ATL GUSTAV: Prep/Obs - US Gulf Coast

[Janie2006]

I thought it would be prudent to start this thread as the preparations for Gustav are really starting to get going in the Gulf states from Texas to the Florida panhandle. It might also cut down on some of the traffic on the primary Gustav thread. Mods, feel free to edit or delete if you deem it wise to do so or as the situation develops.

From MEMA (Mississippi Emergency Management Agency) and courtesy of WKRG News 5:

Mississippi Emergency Management Office

Published: Fri, August 29, 2008 - 12:08 pm
Last Updated: Friday, August 29, 2008 - 12:48 pm
PEARL – Governor Haley Barbour issued mandatory evacuations for Harrison and Hancock counties beginning Sunday morning for people living the following:
· FEMA travel trailers.
· FEMA mobile homes.
· Mississippi Cottages.
· Residents in designated flood hazard zones.

(sic)

The Mississippi Army National Guard will launch a door-to-door campaign on Saturday to notify people living in low-lying areas, flood hazard zones, FEMA travel trailers and mobile homes and Mississippi Cottages to seek alternative shelter because of the threat of severe tropical weather.

The State Emergency Response Team, which is comprised from MEMA and several other key state agencies, will also deploy to Gulfport this afternoon. Once there, the SERT will establish an Emergency Operations Center so they may monitor and assess resources and needs for local governments as Gustav approaches.

Due to the large number of people expected to evacuate from Louisiana, Governor Barbour said Mississippi and Louisiana officials are planning to use the contraflow plan for both Interstates 55 and 59 this weekend. An exact starting time for the reverse laning of the interstates has not yet been determined.

[jordanmills]

Well, I'm near Houston, expecting a little excitement, but going to have to get ready for major destruction. Hah. Any way, I'm spending the weekend out near bastrop and columbus, so plywood should be cheap and plentiful if I need it.

[Senobia]

SE Texas Emerg. folks said there are no evacuations being planned at this time. If there were to be any, special needs folks would go 72hrs ahead of landfall and the general pop. 48hrs prior.

Compared to what MS is doing, I think this is insane, being that at present, there is no model guidance that suggests a MS landfall, but there is to suggest a SE TX one.

[Diva]

Local news reported that buses and fuel trucks are already being stationed at Ford Park in Beaumont for the 211 registered citizens. They are fueled up and waiting on standby.

[setxweathergal]

Maybe they're not saying because they don't want to induce panic. One of the Ch 6 mets today said that "if" there were a need to evacuate that it would be Sunday at the earliest.

[Senobia]

I have 0 faith in KFDM (6).

Local SETX folks, I strongly urge you to get your information from KBMT (12).

[mel38]

i know my stepfathers' bus company here in florida is being called to texas for evacuations.

[setxweathergal]

I have 0 faith in KFDM (6).

Local SETX folks, I strongly urge you to get your information from KBMT (12).

KFDM is my only choice for meteorology. Years of experience says alot!!

[Janie2006]

From KMOB (NWS Mobile)

For coastal interests in southwest Alabama and the northwest Florida Panhandle:

Coastal Flood Watch


/O.NEW.KMOB.CF.A.0002.080831T0900Z- 080902T0000Z/ LOWER MOBILE-LOWER BALDWIN-COASTAL ESCAMBIA-COASTAL SANTA ROSA- COASTAL OKALOOSA- 358 PM CDT FRI AUG 29 2008
...COASTAL FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY EVENING.

AS HURRICANE GUSTAV MOVES NORTHWEST ACROSS THE EASTERN AND CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO THIS WEEKEND...LARGE SWELLS WITH A PERIOD OF AROUND 10 SECONDS WILL PROPAGATE NORTHWARD AWAY FROM THE CENTER OF THE STORM. THESE LARGE... LONG PERIOD SWELLS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN IMPACTING THE GULF COASTAL BEACHES OF ALABAMA AND THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE BY EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. THIS COULD RESULT IN SOME RUNUP OF WATER ON LOW LYING AND UNPROTECTED BEACHES...SUCH AS THE WEST END DAUPHIN ISLAND DURING THE DAY ON SUNDAY AND CONTINUING INTO MONDAY... AND FOR THIS REASON A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT EFFECTIVE 400 AM SUNDAY.

THE LARGE SWELLS WILL ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE RIP CURRENT THREAT ALONG AREA GULF BEACHES BEGINNING SUNDAY.

[Annie Oakley]

Does anyone know-who gets which evacuees? Does Texas or Alabama get Louisiana? Who gets Alabama? I mean if people need to go to another state....thanks in advance.

[Janie2006]

Annie, I looked around for a bit, but this is all I've come across thus far:

BATON ROUGE – Today, Governor Bobby Jindal met with the unified command of the emergency operation center at GOSHEP to receive an update on the state’s preparedness efforts surrounding the possible impact of Hurricane Gustav in Louisiana.

(sic)

The Governor added that 150 of the 700 buses on contract for an evacuation are arriving in the state today, and the state has requested federal help to assist in standing up the newly constructed shelter in Alexandria.

Governor Jindal also ordered the Louisiana National Guard to be ready to deploy more than 1,500 guardsmen to New Orleans as early as tomorrow to assist in securing the city as citizens begin to evacuate their homes, should an evacuation be triggered. Additionally, the Guard has requested possible aircraft assistance from Oklahoma (1), Colorado (4), Illinois (8), Nebraska (5), Pennsylvania (1), Ohio (1), Maryland (1), and Kentucky (5). The Louisiana Guard already has satellite equipment positioned in Terrebonne, Lafourche, Jefferson, Plaquemines, Saint Bernard, and Orleans Parishes to assist in first responder communications on the ground. Additional satellite equipment will be positioned in Southeast and Central Louisiana today.

The US Army Corps of Engineers was a part of the emergency operation center briefing today, and they reported that they are working to monitor levees and canals in coastal Louisiana. The Corps will ride out the storm in Louisiana and will then fly with the Coast Guard to assess levee conditions after the storm passes.

The Governor also announced today that the Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) is beginning to get twice-daily updates from nursing homes and hospitals to ensure they are on track to evacuate patients in need of assistance.

DHH is executing their contracts today for ambulance assistance, and they will be receiving 150 additional, requested ambulances from FEMA to assist in the evacuation of patients from nursing homes and hospitals. DHH will have mandatory evacuations of hospitals and nursing homes if the storm reaches a Category 3.

The Governor added that the Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is stopping their road construction projects today, in preparation for a possible evacuation.

Due to the updated projections of the storm, the Governor updated the timeline of possible state events to include the beginning of phased parish evacuations as early as Saturday. Also on Saturday, critical needs and medical needs shelters are set to open, including the PMAC at LSU. Pet shelters would also open on Saturday and some hospital and nursing home patients would begin to be evacuated. On Sunday, contra-flow could be activated to assist in evacuation efforts. The state has requested four urban search and rescue teams from the federal government, along with a command center, and their arrival is expected this weekend. This is only a possible timeline of events to prepare citizens, and will be updated as the storm continues to move.

No word yet on evacuations to other states. It seems that Louisiana is making every effort to handle the needed evacuations. I think we'll know quite a bit more tomorrow.

[Annie Oakley]

Thank you Janie so much for that report. And I will reciprocate with any info I get. In the meantime here is Texas's latest situation report
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem/sitrepindex.htm

[jeff]

The state of LA as requested 10,000 NO residents be air evaced to TX. 4,000 to DFW, 4,000 El Paso, 500 Lubbock, 500 Amarillo, 500 San Angelo, and 500 elsewhere.

State shelter hubs being stodd up in E TX to support both SE TX and SW LA evacuation needs.

Very heavy demand for fuel in Houston area....up 50-60%...state is pushing supplies attm and will begin pushing to contra-flow corridors on Saturday. State will stand up fuel deport in Madison County.

1250 busses being deployed to SE TX...500 Houston...250 TX City, 500 BPT

5,000 National Guard being deployed.

326 trucks of ice and 350 trucks of water on stand by.

Air evac...of SE TX medical special needs from BPT and UTMB will be ready to begin at 0900 Saturday.

Alamo Regional evacuation command established in SAT to corridnate regional wide evac and contra-flow operations.

DPS and TXDOT cleared all contra flow corridors today and prepped the US 290 shoulder evaculane.

Contra-flow exchange points are ready with evacuation liasons deployed to all sectors in SE TX.

All construction suspended on all evac routes.

HGAC has traffic mang. plan and ready to put into effect.

City of Galveston and Galveston County has the trigger and everyone else will follow in line after they make their No go/GO call....plan after Rita...coastal go first...the way it should be

BPT will make their own calls independent of Galveston

[Annie Oakley]

Jeff-taken under advisement and appreciate you for posting same. Praying that all in Houston wil be safe........

[Diva]

from KFDM.com....

Southeast Texas Emergency Management officials have called for an evacuation of Orange, Jefferson and Orange Counties to begin Saturday at 12 p.m. for people with special needs, this includes people who've called 211 or people who do not have transportation.

They are also asking for a voluntary evacuation starting at 12 noon saturday.

If the storm continues on its same track or worsens, they will call for a general population evacuation at 6 a.m. Sunday.

[southerngale]

Emergency Officials: "Evacuation Update"

August 29, 2008 - 7:38PM
Jessica Holloway

(Updated 10:00PM ) Southeast Texas Emergency Management officials have called for an evacuation of Hardin, Jefferson and Orange Counties to begin Saturday at 12 p.m. for people with special needs, this includes people who've called 211 or people who do not have transportation.

They are also asking for a voluntary evacuation starting at 12 noon saturday.

If the storm continues on its same track or worsens, they will call for a general population evacuation at 6 a.m. Sunday.



Jefferson County Emergency Management Coordinator Greg Fountain says the earliest time an evacuation will be ordered is Sunday and the latest would be Monday.

Emergency officials in Southeast Texas say they're working night and day to get everything ready in case Gustav becomes a threat to us. County leaders from Hardin, Orange and Jefferson counties met twice Friday to sit in on conference calls with the state. County leaders in Southeast Texas are deciding whether to call for an evacuation of this area. Special needs citizens and hospital patients take first priority and are evacuated first.

"Typically our first consideration are those people who can't take care of themselves and therefore they're our priority and we have arrangements made," said County Judge Ron Walker.

Law enforcement officers have begun working 12 hour shifts. Medical teams are on standby.

[vbhoutex]

Lots of good information here. Thanks everyone.

I saw on the news at 10 pm here in Houston that a lot of LA residents are already leaving and heading into TX causing traffic jam on I-10. I thought LA evacs were to go north this time. I would presume since no mandatory has started in LA and some are panicing there is no directing of the evacuees at this time and that may be what is causing the traffic jam.

[southerngale]

Lots of good information here. Thanks everyone.

I saw on the news at 10 pm here in Houston that a lot of LA residents are already leaving and heading into TX causing traffic jam on I-10. I thought LA evacs were to go north this time. I would presume since no mandatory has started in LA and some are panicing there is no directing of the evacuees at this time and that may be what is causing the traffic jam.

Nooooooo - it's horrible just getting everyone here out. Go north, everyone.

[Senobia]

Lots of good information here. Thanks everyone.

I saw on the news at 10 pm here in Houston that a lot of LA residents are already leaving and heading into TX causing traffic jam on I-10. I thought LA evacs were to go north this time. I would presume since no mandatory has started in LA and some are panicing there is no directing of the evacuees at this time and that may be what is causing the traffic jam.

I don't understand this reasoning. WHY would LA folks come this way if they've been following the track of the storm at all?

I have PTSD from the Rita evacuation...and I wasn't even IN traffic. BLECH!

[Evac3]

If y'all are still trying to get some last minute stuff around Orange County, Home Depot in Orange had plenty of water, generators, batteries, flashlights, gas cans, etc. today. They also have 5 gallon gas cans on sale for 9.97 with a limit of 4. These cans include the little nozzle thing to use it for filling your car...that's usually extra. Great price. They may be out of them by now, but it's worth a shot.

The state needs to come up with some sort of system that we can go to a website and see how much traffic congestion is on the evac routes at any given time when a storm is threatening us before we leave. I sure don't want to get all packed up and leave and run into horrible traffic just cause I left at the wrong time...no way to turn around and come back if contraflow is active... I dunno... just a thought.