Hurricane season starts today

GALVESTON — With forecasters predicting an active hurricane season this year, city officials are encouraging residents to be prepared and take all mandatory evacuations seriously.

“Remember that hurricanes are devious creations, and they will spring up on you and strengthen and give you very little time to react when a mandatory evacuation is called,” Mayor Joe Jaworski said.

Hurricane season starts today and ends Nov. 30.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an “active to extremely active” season this year, with up to 14 hurricanes in the Atlantic Basin. The administration based its predictions on several factors, including record high sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean.

According to the forecast, there is a 70 percent probability of:

• 14 to 23 named storms, with top winds of 39 mph or higher;

• Eight to 14 hurricanes, with top winds of 74 mph or higher, and

• Three to seven major hurricanes, classified as a Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

The average is 11 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes in the Atlantic Basin.

The city’s hurricane evacuation plan hasn’t changed much since 2008, when Hurricane Ike struck Galveston, flooding 75 percent of the island and displacing hundreds of people, but re-entry should be quicker, officials said.

After Hurricane Ike struck Sept. 13, 2008, residents were kept off the island for 11 days as the city struggled to reinstate essential services, such as electricity, water and sewer.

That delay in re-entry shouldn’t happen again because Galveston police officers, who will take the lead on manning the re-entry checkpoint, will be able to move people through quicker now that they’ve had experience doing so during Hurricane Ike, Galveston Police Chief Charles Wiley has said. The police also will conduct damage assessments and make recommendations to the mayor about the timeline for re-entry based on those assessments.

According to the city’s plan, first responders, including public officials and emergency personnel, will be allowed to return first after a storm. Personnel from private utilities, such as the gas, electric, cable and telephone companies, will be allowed in next. Business owners and operators will be allowed be after the private utility personnel and finally, residents will be allowed to come home.

Also, the city has been working to harden its infrastructure so Galveston’s water and sewer services, including elevating pumps and tanks, so they will be less vulnerable to future storms.

Jaworski also has pledged to try to find creative ways to expedite re-entry, such as hauling in portable toilets and setting up an emergency field clinic.

“Every storm is different, but good leadership with react with creativity,” he said. “What I can assure you is that whatever the situation, we will always put a priority consideration on what needs to be done to make the conditions safe for immediate return. Eleven days is too long.”

Still, the extent of the damage will determine how quickly each group can come home.

City officials encourage residents to prepare now for a hurricane by registering their cell phone numbers in the city’s emergency notification system at www.cityofgalveston.org, creating disaster supplies kits with nonperishable foods, first-aid items, flashlights, batteries and important paperwork among other things, and making evacuation plans in advance.

Those who need evacuation assistance, should register for help at 409-797-3655.