DISASTER PREPAREDNESS:DISASTER PREPAREDNESS:LESSONS FROM KATRINA LESSONS FROM KATRINA

AND RITAAND RITA------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

““PLANNING VS. REACTION: LESSONS PLANNING VS. REACTION: LESSONS LEARNED FROM HURRICANE RITA”LEARNED FROM HURRICANE RITA”

Thanks to Dr. Steve Doblin, Provost, Lamar University, for his assistance with the Thanks to Dr. Steve Doblin, Provost, Lamar University, for his assistance with the content of this presentation.content of this presentation.

Richard BothelExecutive Director

Continuing and Distance EducationLamar University

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUNDDiscussions Before Rita HitDiscussions Before Rita Hit

• ImpactWeatherImpactWeather• Meetings With LU Community LeadersMeetings With LU Community Leaders• Closure of University Closure of University • Actions by Physical Plant and DeansActions by Physical Plant and Deans• Buses to Transport Students to CorriganBuses to Transport Students to Corrigan• IT Resources ProtectionIT Resources Protection• Generators (6 buildings)Generators (6 buildings)• CommunicationCommunication

COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION

• NOTIFICATION OF LU NOTIFICATION OF LU COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY

• E-MAIL ADDRESSESE-MAIL ADDRESSES

• CELL PHONE NUMBERSCELL PHONE NUMBERS

• ALTERNATE WEB SITEALTERNATE WEB SITE

THE SITUATION THE SITUATION CHANGESCHANGES

VOLUNTARY VS. MANDATORY VOLUNTARY VS. MANDATORY EVACUATIONEVACUATION

UNIVERSITY CLOSES ON SEPT. 21UNIVERSITY CLOSES ON SEPT. 21 ““WE’LL BE BACK ON MONDAY” WE’LL BE BACK ON MONDAY”

MENTALITYMENTALITY IMPACTWEATHER WAS WRONG!IMPACTWEATHER WAS WRONG! MATAGORDA BAY TO BEAUMONTMATAGORDA BAY TO BEAUMONT ROLE OF UNIVERSITY POLICEROLE OF UNIVERSITY POLICE

RITA’S WRATHRITA’S WRATH

• HIT TEXAS COAST AT 2:30 A.M. ON 9/24HIT TEXAS COAST AT 2:30 A.M. ON 9/24• UNEXPECTEDLY TURNED EASTUNEXPECTEDLY TURNED EAST• DAMAGE TO 80+% OF LU BUILDINGSDAMAGE TO 80+% OF LU BUILDINGS• LOSS OF 20 MAJOR ROOFSLOSS OF 20 MAJOR ROOFS• 870 DORM ROOMS WITH WATER INFILTRATION, 870 DORM ROOMS WITH WATER INFILTRATION,

ALSO CLASSROOMSALSO CLASSROOMS• 88THTH FLOOR OF LIBRARY DEVASTATED FLOOR OF LIBRARY DEVASTATED• TREES UPROOTED THROUGHOUT CAMPUSTREES UPROOTED THROUGHOUT CAMPUS• NO POWER FOR 8 DAYSNO POWER FOR 8 DAYS• MARTIAL LAWMARTIAL LAW• … … AND RITA WENT TO CORRIGAN!AND RITA WENT TO CORRIGAN!

INTIAL ACTIONSINTIAL ACTIONS

• 4 POLICE REMAINED THROUGHOUT4 POLICE REMAINED THROUGHOUT• DECISION TO MOVE BEFORE MONEYDECISION TO MOVE BEFORE MONEY• PRESIDENT CONTACTS CONTRATORSPRESIDENT CONTACTS CONTRATORS• BACK ON CAMPUS SUNDAY TO PLANBACK ON CAMPUS SUNDAY TO PLAN• HIRED WORKERS AND DISASTER RECOVERY HIRED WORKERS AND DISASTER RECOVERY

CONSULTANTCONSULTANT• COMMAND POST AND ASSESSMENT ON COMMAND POST AND ASSESSMENT ON

MONDAY … IN THE DARKMONDAY … IN THE DARK• WORKERS ON ROOFS IMMEDIATELYWORKERS ON ROOFS IMMEDIATELY

EARLY DECISIONSEARLY DECISIONS

• PAY FACULTY, STAFF, STUDENTS FOR PAY FACULTY, STAFF, STUDENTS FOR DURATIONDURATION

• REFUND DORM RENT, MEAL PLAN COSTSREFUND DORM RENT, MEAL PLAN COSTS• FULL TUITION REFUNDS FOR WITHDRAWAL FULL TUITION REFUNDS FOR WITHDRAWAL

DUE TO HURRICANE IMPACTDUE TO HURRICANE IMPACT• DEVELOP ALTERNATE ACADEMIC DEVELOP ALTERNATE ACADEMIC

CALENDAR SCENARIOS – GOAL WAS TO CALENDAR SCENARIOS – GOAL WAS TO FINISH FALL SEMESTERFINISH FALL SEMESTER

EARLY DECISIONSEARLY DECISIONS

• PRIORITIZE REPAIRS, EMPHASIZE PRIORITIZE REPAIRS, EMPHASIZE DORMS, LIBRARY, ACADEMIC DORMS, LIBRARY, ACADEMIC FACILTIES, MONTAGNE CENTERFACILTIES, MONTAGNE CENTER

• KEEP LU COMMUNITY INFORMED VIA KEEP LU COMMUNITY INFORMED VIA BLOG ON ALTERNATE WEB SITEBLOG ON ALTERNATE WEB SITE

• CREATE PICTORIAL HISTORY (“BEFORE CREATE PICTORIAL HISTORY (“BEFORE & AFTER”)& AFTER”)

• KEEP LOCAL NEWS SOURCES KEEP LOCAL NEWS SOURCES INFORMEDINFORMED

ACTIONS AND RESULTSACTIONS AND RESULTS

• SPENT $23 MILLION FOR “BAND-AID”SPENT $23 MILLION FOR “BAND-AID”• DORM ROOMS RE-SHEETROCKED, DORM ROOMS RE-SHEETROCKED,

PAINTNED, RECARPETED, CONTENTS PAINTNED, RECARPETED, CONTENTS CLEANEDCLEANED

• ROOMS HEATED TO 160ROOMS HEATED TO 160o , WATER REMOVED, FANS TO HEAT/DRY

• MOLD REMEDIATION (HIRED LOCALS)• POWER BACK ON IN 8 DAYS (ASSESSED

DAMAGE IN THE DARK)

LESSONS LEARNEDLESSONS LEARNED• SATELLITE PHONES USEFULSATELLITE PHONES USEFUL• USE OF CONFERENCE BRIDGEUSE OF CONFERENCE BRIDGE• GOOD HANDLE ON CONTRACTORS WANT TO GOOD HANDLE ON CONTRACTORS WANT TO

USEUSE• TOP OFF FUEL SUPPLIESTOP OFF FUEL SUPPLIES• PROTECT ON-GOING RESEARCH PROTECT ON-GOING RESEARCH

(EQUIPMENT, MATERIALS, SECURITY)(EQUIPMENT, MATERIALS, SECURITY)• EVACUATION SITE FOR STUDENTS, BID OUT EVACUATION SITE FOR STUDENTS, BID OUT

BUSESBUSES• COVER ALL COMPUTERS (CEILING TILES)COVER ALL COMPUTERS (CEILING TILES)• COMMUNICATE: BALANCE, GUESSWORK, COMMUNICATE: BALANCE, GUESSWORK,

OPTIMISMOPTIMISM

LESSONS LEARNEDLESSONS LEARNED

• BACKUP INTERNET SERVICE OFF BACKUP INTERNET SERVICE OFF CAMPUS (“DARK” WEB SITE ON CAMPUS (“DARK” WEB SITE ON READY)READY)

• ADDITIONAL GENERATORS TO SERVE ADDITIONAL GENERATORS TO SERVE FOOD IN DINING HALL, PUMP FUEL, FOOD IN DINING HALL, PUMP FUEL, HOUSING & COMMAND POSTHOUSING & COMMAND POST

• BETTER COMMAND POST FACILITYBETTER COMMAND POST FACILITY

• TAKE VALUABLES WHEN EVACUATETAKE VALUABLES WHEN EVACUATE

LESSONS LEARNEDLESSONS LEARNED• CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATORS IN DORMS CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATORS IN DORMS

AS WELL AS BIOLOGY DEPARTMENTAS WELL AS BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT• TEST BACKUP GENERATORS TEST BACKUP GENERATORS

FREQUENTLYFREQUENTLY• TAKE DOWN FENCE SCREENSTAKE DOWN FENCE SCREENS• HAVE RECOVERY TEAM READY HAVE RECOVERY TEAM READY

(CONSULTANTS, ENGINEERS, (CONSULTANTS, ENGINEERS, CONTRACTORS, ETC.)CONTRACTORS, ETC.)

• FOOD & WATER FOR 1 WEEK FOR 30FOOD & WATER FOR 1 WEEK FOR 30

LESSONS LEARNEDLESSONS LEARNED

• EMERGENCY FINANCIAL PLANEMERGENCY FINANCIAL PLAN• ACCESS LETTER TO CAMPUSACCESS LETTER TO CAMPUS• IMMEDIATE SITE ASSESSMENT IMMEDIATE SITE ASSESSMENT • PLACE CONTRACTORS ON ROOFS RIGHT PLACE CONTRACTORS ON ROOFS RIGHT

AWAYAWAY• SET REPAIR PRIORITIES IMMEDIATELYSET REPAIR PRIORITIES IMMEDIATELY• SYSTEMS UP ASAPSYSTEMS UP ASAP• TAKE PHOTOS OF DAMAGE (“BEFORE & TAKE PHOTOS OF DAMAGE (“BEFORE &

AFTER”)AFTER”)• CONTINUAL COMMUNICATION WITH CONTINUAL COMMUNICATION WITH

STUDENTS, EMPLOYEES, COMMUNITYSTUDENTS, EMPLOYEES, COMMUNITY

WHERE ARE WE NOW?WHERE ARE WE NOW?• MANY FACULTY & STAFF RETURNED TO HELPMANY FACULTY & STAFF RETURNED TO HELP• EVACUATED ON 9/21 AND REOPENED ON 10/17 EVACUATED ON 9/21 AND REOPENED ON 10/17 • LOST 500 STUDENTS DUE TO RITA + ANOTHER LOST 500 STUDENTS DUE TO RITA + ANOTHER

100 KATRINA EVACUEES100 KATRINA EVACUEES• CONTINUING ADDRESSING OF ISSUESCONTINUING ADDRESSING OF ISSUES• SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE MET ON CAMPUSSENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE MET ON CAMPUS• COMMITMENT FROM STATECOMMITMENT FROM STATE• TEMPORARY ROOFSTEMPORARY ROOFS• FEMA? INSURANCE?FEMA? INSURANCE?

WHERE ARE WE NOW?WHERE ARE WE NOW?

• DAMAGED/DESTROYED EQUIPMENT, MOLD AND DAMAGED/DESTROYED EQUIPMENT, MOLD AND REPAIR ISSUESREPAIR ISSUES

• LOST NO FACULTYLOST NO FACULTY• LENGTHENED CLASSES & SEMESTER, FINAL EXAMS LENGTHENED CLASSES & SEMESTER, FINAL EXAMS

DURING LAST CLASS MEETINGDURING LAST CLASS MEETING• GRADUATED 673 ON DECEMBER 22GRADUATED 673 ON DECEMBER 22• SPRING ENROLLMENT DOWN 487 (5th CLASS DAY)SPRING ENROLLMENT DOWN 487 (5th CLASS DAY)• NEW DINING HALL, RECREATIONAL SPORTS NEW DINING HALL, RECREATIONAL SPORTS

COMPLEX, PRIVATE STUDENT HOUSINGCOMPLEX, PRIVATE STUDENT HOUSING• OPTIMISM, RESILIENCE, AND MOMENTUMOPTIMISM, RESILIENCE, AND MOMENTUM

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?

Thanks for listening.Thanks for listening.

Richard.Bothel@lamar.eduRichard.Bothel@lamar.edu

409-880-8209409-880-8209