|
County identifies holes in plan
Published September 28, 2005
ANGLETON — Brazoria County officials say more routes and more shelters are needed to improve the county’s evacuation process.
Hurricane Rita turned into more of a dry run than anything, but officials are warning people not to get complacent when future storms approach the Texas coast.
The biggest problem was the absence medical facilities in the county.
Randy Jones, a Department of Public Safety sergeant, said plans need to be made to open an infirmary, even if it has to be set up at a high school in the county.
“We were too many days without any medical attention,” Jones said. “We had emergency personnel that couldn’t even get basic medical needs met.”
The county’s three hospitals closed Sept. 21, the same day a mandatory evacuation was ordered for hospitals, nursing homes and hospices. But a couple of EMS departments operated longer.
“We realize we need to work more closely with the county and emergency planners,” said Paula Haenchen, a spokeswoman for Brazosport Memorial Hospital. “There are some barriers we need to work through.”
Hanechen said the hospital is eager to work with the county to improve evacuation plans.
Overall, plans went well, said Brazoria County Emergency Management Coordinator Rick Perry.
Perry estimated 75 percent of the county evacuated, with almost everyone in the southern end leaving.
“Overall, I’m so proud of Brazoria County people,” Perry said. “They listened and they did what we told them to do. With a storm of this magnitude, they did the right thing.”
The response to the voluntary evacuation call was greater than anyone expected and threatened to overwhelm county roads before the mandatory evacuation and traffic management plan were implemented.
People were ready to leave, “after having spent the last month looking at pictures of Katrina,” Brazoria County Sheriff Charles Wagner said.
The biggest traffic problems in the county happened when people east of the Brazos River made a mad dash for Highway 36, instead of taking Highway 288, which was their designated evacuation route, Jones said.
“The No. 1 problem we found in Brazoria County that we were not anticipating was 90 percent of the citizens that planned to evacuate wanted to travel Highway 36,” Jones said.
Even so, Wagner said the major bottlenecks happened north of Interstate 10. That’s why he wants to see more routes.
“We have a Plan A,” Wagner said. “We need a Plan B and a Plan C.”
Perry agreed.
“I’m of the firm belief that we need to evacuate our people west and south,” Perry said. “Run those people farther west before they turn north.”
That would put fewer people in the Houston area.
Shelter was another issue. Brenham officials were late opening shelters, Perry said. Brenham and Bryan-College Station, the county’s state-designated evacuation points, ran out of space and many people were forced to sleep in their cars.
Wagner, who met with Brazoria County Judge John Willy, Perry and the district attorney’s office Tuesday, said the shelter issue was discussed.
“We’re looking at more locations,” Wagner said. “If (a storm) is going to the east, we need to be able to send people to the west.”
The school bus evacuations of people without transportation can be improved as well. Many buses were on the road for more than 24 hours because shelters were full and traffic was gridlocked. One caravan of seven buses had to return to the county.
“I don’t think we tracked that as close as we should have,” Perry said.
When Katrina hit New Orleans last month, Brazoria County had no plans to evacuate those without their own transportation.
The caravans were improvised as Rita approached the coast and an estimated 350 people, not counting nursing home residents, left on school buses, Perry said.
Michael Wright is a reporter for The Facts. Contact him at (979) 849-8581.
Share |
Save |
Mail |
Print
Related Stories:
County to assist with removal of brush
Local leaders form evacuation task force
Special Olympics tournament a fine event
Problems possible with levee system
Residents not eligible for disaster aid
Brazoria County plays host to Rita evacuees
|
|
|
 |
|
FREE BAY BOAT WITH WATERFRONT PURCHASE Get
...
Click for all
Top Ads listing
|
