Local officials plan to meet this evening to decide whether to call a mandatory evacuation of Galveston County.
If nothing changes, that evacuation could begin as early as Wednesday afternoon.
Eliot Jennings has been keeping a close eye on Tropical Storm Rita, which was expected to become a hurricane overnight for more than 24 hours now.
He briefed county commissioners on the storm’s progress between conference calls with the National Weather Service and emergency management officials.
“At this point, there’s a cone of error that takes in the whole Texas and Louisiana coast and part of Mexico,” he said Monday morning. “What that means is they really don’t know where it’s going to go.”
The result is that emergency planners can’t be focused on the projected landfall.
“What we focus on is the cone of error,” Jennings said.
And on Monday, Galveston Island was right in the center of that cone. Forecasters were projecting that the storm would enter the Gulf of Mexico as a hurricane Wednesday morning.
“You’d better believe we’re concerned,” said Bill Read, chief meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Galveston County office.
He emphasized, though, that it wouldn’t be clear where the storm was headed for at least 24 hours.
“It’ll be Wednesday morning before we start to narrow the range of possibilities,” he said.
Nevertheless, it’s not too early to be getting ready.
“People should be checking their storm plans, boarding up windows and just generally getting ready,” he said.
County Judge Jim Yarbrough agreed.
“Government can’t do better than you can do for yourselves,” he said
If the track of the storm does not change, Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas plans to call for a voluntary evacuation this afternoon. She cautioned, though, that this far in advance, it was impossible to pinpoint where the hurricane would hit.
“This is an ever-changing situation,” Thomas said during a news conference at city hall.
Yarbrough also underlined the uncertainty of the situation.
“We’ve been down these roads before,” he said. “There’s no reason to panic.”
Thomas said that if Rita stayed on its current track, city buses would begin departing from the Island Community Center at 10 a.m. Wednesday.
Those who need to evacuate in buses will be asked to make their way to the community center at 4700 Broadway. Those who need help getting there should call the city’s emergency operations center at (409) 797-3710.
By Monday afternoon, 250 residents had called the city seeking help in evacuating.
“The list is growing,” said Charlie Kelly, the city’s emergency management director.
Thomas said those with special medical needs such as oxygen tanks or wheelchairs should also call the operations center if they planned to evacuate on city buses.
City officials announced Monday that people could bring their pets on city buses as they evacuated. The animals need to be in cages. Thomas said those who need help getting cages should call Crimestoppers at (409) 763-8477. That agency is working with Wal-Mart and U-Haul to provide cages.
“Our goal is to get as many people off the island as we possibly can,” City Manager Steve LeBlanc said.
LeBlanc added that buses would run as late as possible. Given the current projections for Rita, that would be until 2 p.m. Friday.
Thomas also advised residents needing medicine to call their doctors and get three months’ worth of prescriptions.
In addition, those on treatment plans such as kidney dialysis and chemotherapy should get copies of those plans from their doctors, Thomas said.
The National Hurricane Center predicted that Rita would hit the Florida Keys this afternoon and then enter the Gulf overnight. As it does, it is expected to build into a Category 3 storm.
LeBlanc said that out of caution, the city is planning for a Category 4 hurricane.
The difference between the two could prove critical. While the storm surge created by a Category 3 storm would not be expected to go over the top of the 17-foot Seawall, that of a Category 4 might.
Low-lying roads west of the Seawall and on the Bolivar Peninsula would be affected by a hurricane of any magnitude.
The National Weather Service’s Read encouraged residents to decide where they would go when they evacuated, and he said they should let friends and relatives know where that would be.
“They should also let those people know when they leave,” he said.
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Assemble a disaster supplies kit and have it ready to go
From the kitchen
• Water (one gallon per person per day)
• Three-day supply of nonperishable food
• Can opener
• Eating utensils
From the garage,
pantry and laundry
• Battery-operated radio
• Flashlights
• Extra batteries
• Mosquito repellant
• Bleach (without lemon or other additives)
• Tarp, rope and duct tape
From the bedroom,
nursery and den
• Bedding or sleeping bags and pillows
• Baby food, diapers and formula
• Money, checks and credit cards
• Extra keys
• Important papers including insurance and property inventory
• Name, address and phone number of an out-of-area contact
• Addresses and phone numbers of family and friends
• Extra clothing
From the bathroom
• Toiletries and toilet articles (toothbrush, etc.)
• Toilet paper
• Extra prescription medicine and refill information
• Extra eyeglasses
• Hearing aid or other special-needs items
• First aid kit
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Hurricane safety tips
• Do not get on the road without a planned route or a place to go. Use the evacuation routes designated by authorities and, if possible, become familiar with your route by driving it before an evacuation order is issued.
• Contact your local emergency management office to register or get information regarding anyone in your household who may require special assistance in order to evacuate.
• If your family evacuation plan includes an RV, boat or trailer, leave early. Do not wait until the evacuation order or exodus is well underway to start your trip.
Information provided by the National Weather Service.
On the Web:
www.texas-city-tx.org/EmergencyManagement.htm
www.nws.noaa.gov
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Preparing to evacuate
• Get a re-entry decal if you live in Galveston. They’re available at city hall, 823 25th St.
• Make sure you have a full tank of gas.
• Make sure important papers, such as insurance, are in the car.
• Children fare best with dry snacks to settle nervous stomachs. Also bring canned fruit.
• If you have a baby, include extra diapers and other infant care items.
• Have a can opener.
• Map, in case alternate route is necessary.
• Get pet carrier if family pet cannot ride along.
• Blanket, sweaters and rain gear.
• Booster cables and tools.
• Shovel.
• Flashlight.
• Matches and candles.
• Bottled water.
• Necessary medication.
• First-aid kit.
• Portable radio and extra batteries.
• Watches and battery-powered clocks.
• Fire extinguisher.
• Prescription medication, health information, first-aid kit and manual.
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Protecting Your Home
Preparing your doors
If your house has double doors, hardware stores have bolts to reinforce the inactive door. If there is glass in the door, protect the window just as you would the windows on the rest of your house.
The garage door should be strengthened with 2-by-4 horizontal bracing.
Preparing your roof
Houses with gabled roofs are most likely to suffer damage during strong winds.
Gabled roofs can be strengthened by placing two 2-by-4s in an X pattern near the front of the center arch.
Many homes in the area should also be strengthened with hurricane anchors. The straps fasten to the wall studs and roof slats. It may be necessary to call a professional to install the straps.
Protecting windows
Taping your windows provides no protection from flying objects, but the tape does help stop the glass from flying through the house.
Closing curtains also provides some protection from flying glass. Boarding up your windows with plywood is a good idea because if the windows are broken, wind can help weaken and remove the roof from your house.
Still better are metal storm shutters built specifically for your house. As the storm approaches, seek shelter in a room with no windows, preferably the bathroom. It is the most reinforced room in your house because of all the pipes that are anchored in the ground.
Preparing your yard
Secure any objects in your back yard that you cannot bring inside. Take barbecue pits, lawn chairs and other items into the garage or house. When winds pick up, loose items can fly around and break windows or injure someone in the area.
Another step toward preparedness is to use earth augers, also known as hurricane tie-downs, to secure mobile homes, trees, garages and even dog houses.
A generator is a good thing to have in case of a power outage. Be sure it is kept in good running condition. Plastic also is good to keep around in case a window blows out.
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Jesse Tree closed
Today through Friday, the Jesse Tree’s island, mainland and Bolivar sites will be closed for operations due to evacuation considerations for Galveston and surrounding counties. For emergency services information, please contact the following:
• American Red Cross/Galveston 409) 763-5971.
• The Salvation Army/Galveston 409) 763-1691.
• The City of Galveston/Emergency Services (409)797-3710 or www.cityofgalveston.org.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding The Jesse Tree, call (409) 682-6219.
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Pet carriers needed
Galveston Crime Stoppers is in need of portable pet carriers. Crime Stoppers is providing pet carriers to persons with pets being evacuated by bus on Wednesday, but they have already exhausted their supply and have a waiting list.
Anyone that has an extra pet carrier that is willing donate it, call (409) 763-TIPS (8477).
