POLICY? I DON'T WANT TO HAVE A SHOW OF HANDS BUT A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T READ THE POLICY.
I'LL BE QUITE HONEST WITH YOU, WE DON'T.
WE RELY ON THE INSURANCE AGENT TO DO THAT.
THE IMPORTANCE THAT I FIND TODAY TO ALL OF YOU IS THE CLICHE OF RENEWING A POLICY.
WE ALWAYS HEAR THAT BUT IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT BACK IN 2017 UNDER SENATE BILL 417, THAT CHANGED THE FIELD WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO READ YOUR POLICY.
PRIOR TO 2017, INSURANCE COMPANIES WOULD HAVE TO HAVE NON RENEWED YOUR POLICY OR CANCELED YOUR POLICY TO CHANGE THE CONTRACT.
WHEN YOU GO AND PURCHASE A POLICY, YOU KNOW WHAT COVERAGES YOU DO HAVE, LIABILITY, ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXTENSION OF COVERAGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND ALSO THE DUTIES OF AN INSURED, WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO FOR IT TO TRIGGER OFF AS FAR AS COVERAGE.
BUT WITH THIS BILL IN 2017 EFFECTIVE 2018,
[00:35:02]
WAS THAT INSTEAD OF BEING CANCELED OR NON RENEWED, COMPANIES ARE NOW ALLOWED TO RENEW THE POLICY AND THEY HAD TO GIVE IT 30 DAYS NOTICE BECAUSE YOU WON'T KNOW THAT IF YOU'VE GOT A CANCELLATION NOTICE OR NON RENEWAL, THAT'S GOING TO GET YOU GO ON.WHAT'S GOING ON. IT'S GOING TO GET YOUR LENDER GONE.
IF YOU DON'T REPLACE IT WILL FORCE PLAYS COVERAGE ON YOU.
MY CONCERN NOW IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT CANCELLATION NON RENEWAL NOTICE SENT OUT.
THE COMPANY SIMPLY NEEDS TO SEND OUT THE NOTICE THAT IT'S GOING TO CHANGE.
IT HAS TO BE OBVIOUS TO THE POLICYHOLDER THAT WHEN HE GET THAT DECK SHEET THAT IT SHOWS ALL THE DIFFERENT CHANGES THAT ARE GOING TO OCCUR TO YOUR POLICY.
BUT THIS IS AFFECTING REDUCTION IN COVERAGE.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE COVERAGE FROM REPLACEMENT COSTS TO ACV, ACTUAL CASH VALUE OR REDUCTION IN LIABILITY.
AN EXAMPLE I CAN GIVE YOU AS I SAW ONE ENDORSEMENT WHICH TOOK AWAY COVERAGE FOR ANIMALS.
IF YOU OWN A PET, IF YOU OWN A FORM OF A REPTILE WHEREVER IT MAY BE BEFORE IT WAS COVERED, NOW IT'S NOT COVERED.
IF YOU HAD A SWIMMING POOL OR A TRAMPOLINE, THESE THINGS ARE NOW EXCLUDED UNDER THE INSURANCE POLICY.
IF YOU DIDN'T READ YOUR POLICY, YOU ARE UNDER THE IMPRESSION NEED TO ADD COVERAGE FOR THAT.
THAT'S WHY I FIND IT IMPORTANT NOW THAT YOU HAVE TO READ THE POLICY FOR THESE CHANGES, PARTICULARLY NOW WITH ALL THESE HELL STORMS THAT WERE HAVING WHEN DAMAGES AND STUFF OF THIS SORT, THERE ARE ALSO CHANGING FROM WHAT THEY CALL REPLACEMENT COSTS TO ACV, ACTUAL CASH VALUE.
LAST TIME, YOU THINK YOU HAVE REPLACEMENT CARS BUT BASED ON THE AGE OF THE ROOF, IT CAN BE REDUCED.
THESE ARE KEY COMPONENTS THAT I HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT DISTRESSED THE PUBLIC, THAT YOU HAVE TO READ YOUR POLICY ALSO CONCERNS ABOUT LIMITED LIABILITY.
I HAD FOLKS DOWN IN ROCK PORT WHERE IF YOU'RE A COLLECTOR OF CERTAIN THINGS, BASEBALL CARDS, COINS.
SHE HAD A BARBIE DOLL, FROM THE SEVENTIES WORTH THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, BUT IT WASN'T PARTICULARLY SCHEDULED.
WHEN SHE MADE THAT CLAIM, THEY ONLY PAID FOR WHAT ITS WORTH.
THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN GET THOSE PARTICULAR ITEMS INSURED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE VALUE IS TO HAVE THEM PRAISED.
SAME THING WITH BASEBALL CARDS.
A GENTLEMAN IN GALVESTON A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK TOLD ME I LEARNED THE HARD WAY.
I DIDN'T HAVEN'T SCHEDULED LIKE I SHOULD'VE AND HE LOST ALL HIS BASEBALL CARDS.
FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS COLLECTED ON HANGING ALL THESE SIGNATURES AND THINGS WITH A SORT AND A LOT OF FOLKS JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.
ALSO FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES, THIS ALSO PLAYS NOT JUST FOR HOMEOWNERS BUT FOR AUTO AND FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY WHERE THE POLICY WILL COUNT COME AND COULD CHANGE.
HAD A GENTLEMAN WITH HIS HOMEOWNER'S POLICY HAVING A DETACHED GARAGE.
HE JUST HAPPENED TO HAVE LEFT SOME KEYS IN THAT OTHER STRUCTURE THAT WAS DAMAGED BY A STORM, HURRICANE HARVEY.
WHEN THEY CAME TO DO THE ASSESSMENT, THERE WAS COVERAGE IN SENSE THAT THERE WAS A LOSS OF ABOUT $10,000 BUT WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT HE KEPT SIMPLY SOME KEYS IN THAT GARAGE, THAT WAS CONSIDERED BUSINESS SO THAT VOIDED COVERAGE.
THESE ARE LITTLE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO POLICYHOLDERS TO MAKE SURE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK TO YOUR INSURANCE AGENT.
MAKE SURE TO BETTER EVALUATE WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR HOME.
IMPORTANTLY, TAKE A HOME INVENTORY.
I KNOW IT'S CUMBERSOME TO DO IT AND WRITING DOWN BUT AT LEAST TAKE PHOTOS OF THE INTERIOR HOUSE OPENED UP TO COVEY BOARDS AND JUST TAKE A SNAPSHOT.
I WANT TO YOUR MAN ROOM ARE NOW THAT THERE IS SHE SHED AS RECALL AND JUST TAKE PHOTOS AND JUST SHOW WHAT YOU HAVE IN THERE BECAUSE AFTER A DISASTER YOU JUST CAN'T RECALL IT.
I KNOW MYSELF, I'VE GOT TONS OF STUFF IN MY GARAGE.
I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO REMEMBER WHAT I HAD IN THERE.
SIMPLE PHOTO OR A VIDEO WOULD GREATLY HELP YOU TO RECALL AND SUBMIT YOUR CLAIM TO GET THIS CLAIM RESULT IN A QUICK MANNER.
IT BECOMES DIFFICULT, AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE SURE TO ALSO PHOTO THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOME, NOT JUST THE INTERIOR, BUT THE OUTSIDE.
I'VE HAD SITUATIONS WHERE COMPANIES MAY HAVE SAID, WELL, [NOISE] THAT PROBABLY WAS THERE BEFORE.
BUT IF YOU HAVE PHOTOS SHOWING BEFORE THE STORM COMING IN, THAT'S GOING TO HELP JUSTIFY THAT NO, THIS WASN'T THERE BEFORE, IT'S THE RESULT OF THE WHEN OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE OF IMPORTANCE THAT CONSUMERS HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IN DEALING WITH INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT TO BE PREPARED WITH ALL THIS DOCUMENTATION.
[00:40:04]
I KNOW IT'S CUMBERSOME, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO THAT.THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY THINGS I WANT TO PROVIDE TO YOU.
ASIDE FROM THE IMPORTANCE OF REVIEWING YOUR POLICY, ALSO WE DON'T LICENSE CONTRACTORS OR ROOFERS.
IT'S CRITICAL TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE DO HAVE A DISASTER MEDIATION CONTRACT REQUIREMENT, BUT IT'S ONLY FOR DISASTER UNDER SECTION 58.003, WHICH MEANS THAT IF YOU GET PEOPLE COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF BRAZORIA COUNTY, SAN ANTONIO, DALLAS, OKLAHOMA, LOUISIANA, THEY ALL COME IN AND TRY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR CITIZENS AND THAT THEY CANNOT PROVIDE A DOWN-PAYMENT, THEY DON'T HAVE TO.
THEY CAN MAYBE GIVE 10 PERCENT, BUT FOLKS DON'T HAVE TO GIVE THAT 30, 40 PERCENT THAT THEY REQUEST.
THIS IS THE PARTICULAR LAW THAT SAYS THAT YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
NOW WHETHER THEY DO IT OR NOT, THAT'S A DIFFERENT ISSUE.
YOU'RE UNDER PRESSURE AFTER A STORM, AND THEN THERE'S A LACK OF CONTRACTORS, ROOFERS.
IT BECOMES DIFFICULT FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY NEED TO GET THEIR HOME REPAIRED.
THEY COME UNDER THOSE WHATEVER PRESSURING SITUATIONS.
I'VE HAD MANY CASES THAT I'VE DEALT WITH IN THE PAST WHERE THEY'VE GIVEN THEM $30,000.
I HAD ONE IN PARTICULAR, SHE WAS FROM ROCKPORT, AND THE GUY JUST TOOK OFF.
WELL, SHE WENT HUNTING FOR THE GUY, AND HE WAS IN CORPUS CHRISTI.
SAD THING ABOUT IT, SHE WENT AFTER THE GUY, AND THEN THE ROOFER CALLED THE POLICE AND SAY YOU'RE HARASSING ME.
SHE HAD TO LEAVE EVEN THOUGH HE HAD JUST TAKEN HER MONEY AND GONE.
THERE'S NO REQUIREMENTS FOR THEM TO HAVE A LICENSE TO DO WHAT THEY DO.
THE DIFFICULT PART IS I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE AFTER MAJOR STORMS AND YOU SEE THESE GUYS COMING DOWN, THEY'RE STORM CHASERS.
I JUST REACH OUT TO THE CITY AS TO WHAT YOU CAN DO OR THINK OF WAYS HOW THE COMMUNITY CAN BE ASSISTED WITH CONTROLLING THESE GUYS COMING IN, REQUIRING THAT THEY COME INTO YOUR OFFICES FOR PERMITS.
THEY MAY REQUIRE ALSO INSURANCE, BUT A LOT OF TIMES THE INSURANCE PART CAN BE FUDGED.
BASICALLY, THEY CAN HAVE WHAT THEY CALL BINDERS, WHICH THEY'RE GOOD FOR 30 DAYS.
I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN IN OTHER CITIES WHERE THEY SHOW PROOF OF INSURANCE, BUT THAT BINDER IS ONLY GOOD FOR 30 DAYS.
UNFORTUNATELY, SOMETIMES THEY USE THAT JUST TO GET THAT PERMIT TO BEGIN TO WORK.
HOW YOU CONTROL THAT? I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER BECAUSE IT'S A TREMENDOUS THING THAT HAPPENS AFTER THE STORM AND LACK OF PERSONNEL TO FOLLOW UP, IT BECOMES DIFFICULT FOR THE CITY AND INCLUDING THE COUNTY.
THIS IS ONE THING THAT NOTICED.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE 2012, AND I'VE SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE LOSE MONEY AND BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.
WHETHER IT BE SENIOR CITIZENS, VETERANS, AND THINGS OF THE SORT, THEY DON'T CARE.
THEY JUST COME IN AND TAKE THEIR MONEY AND RUN.
AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, INSURANCE IS A KEY COMPONENT.
THERE'S MANY COMPANIES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT APPEAR TO BE THE SAME, BUT THEY'RE NOT.
THEY'RE DIFFERENT BECAUSE EACH COMPANY HAS THE ABILITY TO MODIFY THE POLICY WITH ATTACHMENTS, WHICH MEANS IT MAY BE WHAT THEY CALL AN HLB POLICY, WHICH IS A STANDARD FORM USED IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
BACK IN 1995, 95 PERCENT OF THE STATE OF TEXAS USED THE HLB.
BUT IN 2003, AFTER A MAJOR MODE EVENT, COMPANIES BEGAN TO FILE THEIR OWN FORMS. IT MAYBE LOOKS SIMILAR TO AN HLB, BUT THEY HAVE MODIFICATIONS WHERE, AGAIN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO REVIEW YOUR POLICY AND SEE WHAT THE CHANGES ARE UNDER YOUR POLICY FORM.
THAT'S PART OF MY PRESENTATION.
IT'S BRIEF, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR CONSTITUENCY UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF DEALING WITH CONTRACTORS AND ROOFERS.
SOME WAY USING SOCIAL MEDIA AS A WAY TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS TO SEE IS THERE SOMEONE THAT YOU'VE DEALT WITH AND IF HE'S A CROOK, WHATEVER, PLEASE ADVISE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THIS, HOW WE DO IT.
IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO FOLKS THAT RUN YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT ISSUE TO INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT PEOPLE THAT COME FROM OUTSIDE THE STATE, OUTSIDE YOUR COUNTY? THAT'S ONE THING, THAT IN PARTICULAR.
BECAUSE ONCE THEY'VE TAKEN THE MONEY FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY THAT YOU'VE BEEN PAID, THEN YOU GO TO FEMA, YOU HAVE OTHER PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, AND THEY TOO CAN TAKE THAT MONEY.
THEN IT'S GONE, AND THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO.
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, AND ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, PLEASE.
[00:45:06]
IF NOT, YOU'VE GOT MY NUMBER.>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. [INAUDIBLE].
IT'S IMPORTANT, LIFE IS IN THE DETAILS, AND MITIGATION AND SURVIVING STORMS IS KNOWING WHAT THE POLICY IS, WHAT YOU'RE COVERED FOR, AND WHAT YOU CAN DO.
IT'S GOOD TO KNOW. WE HAD A SIMILAR INCIDENT, FOLKS, REMEMBER THAT BIG HAIL STORM WE HAD IN APRIL 2015, IT CAME ON A FRIDAY NIGHT.
SATURDAY MORNING, 288 WAS CLOGGED WITH ROOFERS COMING DOWN WITH THEIR SIGNS READY TO PUT.
SOME OR MOST WERE LEGIT, BUT THERE WERE A FEW FLIMFLAMMERS THAT TOOK THEIR 50 PERCENT, AND THEY NEVER GOT SAW AGAIN.
IT TOOK UNTIL MID-DAY BEFORE WE COULD GET ON TOP OF THEM AND GET THE ONES THAT DIDN'T BELONG CHASED AWAY.
WE ASKED OUR RESIDENTS TO BE AWARE AND TO THINK THESE THINGS OUT BEFORE THEY RUSH INTO SOMETHING.
AS WE'RE GOING TO GO, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS.
IT WILL BE OUR LAST TOPIC, AND WE'LL TRY TO MAKE IT QUICK.
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU STAY INFORMED AND THAT OUR RESIDENTS STAY AWARE SO THAT YOU CAN BE BETTER PREPARED FOR A HURRICANE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT [INAUDIBLE] TOUCHED ON WAS TO KNOW YOUR RISKS.
WELL, YOU LIVE IN ANGLETON, AND WE'RE ON THE GULF COAST.
YOU'RE GOING TO EXPERIENCE A HURRICANE IF YOU LIVE HERE LONG ENOUGH.
WE'RE IN A GEOGRAPHICAL PLACE THAT WILL GET THESE.
WE'LL GET THEM CLOSE, WE'LL GET DIRECT HITS, AND WE'LL WATCH THEM GO TO OUR EAST OR WEST. THEY'RE INEVITABLE.
THE ONE THING YOU CAN DO TO PREPARE FOR THAT IS TO TAKE SOME STEPS, TO DO SOME MITIGATION, TO DO SOME THINGS AROUND YOUR HOUSE, TO DO SOME THINGS WITH YOUR INSURANCE POLICY SO THAT YOU CAN SURVIVE THIS, AND WE CAN GET BACK TO LIVING IN THE WONDERFUL GULF COAST [INAUDIBLE] ALL HERE.
THERE'S THREE STEPS TO BEING PREPARED.
FIRST OFF, YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO MAKE A PLAN.
THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO MAKING A PLAN, SO I'M GOING TO GO OVER THAT THE MOST STRENUOUSLY.
YOU WANT TO PREPARE YOUR HOME OR YOUR BUSINESS.
SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE STUFF THAT IS JUST ROUTINE.
YOU GUYS, THINK OF MAKING SURE YOUR STUFF IS PUT AWAY.
PROTECTING YOUR WINDOWS, IF YOU'VE GOT TIME AND YOU CAN GET THERE EARLY ENOUGH, YOU CAN GET SHUTTERS.
YOU CAN GET THOSE EASY TO INSTALL, EASY TO PUT UP WINDOW PROTECTIONS FOR WHEN STORMS COME, OR YOU CAN BE LIKE ME AND CUT SOME PLYWOOD AND KEEP IT STACKED UP IN YOUR GARAGE.
IT'S ALREADY MEASURED, AND IT'S PRECUT, AND YOU JUST PUT IT IN TO PROTECT YOUR WINDOWS.
WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT IS THE GARAGE.
THE GARAGE DOOR IS THIN AND ALUMINUM.
IF YOU DON'T GET A STORM-RATED DOOR, AND THOSE ARE AVAILABLE, I JUST GOT ONE SEVERAL YEARS AGO, YOU CAN STRENGTHEN YOURS WITH SOME TWO-BY-FOURS THAT'LL FIT IN-BETWEEN THE TRACKS SO THAT IT'S BETTER STRENGTHENED.
BECAUSE WIND CAN ATTACK THAT AND THEN IT BLOWS THAT DOOR DOWN, THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO STOP THAT WIND FROM GETTING YOUR HOUSE.
EVEN IF IT DOESN'T GET PAST THE GARAGE AND INTO YOUR KITCHEN, INTO YOUR LIVING ROOM, IT'S UNDER THE HOUSE, AND IT'S PUSHING UP ON YOUR ROOF.
THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE YOU A LOT OF DAMAGE.
YOU WILL PROBABLY LOSE YOUR ROOF.
YOU'LL PROBABLY LOSE A LOT OF YOUR HOUSE.
KEEP YOUR BUSHES TRIMMED, AND KEEP THE HOUSE CLEANED UP ALL AROUND.
LOOK FOR ANY, WHAT THEY CALL, MISSILE HAZARD, THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO GO FLY WHEN THE WIND COMES OUT, IF KIDS LEAVE TOYS IN THE BACKYARD, JUST ABOUT ANYTHING THAT CAN BE LEFT AROUND.
WORK WITH YOUR NEIGHBOR AS WELL BECAUSE THE STUFF THAT'S IN YOUR YARD COULD END UP IN THEIR WINDOWS AND VICE VERSA.
YOU GUYS WANT TO WORK TOGETHER IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS TAKEN CARE OF.
IF YOU GOT A CAR, AND WHO DOESN'T, DURING HURRICANE SEASON, TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S AT LEAST GOT A HALF A TANK.
IF YOU HEAR THAT THERE'S SOME ACTIVITY IN THE GULF LIKE WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS WEEK, TRY TO KEEP THAT TANK FULL.
IF ANYBODY WAS WATCHING DURING IKE, DURING HARVEY, EVEN DURING THE FREEZE, TRYING TO GET GASOLINE IN A TIMELY MANNER WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.
YOU WANT TO BE AHEAD OF THE CURVE.
GOES WITH GETTING SUPPLIES FOR YOUR HOME.
YOU'RE GOING TO NEED SOME WATER, YOU'LL ALL NEED SOME BATTERIES.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO GO GET THEM? NOT WHEN THE NEWS IS REPORTING THAT THERE'S A HURRICANE COMING BECAUSE, GUESS WHAT, THOSE SHELLS WILL BE EMPTY. GET THEM NOW.
BATTERIES WILL LAST UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF OCTOBER WHEN OUR RISK IS A LOT LESS.
BOTTLED WATER WILL LAST UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF OCTOBER.
GET THAT STUFF NOW, MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE PREPARED SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT THE CROWDS AT WALMART, OR KROGER, H-E-B.
LIKE I TALKED ABOUT, STRENGTHEN YOUR HOME.
IF YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT NOW, IT'S A LOT EASIER TO CUT THAT PLYWOOD AND PUT IT UP THAN WHEN THE WIND IS BLOWING AND THE RAIN'S COMING DOWN.
IF YOU'VE GOT A GARAGE, KEEP YOUR CAR IN THE GARAGE.
IF NOT, LOOK FOR A PLACE THAT HIGH AND DRY THAT YOU CAN KEEP YOUR CAR.
MAKE SURE YOUR DOORS ARE ALL LOCKED AND SECURED.
THIS SOUND REDUNDANT, BUT AS [INAUDIBLE] POINTED OUT, DON'T FORGET YOUR INSURANCE, LOOK OVER IT, TALK TO YOUR AGENT.
GET WHAT THEY SAY AN INSURANCE CHECKUP.
[00:50:01]
YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU HAVE STANDARD HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE THAT YOUR LIEN-HOLDER, THAT YOUR MORTGAGE HOLDER IS GOING TO WANT YOU TO HAVE, THAT PROBABLY DOESN'T COVER YOU FOR FLOODING.IN FACT, MOST LIKELY IT WON'T.
SO YOU GOT TO BUY A SEPARATE FLOODING INSURANCE.
IT WON'T COVER FOR YOUR HIGH WIND AND HAIL, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BUY A SEPARATE INSURANCE FOR THAT.
THESE ARE THINGS YOU WANT TO KNOW AHEAD OF TIME.
IT'S JUNE NOW, SO IT'S NOT REALLY TOO LATE, BUT THIS IS STUFF THAT YOU'D WANT TO HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT OVER THE WINTER.
WHAT DO I GET FOR INSURANCE? HOW ARE THINGS GOING? LET ME TALK TO MY AGENT SO HE'S NOT A STRANGER IN AUGUST AFTER A HURRICANE COMES.
YOU KNOW WHO YOUR COMPANY IS, AND YOU KNOW WHO YOU'RE TALKING TO.
AS INEVITABLE AS HURRICANES ON THE GULF COAST, IF WE GET A HURRICANE, YOU ARE GOING TO LOSE POWER.
MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT THE STUFF THAT YOU NEED TO GET OVER THAT.
YOU'VE GOT LANTERNS, YOU'VE GOT BATTERIES WITH FLASHLIGHTS, SOLAR-POWERED PHONE CHARGERS, SOME WATER AND SOME FOOD, A WAY TO GET OUT OF THE GARAGE IF THE POWER IS OUT AND YOUR GARAGE DOOR OPENER ISN'T GOING TO WORK ANYMORE.
IT HELPS IF YOU WRITE SOME OF THIS STUFF DOWN.
IT'S INDIVIDUAL PREFERENCE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WORK A LOT BETTER IF THEY'VE GOT A WRITTEN PLAN.
HERE AT THE CITY, WE'VE GOT A WRITTEN PLAN AND WE SUBMIT IT, WE SHARE IT AND GET EVERYBODY FAMILIAR WITH IT.
WE ALSO MAKE CHECKLISTS SO THAT WE CAN SEE THAT WE DON'T MISS THINGS.
MAKE ONE FOR YOUR HOME, CUSTOMIZE IT TO WHAT YOU THINK YOU NEED, AND SHARE IT WITH FAMILY MEMBERS.
SAY YOU'RE HERE ON THE GULF COAST AND HURRICANE CLAUDETTE IS COMING TO YOUR DOORSTEP, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN DALLAS ARE AWARE THAT YOU'VE GOT STUFF, YOU ARE TAKING STEPS, AND THAT YOU WILL BE WELL TAKEN CARE OF.
THEN WE GOT TO TALKING ABOUT EVACUATION.
IF WE GET A HURRICANE OR WE'RE EXPECTING TO GET A HURRICANE OF CATEGORY 3 OR HIGHER, MAJOR HURRICANE, OR THE HURRICANE IS EXPECTED TO DELIVER US A STORM SURGE THAT'S SALTWATER IN THE GULF OF MEXICO OF AT LEAST 15 FEET OR HIGHER, THERE'S GOING TO BE A MANDATORY EVACUATION.
THE MAYOR HAS A RESPONSIBILITY AS DOES THE COUNTY JUDGE UNDER TEXAS LAW AND HE WILL ISSUE A MANDATORY EVACUATION.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN AN AREA THAT'S GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY A MAJOR HURRICANE, YOU DON'T WANT TO BE HERE AND IF YOU'VE SPENT ONE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WANT TO SPEND A SECOND ONE.
IF YOU DON'T NEED TO BE HERE, IF YOUR JOB DOESN'T KEEP YOU HERE, YOU'RE NOT A FIRST RESPONDER, IT'S BEST TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY, GET ON THE HIGHWAY EARLY, AND GET OUT OF HERE.
WELL, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO KNOW? HOW DO I KNOW I'M IN EVACUATION ZONE? I'VE ALREADY GOT A BUNCH OF NUMBERS I NEED TO MEMORIZE.
YOU KNOW THAT YOU LIVE IN 77515 IN WHAT THEY CALL ZONE B, WHERE IN AN AREA THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GO FOR A TROPICAL STORM OR CATEGORY 1 HURRICANES.
FOLKS WHO LIVE ALONG THE GULF COAST, THOSE 77541 FOLKS MAYBE THOSE 77531 PEOPLE, THEY MAY HAVE TO START LOOKING FOR HIGHER GROUND; THEY'RE CLOSER, THEY'RE MORE VULNERABLE THEY'RE THERE IN THE RISK AREA.
IF YOU START HEARING ABOUT A MAJOR HURRICANE COMING AND YOU HEAR THE TERM EVACUATION AND ALL, WHETHER IT'S VOLUNTARY OR MANDATORY, START THINKING ABOUT PLACES YOU CAN GO.
TAKE ALL THAT GAS THAT YOU PUT IN YOUR CAR AND MAYBE GO VISIT [INAUDIBLE] GO UP TO LIBERTY COUNTY.
WE'VE GOT SOME STUFF SET UP WITH FOLKS IN HAYS COUNTY, WHICH IS OVER NEAR SAN MARCOS.
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE SHELTERS IF YOU NEED TO SHELTER SOMEWHERE.
WE'VE GOT A POINT-TO-POINT DEAL WITH THEM WITH BRAZORIA COUNTY AND HAYS COUNTY AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND THAT YOU CAN GO TO AND YOU GET OUT.
BUT IF YOU CAN GET A HOTEL, IF YOU'VE GOT FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT YOU WANT TO VISIT AWAY FROM THIS STORM AREA, BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET DOWN HERE IS A LOT OF HIGH WIND AND RAIN AND NO ELECTRICITY.
NO ELECTRICITY IN THE SUMMER IN TEXAS MEANS NO AIR-CONDITIONING SO ALREADY YOU'RE UNCOMFORTABLE.
IF THE WINDS ARE OVER 45 MILES AN HOUR, HEAVY, HIGH-PROFILE VEHICLES LIKE AMBULANCES AND FIRE TRUCKS CAN'T GET OUT.
IF YOUR HOUSE CATCHES ON FIRE OR YOU FALL AND BREAK YOUR LEG RUNNING FROM SOME DEBRIS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT TO YOU AND RESCUE YOU.
EVEN IF THEY DID, THE EMERGENCY ROOM IN THE HOSPITAL MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE PATIENTS JUST BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER.
SO YOU DON'T WANT TO BE STEPHEN F. AUSTIN WHEN THE STORMS COMING.
YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT AND GET CLEAR.
THEN STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE CITY AND STAY IN TOUCH WITH OUR FOLKS DOWN HERE TO KNOW WHEN IT'S SAFE TO COME BACK; WHEN WE GOT THE ROADS AND THE DEBRIS CLEARED OFF THE ROADS AND ELECTRICITY IS BACK AND THE WATER IS DRINKABLE AND THE TOILET IS FLUSHABLE AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A WAY TO GET OUT, THE STATE OF TEXAS RUNS WHAT THEY CALL THEIR ASSISTANCE REGISTRY OR IN THAT HANDY TEXAS ACRONYM, THE STEAR, STATE OF TEXAS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE REGISTRY.
IT'S AS SIMPLE AS DIALING 211 ON YOUR PHONE AND YOU'LL BE CONNECTED WITH AN OPERATOR WITH THE UNITED WAY, THEY'LL TAKE DOWN SOME INFORMATION AND WE WILL GET THAT INFORMATION TO US WITHIN A DAY OR SO VIA SOME DATABASES THAT THE STATE AND THE COUNTY RUN AND WE'LL KNOW WHERE YOU ARE,
[00:55:03]
WE'LL GIVE YOU A CALL, WE'LL TOUCH BASES WITH YOU THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.IF THERE'S A REASON TO EVACUATE AND YOU HAVE NO VEHICLE OR YOU HAVE NO MEANS TO GET OUT OF THE AREA, WE WILL SEND SOMEONE TO PICK YOU UP OR WE WILL MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO GET YOU TO WHAT THEY CALL AN EVACUATION HUB, WHICH WE'RE DOWN HERE IN BRAZORIA COUNTY IS AT THE FAIRGROUNDS.
THE COUNTY AND THE STATE HELP RUN EVACUATION HUB OVER THERE AND WE'LL GET YOU ON STATE-RUN, COACH BUSES, AIR-CONDITIONED BUSES WITH BATHROOMS IN THE BACK, TO GET YOU TO HAYS COUNTY WHERE YOU CAN BE SAFE, THEY'LL SHELTER YOU, AND THEN WE'LL USE THOSE SAME BUSES IN A FEW DAYS TO BRING YOU BACK AFTER THE STORM HAS GONE THROUGH.
SO 211, CALLING THAT NUMBER IS THE BEST WAY YOU CAN GET TO IT.
I PUT THIS ON OUR WEB PAGE AND I BROUGHT IT OUT TO EVERY PRESENTATION.
THERE'S A WEBSITE THAT YOU CAN GO TO AS WELL, OR YOU CAN GIVE US A CALL AND WE CAN TRY TO GET YOU SET UP ON THAT, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.
IT'S VOLUNTARY, YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED, NO ONE'S REQUIRED TO SIGN UP FOR IT, AND YOUR INFORMATION IS CONFIDENTIAL.
IT'S GOING TO STAY WITH THE CITY FOLKS, COUNTY FOLKS, AND UNITED WAY JUST SO WE KNOW WHERE TO GET YOU.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT 80-85 PEOPLE THAT ARE SIGNED UP FOR IT HERE IN THE CITY OF ANGLETON AND WE KNOW WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN HELP THEM GET OUT.
IT COMES IN HANDY EVEN WHEN IT'S NOT A HURRICANE WHEN WE HAD THE FREEZE AND SOME OF THESE FOLKS WHO ARE VULNERABLE, THEY'VE GOT MEDICAL ISSUES AND THEY HAD NO ELECTRICITY AND THEY HAD NO WAY TO REACH OUT TO US.
LUCKILY, WE KNEW WHERE THEY WERE AND WE WERE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND GET THEM THE HELP THEY NEEDED.
THIS IS A VERY GOOD PROGRAM THE STATE RUNS.
LASTLY, LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT, BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR.
CHECK ON THE FOLKS THAT LIVE AROUND YOU.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THEM OUT OR YOU KNOW THERE'S AN ELDERLY COUPLE OR SOMEONE WITH A MEDICAL ISSUE, WHETHER IT'S TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT, CHECK ON THEM, SEE HOW THEY'RE DOING, SEE IF THEY'VE GOT SOME PLANS FOR THIS.
IF A STORM'S COMING, MAKE SURE THEY'RE INFORMED.
YOU'D BE SURPRISED WE TALKED ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT YOU CAN STAY INFORMED, BUT THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT DON'T REACH OUT AND GET THAT INFORMATION, SO HELP THEM OUT.
GO KNOCK ON THE DOOR, GO VISIT.
MAKE A KIT. COMING INTO YOUR MAILBOX IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, AS DAN TALKED ABOUT, IS THE BRAZORIA COUNTY HURRICANE AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GUIDE.
IT'S GOING TO HAVE SEVERAL PAGES THAT'S DEDICATED TO AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST OF SUPPLIES THAT YOU CAN HAVE BOTH TO JUST KEEP AT YOUR HOUSE AND THAT YOU CAN LOAD IN YOUR CAR REALLY QUICKLY AND CARRY WITH YOU IF YOU'VE GOT TO EVACUATE.
IT GOES ON FOR SEVERAL PAGES, YOU CAN MODIFY IT.
BUT A COUPLE OF THINGS I THINK OF IS MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION, YOU'VE GOT FOOD, YOU'VE GOT WATER, YOU'VE GOT MAYBE SOME SANITARY STUFF, YOU'VE GOT SOME STUFF TO KEEP THE KIDS BUSY WHILE IN THE BACK.
IF YOU BROUGHT PETS, DON'T FORGET THEY NEED TO EAT TOO, BRING SOME PET FOOD.
ANOTHER THING IMPORTANT THAT WE LEARNED ABOUT WITH THE POWER OUTAGES THAT WE HAD DURING THE FREEZE AND SOME OTHER STORMS IS YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO HAVE SOME CASH ON HAND, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE DOWN HERE.
PLACES WITHOUT ELECTRICITY OR WITHOUT INTERNET CONNECTIVITY, THEIR CHIP READERS, THEIR CARD READERS WILL PROBABLY NOT BE WORKING.
THEIR ATMS MAY NOT BE WORKING.
IT'S A GOOD IDEA AHEAD OF TIME TO WITHDRAW SOME CASH AND KEEP SOME CASH HANDY, IN AVERAGE BILLS, $20 BILLS, WHICH IS ABOUT WHAT THE FOLKS GIVE YOU.
BECAUSE IF THE VENDOR IS OPEN, IF THE STORES ARE OPEN, THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CHARGE YOUR CREDIT CARD.
THE SYSTEM MAY NOT BE WORKING.
WE FOUND DURING THE FREEZE AND DURING HARVEY, A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT COME DOWN FROM HOUSTON FILL THE TANKS AT OUR GAS STATIONS AND FILL THE SHELVES AT OUR GROCERY STORES, ALSO FILL THE ATMS WITH MONEY.
IF THEY CAN'T GET DOWN HERE, THESE PROVISIONS DON'T GET TAKEN CARE OF.
THINK ABOUT THAT AHEAD OF TIME.
I MAY NEED SOME MONEY, I MAY NEED SOME CASH AND THAT WILL COME IN HANDY.
HOW DO YOU STAY INFORMED? AS DAN ALLUDED TO, HE SHOWED YOU ALL THE WEBSITES YOU CAN GET ON.
THE CITY OF ANGLETON HAS A GREAT WEBSITE.
WE'RE GOING TO PUT ALL THE BEST INFORMATION WE CAN ON THAT.
BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO REACH OUT TO THAT, WE'VE GOT TIME TO REACH OUT TO YOU.
WE'VE GOT THIS SYSTEM CALLED CODERED.
WE JUST BOUGHT IT OVER THE FALL AND IT WORKED WELL FOR US DURING THE FREEZE.
THIS WILL GET THE INFORMATION DIRECTLY TO YOUR PHONE, YOUR CELL PHONE, OR YOUR HOME PHONE, WHICHEVER YOU'D LIKE TO ENTER WITH.
YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND YOU CAN PUT ALL YOUR INFORMATION IN, OR THE EASIEST THING IS TO JUST GET ON YOUR SMARTPHONE, EVERYBODY HAS GOT ONE, AND TYPE IN THE WORDS ANGLETONTX, ALL TOGETHER, TO THE NUMBER 99411.
IT'S GOING TO GIVE YOU A LINK, AND ON THAT LINK IT'S GOING TO GIVE YOU A REGISTRATION PAGE.
YOU'RE GOING TO PUT STUFF IN THERE LIKE YOUR ADDRESS, OBVIOUSLY, SO IT'LL KNOW THAT YOU ARE A RESIDENT OF ANGLETON, AND A PLACE TO PUT ON YOUR PHONE NUMBERS AND EMAIL ADDRESS IF YOU WANT TO RECEIVE EMAILS ON THAT.
BE CAREFUL PUTTING IN YOUR ADDRESS BECAUSE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T THINK ABOUT, WE TAKE FOR GRANTED: STREETS, NORTH, EAST, THAT STUFF HAS GOT TO BE IN THERE SO IT CAN FIND YOU ON THE MAP, IT'S LIKE A GOOGLE MAPS TYPE THING.
IF YOU KNOW YOU LIVE ON CANON, WELL, YOU GOT TO KNOW THAT IT'S CANON ROAD.
[01:00:02]
IF YOU LIVE ON A STREET IN THE NORTHWEST.IF YOU GET ALL THAT STUFF ACCURATELY IN THERE, THEN YOU'LL BE DOING GREAT. YOU PUT IN YOUR PHONES.
WE TEST THIS BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE SAYING, "I SIGNED UP, BUT I DON'T WANT TO WAIT TILL THERE'S A DISASTER TO FIND OUT IF IT'S WORKING OR NOT WORKING." WE STARTED A SYSTEM OF SENDING OUT TEXTS ON THE FIRST MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH, AND WE'LL PROBABLY KEEP THAT UP UNTIL AT LEAST AFTER HURRICANE SEASON.
WE'LL TALK TO RESIDENTS AND SEE HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT GETTING IT.
THAT WAY YOU'LL KNOW YOU'LL BE GETTING A TEXT EVERY FIRST MONDAY OF THE MONTH, USUALLY FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, GIVING YOU INFORMATION AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU KNOW THAT WE'LL SEND YOU OUT SOME TIMELY STUFF, LIKE I THINK THE LAST ONE THAT WENT OUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO MENTIONED HURRICANE TOWN HALL.
BUT THIS IS HOW YOU CAN STAY IN CONTACT AND STAY UP WITH THE INFORMATION THAT'S ANGLETON CENTRIC.
AS YOU KNOW, YOU TURN ON THE TV, YOU TURN ON THE RADIO, EVERYTHING IS ABOUT HOUSTON.
IT'S THE BIGGEST CITY OVER THERE.
IF THERE'S A BOIL WATER NOTICE IN SPRING, IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE HOUSTON NEWS.
IF THERE'S ONE IN ANGLETON, YOU MAY NOT GET TO KNOW IT.
IF THE ANGLETON ISD SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED, YOU MAY NOT GET TO KNOW IT UNTIL YOU SIT AND WATCH IT SCROLLING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN FOR HALF AN HOUR.
THIS WILL GET THE INFORMATION DIRECTLY TO YOU.
WE'LL SEND YOU TEXTS KEEPING YOU UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST INFORMATION.
IF IT'S SOMETHING SUPER IMPORTANT LIKE A CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE OR A BOIL WATER NOTICE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TELLING THAT THE WATER IS UNSAFE TO DRINK, WE'LL DO A VOICE PHONE CALL.
THE PHONE WILL RING AND YOU'LL ANSWER IT, IT'LL BE THE CITY HALL NUMBER ON YOUR PHONES, SO YOU'RE NOT WORRY ABOUT IT BEING SOME TELEMARKETER TRYING TO BUG YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF A DISASTER, AND WE'LL GIVE THAT INFORMATION TO YOU DIRECTLY SO YOU'LL JUST HEAR IT.
THAT'S IT. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF SECONDS OF THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE CITY SINCE THE FREEZE.
WE'VE GOTTEN A HURRICANE TO GET PREPARED.
WE'VE GOT PALLETS OF WATER STORED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
IF WATERS BECOME AN ISSUE, WE'VE GOT MRES, WE'VE GOT SOME FOOD, WE'VE GOT SOME OTHER STUFF STORED SO THAT IT'LL BE FOUND DURING THE STORM OR DURING THE FREEZE THAT AFFECTED THE ENTIRE STATE OR LIKE WITH HURRICANE HARVEY THAT IN FACT HIT ALMOST THE ENTIRE COAST.
IT'S A LITTLE SLOWER TO GET HELP FROM OUTSIDE OF OUR REGION TO US BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH OTHER ROLES, YOU GOT TO DEAL WITH ALL THE ISSUES IN THE STATE, IN THE AREA THAT'S DAMAGED, AND THE ACCESS MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE.
WE'VE GOT ENOUGH HERE TO TRY TO KEEP ANGLETON GOING FOR THE NEXT TWO OR THREE DAYS AFTER A DISASTER BEFORE THE OUTSIDE AGENCIES CAN ENGAGE.
>> YES, SIR. THANK YOU FOR COMING.
>> NOT REALLY A QUESTION, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES IF I COULD.
[INAUDIBLE] , VOLUNTEER WITH SALVATION ARMY.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN NATIONAL DISASTERS, NOT WITH THE SALVATION ARMY THE WHOLE TIME, BUT WE'VE INVOLVED THE NATIONAL DISASTER SINCE HURRICANE HUGO.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY REMEMBERS THAT ONE.
THAT WAS OVER IN THE EAST COAST. THAT WAS A WHILE BACK.
AT THAT TIME I WAS WITH THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
[LAUGHTER] THE ONE THING THAT AMAZES ME ABOUT LOOKING AROUND THE ROOM TODAY, AND I HOPE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK ONLINE IS DON'T GET COMPLACENT.
COMPLACENCY IS THE MOST DANGEROUS THING WE HAVE.
THIS IS AN AREA THAT'S GOING TO GET HIT AT SOMETIME.
I WAS AT LAURA AND I WAS A DELTA JUST LAST YEAR AND A NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE THAT CAME UP TO ME IN THOSE GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS SAID, "I JUST DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD HAPPEN TO ME." THEY WEREN'T PREPARED FOR ANYTHING.
THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE THING I'D LIKE TO SAY.
THE SALVATION ARMY IS BASED HERE IN FREEPORT.
I HAVE MY TRUCK OUT THE OTHER SIDE.
IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SEE THAT TRUCK, I'M GOING TO PULL IT AROUND AND WE GOT BLUEBERRY BARS IN IT AND WE GOT SOME CINNAMON OAK BARS, WHICH ADULTS LIKE A WHOLE LOT.
IT'S ALWAYS STOCKED WITH STUFF SO THAT IT CAN BE IMMEDIATELY RESPOND.
IT'S A RAPID RESPONSE UNIT AND IT CAN HOLD KITCHEN PREPARED CAMBRILS, SO WE CAN SERVE CLOSE TO 1,000 MEALS OUT OF IT WHEN WE HAVE A KITCHEN RUNNING WITH IT.
YOU NEED US, YOU GOT TO CALL US.
SOMETIMES I HEAR IN A MEETING AFTERWARDS, "I WISH WE WOULD HAVE CALLED THEM." [LAUGHTER].
ALL IT TAKES IS THE VOLUNTEERS TO TALK TO ME BECAUSE I'M THE VOLUNTARY DS TRAINER FOR THIS COUNTY.
I CAN TRAIN YOU IN ABOUT A COUPLE OF MINUTES,
[01:05:04]
LESS THAN A DAY, DEPENDING ON WHAT WE NEED. THANKS.>> THANKS FOR COMING OUT. I MENTIONED THE SALVATION ARMY WAS A GREAT PARTNER, GREAT HELP TO THE AREA AFTER HARVEY, AND AFTER SOME OF THE FLOODS IN 2016, AND AFTER THE FREEZE.
>> NOT JUST FROM YOU GLENN, BUT FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE FOR HURRICANE SEASON, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE, AS A CITY DO TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT FROM OUR PUBLIC WORKS, AND WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING, AND FROM CITY HALL? I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE NICE TO CHIME IN ON THAT.
>> OKAY, GREAT. LIKE I SAID, WE'VE INVESTED IN HAVING WATER LOCALLY, SO WE'VE GOT WATER STORED HERE IF WE NEED TO GET WATER OUT TO OUR RESIDENTS.
WHEN WE HEAR A STORM IS COMING AND ALL THROUGH HURRICANE SEASON, OUR PUBLIC WORKS FOLKS HELP KEEP THE DITCHES CLEAN SO THAT THE WATER DRAINS QUICKLY AND BOTH FOLKS DON'T GET FLOODED IN THEIR YARDS, OR AT LEAST AS QUICKLY WE PARTNER WITH THE FOLKS AT THE ANGLETON DRAINAGE DISTRICT AS WELL.
THEY'RE GOOD PARTNERS. WE MAKE SURE THAT ALL OUR CITY AREAS ARE HARDENED, OUR CITY HALL, AND OUR OFFICES ARE WELL-MAINTAINED, WELL TAKEN CARE OF SO THAT STAFF CAN BE HERE, AND JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY FROM THE CITY STAYS HERE IN A SAFE BUILDING WHILE THE STORM IS COMING THROUGH SO THAT WE CAN BE HERE TO HELP REBUILD AND PUT THE REST OF THE CITY TOGETHER.
WE'VE GOT CONTRACTS OUT THAT WE PRE-NEGOTIATED, SO THE PRICES ARE ALL VALID AND GOOD WITH DEBRIS MANAGEMENT COMPANIES THAT WILL HELP US WITH CLEARING THE ROADS AND GETTING RID OF THE DEBRIS IF WE WERE TO GET DESTRUCTION LIKE WE SAW IN IKE, AND IN SOME OF THE OTHER STORMS SO THAT WE CAN CLEAR THE ROADS AND GET FOLKS GOING.
>> CAN YOU CHIME IN ON THE DEBRIS, HOW RESIDENTS WOULD PUT THAT OUT? AS A COMPANY, WE'VE HIRED, THAT COMES IN STRICTLY.
[OVERLAPPING]. IT'S NOT ALWAYS CONNECTIONS THAT DOES IT. [OVERLAPPING].
>> EXACTLY, IT'S AN OUTSIDE COMPANY. IT'S CALLED CROWDERGULF.
THERE'S A LOT OF COMPANIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WHOSE BREAD-AND-BUTTER, WHOSE JOB IS THEY GO TO DISASTER-STRICKEN AREAS, WHETHER IT'S HURRICANES DOWN HERE IN THE GULF COAST, OR THE SOUTHEAST COAST, OR BLIZZARDS UP IN THE MIDWEST.
THEY COME AND THEY HELP CLEAN UP AFTER WILDFIRES, EENIE MEENIE STUFF.
A LOT OF CITIES HAVE ALREADY CONTRACTED.
IN FACT, IT'S PRETTY MUCH RECOMMENDED, ALMOST REQUIRED THAT CITIES, COUNTIES, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES SETTLE THESE CONTRACTS AHEAD OF TIME SO YOU'RE NOT NEGOTIATING WITH WATER UP TO YOUR WAIST, AND GETTING WHAT YOU CAN GET, AND GETTING WHAT'S LEFTOVER.
FEMA REQUIRES THAT WE SET STUFF UP WITH THEM AHEAD OF TIME, NOT ONLY THE DEBRIS CLEANING AND THE DISPOSAL, BUT ALSO A COMPANY THAT WILL WATCH OVER THE MANAGEMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE FOLLOWING ALL THE PROPER PROCEDURES AND THEY'RE DOCUMENTING THE DEBRIS THAT THEY'VE TAKEN, SO THAT THEY'RE PAID ADEQUATELY AND FAIRLY, AND NO ONE'S GETTING GAPS, ESPECIALLY THE TAXPAYERS.
BECAUSE AS YOU GUYS KNOW, WHEN BLIZZARD HAPPENED UP NORTH, FEMA USES OUR TAX DOLLARS TO HELP THEM OUT.
WHILE HURRICANES DEVASTATE US DOWN HERE, FEMA AND OTHER FEDERAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE USING MID-WESTERNERS MONEY TO HELP US OUT.
IT'S ALL TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS, SO IT ALL HAS TO BE SPENT FOLLOWING GOOD STEWARDS AND GOOD POLICIES.
>> GLENN, YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO JUST ADVISE THE CITIZENS THAT SHOULD WE HAVE A STORM COME THROUGH, THAT PROCESS OF THE CLEANING, WE DON'T HIRE THE COMPANY TO COME TO YOUR PROPERTY AND TAKE IT OFF YOUR PROPERTY.
IT'S UP TO THE RESIDENT TO GET IT TO THE STREET SIDE, AND THOSE ARE THE GUYS THAT COME THROUGH AND PICK IT UP, SO I JUST WANTED WE CLARIFY THAT.
>> ANYBODY WHO HAS BEEN HERE THROUGHOUT, IN HARVEY, DID WE BRING THEM OUT IN HARVEY? [OVERLAPPING] NO, WE DIDN'T HAVE TO IN HARVEY BUT WE DID FOR IKE, AND PROBABLY RITA.
>> WE WILL PUT OUT THE BEST INFORMATION WHEN IT HAPPENS, BUT IT'S A STANDARD AND YOU CAN PROBABLY GOOGLE IT.
WE'LL PUT SOMETHING OUT IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE SHOWING YOU EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED TO DO FOR THE DEBRIS IN YOUR HOUSE.
WE GOT TO BRING IT TO THE CURVE.
WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO GO ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, WERE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE OUR COMPANIES GO OUT ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, AND TAKE STUFF OFF YOUR PROPERTY.
IT'S GOT TO BE BROUGHT TO THE CURVE.
IT'S NOT GOING TO GET PICKED UP.
AS SOON AS YOUR HOUSE IS READY, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO COME AND GET IT.
THEY'RE GOING TO GO IN A SYSTEMATIC WAY.
THAT'S THE MOST ECONOMIC AND THE MOST EFFECTIVE IN GETTING THE STUFF PICKED UP.
IF YOU GET YOUR STUFF OUT ON THE STREET ON THURSDAY AND IT GETS PICKED UP, AND THEN YOUR NEIGHBOR GETS THEIR STUFF OUT ON SATURDAY, THEY MAY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL TUESDAY BECAUSE THERE'S A PROCESS IN GETTING THE STUFF PICKED UP.
BUT THE STUFF WILL GET PICKED UP.
IF YOU SEPARATE IT CORRECTLY AND PUT IT IN THE SPOTS THAT WE'LL MARK OUT AND WE'LL ADVERTISE, YOUR STUFF WILL GET PICKED UP.
THE FIRST PRIORITY IS GOING TO BE GETTING THE ROADS CLEARED, SO THAT WE CAN GET TO YOUR PROPERTY, SO THAT YOU CAN GET TO YOUR PROPERTY, SO THAT FOLKS CAN GET TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, OR THE HOSPITAL, OR THE GROCERY STORE AND ALL THAT STUFF.
THAT'LL BE THE FIRST PART, AND THEN WE'LL BE PICKING UP THE DEBRIS FROM PEOPLE'S HOMES.
[01:10:02]
>> JOHN INTO YOUR QUESTION, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT SHELTERS AND SO WE'RE DESIGNATING THE RIGHT CENTERS, THE SHELTER THAT WILL HAPPEN SOON HERE AT THE CITY.
WE'RE DOING PREPAREDNESS, ADDING GENERATOR CONNECTIONS SO THAT IT GIVES US 24-HOUR POWER.
WE'LL HAVE SHOWERS AND PLACES TO WARM UP OR COOL DOWN DEPENDING ON WHETHER IT'S A WINTER STORM OR HURRICANE.
THEN WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH A COUPLE OF CHURCHES THAT HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO BE SHELTERS, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT SAME PROCESS, GET THEM TRAINED, SEE IF WE CAN DO A GENERATOR CONNECTION FOR THEM SO THAT IN THE EVENT WE HAVE TO DO SHELTERING, THEN WE CAN ORDER GENERATORS AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.
>> NOW, THAT'S POST-STORM SHELTER.
>> THAT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT.
YEAH, THE SHELTERS WILL BE AFTER THE STORM, WHEN YOU COME BACK AND YOU CAN'T LIVE IN YOUR HOUSE, BUT WE'RE NOT BEING AFFECTED BY A MAJOR HURRICANE.
WE SAID ABOUT EVACUATION, THAT IS STILL THE SAFEST AND MOST IMPORTANT THING TO DO.
WE WILL NOT SHELTER RESIDENTS WHILE THE STORM IS GOING OVER, IT'S WAY TOO DANGEROUS.
WE NEED TO HAVE YOU LEAVE, AND THEN YOU CAN COME BACK.
>> THEN YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN, WE DID HAVE A CITY-WIDE DRILL ABOUT LESS THAN A COUPLE, THREE WEEKS AGO.
>> LET THE RESIDENTS KNOW THE CITY DID A DRILL FOR IMPACT OF A HURRICANE ON OUR GULF COAST.
PRETTY MUCH ON TOP OF US, SO WE DID A TABLETOP DRILL, WHICH WAS MOST INFORMATIVE.
IT WAS A GREAT TOOL FOR US TO WORK OUT AND LOOK AT OUR PROCESSES, OUR PROCEDURES AND IT WAS TOTAL CITY INVOLVEMENT WITH SOME COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS WELL.
>> EXACTLY. THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO PRIOR TO EVERY HURRICANE SEASON.
USUALLY IN MAY, WE'LL DO SOMETHING AND WE WILL WORK WITH OUR HOSPITALS, WE'LL WORK WITH OUR EMS, WE'LL WORK WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, NURSING HOMES, FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE A ROLE IN THINGS TO DO WHEN HURRICANE COMES.
WE ALSO PARTNER WITH THE STATE.
THE STATE HAS EXERCISES AND DRILLS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, AND I THINK THE COUNTY IS WORKING ON ONE, ON EVACUATION.
YOU'LL BE PARTICIPATING IN THOSE AS WELL.
WE KNOW THAT ALL THIS STUFF IS DONE WITH THE SUN SHINING AND THE WEATHER IS GOOD, SO WE KNOW THAT IT WORKS WHEN EVERYTHING'S FALLING APART.
>> ANYTHING ELSE? ANY CLOSING COMMENTS? I'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE COMMENTS.
JUST WANT TO LET THE RESIDENTS KNOW, THANK YOU ALL FOR THOSE THAT LISTENED OR MIGHT POTENTIAL LISTEN TO THIS IN THE NEXT [NOISE] UPCOMING DAYS.
SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO THE CITY.
THEY'D BE GLAD TO COME TO YOU.
IF YOU WANT THEM TO COME TO YOUR LOCAL CHURCH GROUP, WE CAN OF COURSE SEND GLENN, OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR POLICE FIRE CHIEF TO COME TALK ABOUT SOME PREPAREDNESS FOR YOUR GROUP OR FOR YOUR BUSINESS, EVERYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
WE JUST WANT TO BE HERE FOR YOU GUYS.
WE KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT AND A BIT LIKE THE GENTLEMAN SAID, WELL AS PREPARED, BUT PREPARE BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHEN, SO ALWAYS PREPARE FOR THAT AND I HATE TO SAY THAT, BUT 2021 AND 2020, IT'S JUST BEEN CRAZY.
BUT I'M GOING TO PRAY EVERY NIGHT, MAKE SURE WE DON'T GET A STORM.
I WANT THE RESIDENTS TO KNOW THAT YOUR CITY IS PREPARING, AND THEY'RE TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING TAKEN CARE OF, DOT ALL THE I'S CROSS ALL THE T'S, CHECK ALL THE BOXES JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AS FULLY PREPARED AS WE CAN TO GET US THROUGH ANY NATURAL DISASTER, ESPECIALLY THE NEXT 3-4 MONTHS.
THEN WE KNOW THAT WE CAN GET BACK TO NORMAL BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SEEN NORMAL IN QUITE SOME TIME, BUT WE DON'T WANT ANY MORE DISRUPTION FOR THE NEXT YEAR, 2, 3, OR 4. THAT'S WHAT WE COULD HOPE FOR.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, IF NOBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING, WE DO APPRECIATE EVERYBODY LISTENING, STAFF WHO WAS HERE, OUR PARTNERS WHO CAME OUT TONIGHT WITH THE [INAUDIBLE] , THE INSURANCE, SALVATION ARMY, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, AND WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH BECAUSE THEY'RE GREAT PARTNERS.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR EVENING.
STAY COOL, STAY HYDRATED, AND WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS SUMMER. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.