KHOU.Com - Galveston Mayor announcement

[Doc Seminole]

God bless all you all in Texas..... you have been so helpful to so many.

Take care and just use common sense.

Doc Seminole

[Lindaloo]

Holly!! If you would have seen the total destruction i seen in Long Beach Mississippi,you would never say the word premature.

Thank you.

[gulfcoastdave]

It always sad to see people here become an ass when someone they think is too early. If you do not live on a barrier island then you have no idea how long it may take to get people out. Anyhow people did not read the first post right saying it was voluntary. It takes times to get people out. If you do not live in the area and do not understand the issues that affect the region , please be quiet.Good luck Texas

[HollynLA]

I wasn't going to say anything more on the subject but my words have been so twisted that I guess I need to explain my thoughts again.

Some of you are acting like I said they should NOT evacuate Galveston island. I NEVER said that so calm down. If this storm keeps it's projected path, then yes, of course they should evacuate, no question about it. I know that Katrina has made everyone a little jumpy with the destruction it caused, but we also need to realize that Katrina was no ordinary situation. I think evacuations are very important but should we start evacuating 5 days out? Probably not. 3 days is sufficient time to evacuate an island of 57K. How many storms hold their projected path from 5 days out till landfall. Very few. That doesn't mean that Rita is going to change course but it just might and then the people who did evacuate will be less likely to next time since they had to stay gone for several days and missed alot of work and paid $$ for hotels and food while gone. That's my point in all of this, so stop acting as if I said they should all stay in Galveston through the storm.

I think there will be many who don't evacuate yet anyway as they want to make sure the path holds before they make the final decision to leave. There is still ample time. I would say by Thursday or Friday morning.

[dwg71]

a Cat 2/3 in matagorda bay is not a reason to evacuate galveston imo.

[ROCK]

a Cat 2/3 in matagorda bay is not a reason to evacuate galveston imo.

only you would say something like this. DO YOU live on Galveston? DID you know Galveston extends way beyond the sea wall west ?? Probably not since you live in Pasadena.

So before you open your trap why dont you think about what your going to say first or better yet why dont you say nothing at all. thank you.

[inotherwords]

I wasn't going to say anything more on the subject but my words have been so twisted that I guess I need to explain my thoughts again.

Some of you are acting like I said they should NOT evacuate Galveston island. I NEVER said that so calm down. If this storm keeps it's projected path, then yes, of course they should evacuate, no question about it. I know that Katrina has made everyone a little jumpy with the destruction it caused, but we also need to realize that Katrina was no ordinary situation. I think evacuations are very important but should we start evacuating 5 days out? Probably not. 3 days is sufficient time to evacuate an island of 57K. How many storms hold their projected path from 5 days out till landfall. Very few. That doesn't mean that Rita is going to change course but it just might and then the people who did evacuate will be less likely to next time since they had to stay gone for several days and missed alot of work and paid $$ for hotels and food while gone. That's my point in all of this, so stop acting as if I said they should all stay in Galveston through the storm.

I think there will be many who don't evacuate yet anyway as they want to make sure the path holds before they make the final decision to leave. There is still ample time. I would say by Thursday or Friday morning.

Holly, I understand what you're saying and I agree with you 100%. We don't deserve to be jumped all over for sharing this opinion. NHC has the 5 day track shifting south to a central TX hit at 2 a.m. Saturday, so who knows where this is going to come in? By Thursday we should have a better idea.

Hope you Galvestonians and Houstonians are spared this one. We share your concern even though you don't think we do.

[Yankeegirl]

I am ready for this one.. I am going to Walmart today to get some supplies just in case.... The timing is terrible though, I have sent out invitions for my daughters 2nd birthday party this Saturday.... We "were" going to have a BBQ... I guess I am going to have to cancel it.... Go figure.... Oh well.. there is always next weekend!

[therock1811]

Look at a map, gang.

http://maps.yahoo.com/maps.py?&addr=&csz=Galveston,TX

Island...one route (the causeway) off the island....leads to I-45 that heads northwest towards Houston. Then all those people near the bay (League City, Texas City, Kemah, Webster) have to leave also and they'll be joining us on the busy interstate.

And look at an evacuation map.
http://www.cityofgalveston.org/_private ... p_6_05.pdf
Once we do get off the island or away from the bay, we still can only go northwest on I-45 until we're north of Houston.

The earlier, the better.

Furthermore, just because landfall is forecast for early Saturday morning doesn't mean we won't start feeling effects before then. Rainbands can make some streets impassable.

I don't live there, but looking at a slide show available from the city's website sure puts it into perspective.

Here's the problem with waiting until 2-3 days before. If you wait until then, the people who will want to leave would still be stuck when the mandatory evac comes (which as I understand it, would be at 26-33 hours before the winds impact Galveston Island). Then you still have major problems, because you've effectively clogged/blocked I-45, as most who left before the mandatory evac. will have chosen that route. Although that will clear a few of the other routes, you still have a lot of people in those regions who must use the other routes. That's gridlock, and that's a nightmare just waiting to happen.

[jasons2k]

a Cat 2/3 in matagorda bay is not a reason to evacuate galveston imo.

If you saw what Carla did to Galveston you might change your opinion.

[dwg71]

a Cat 2/3 in matagorda bay is not a reason to evacuate galveston imo.

If you saw what Carla did to Galveston you might change your opinion.

Carla was a CAT 5.

[GalvestonDuck]

a Cat 2/3 in matagorda bay is not a reason to evacuate galveston imo.

If you saw what Carla did to Galveston you might change your opinion.

Carla was a CAT 5.

And Rita is still days away.

Did they think Katrina would be a Cat 5 on Sunday before landfall?

[jasons2k]

Carla did not make landfall as a Cat 5

[patsmsg]

evacuating tomorrow?? You're kidding! This storm is still 5+ days out and the path usually does change numerous times between now and 24 hours out. I really think this is premature.

Gee...It makes perfect sence to me that Holly would have a better feel for this than the Galveston County Office of Emergency Management . If I lived in Galveston, I'm sure I'd stay put on HER advice.

[Mac]

I'm not saying emergency management officials were either right or wrong in this instance, but I think it is important to point out the importance of making wise decisions regarding evacuations. I'm sure emergency management officials all along the Gulf Coast are a bit trigger-happy right now due to the poor execution of emergency plans and the lives lost because of it in New Orleans. So naturally they will err on the side of caution and do what they feel is necessary to get people out of harm's way. They will save lives that way this go 'round, but what about next time?

There are costs that go along with such evacuations--loss of productivity, economic hits, inconvenience, looting, etc. If emergency management officials order evacuations that ultimately turned out to be unnecessary, the public may be less inclined to comply with future evacuation orders. That's the rub. Today's act of caution may cost lives down the road.

It's unfortunate, but that's the reality of these evacuation orders.

[inotherwords]

evacuating tomorrow?? You're kidding! This storm is still 5+ days out and the path usually does change numerous times between now and 24 hours out. I really think this is premature.

Gee...It makes perfect sence to me that Holly would have a better feel for this than the Galveston County Office of Emergency Management . If I lived in Galveston, I'm sure I'd stay put on HER advice.

Did you fail reading comprehension? Show me where her post told anyone to stay put.

Mac, I agree completely with your post. I've seen this happen in Florida over the years. If people overreact, then they're less likely to react the next time because "nothing happened" before. If 80 percent of New Orleans can evacuate 2 days before Katrina, I'm sure Galveston Island can manage to do the same. And yes, I used to live near there and I know the area traffic, the bridge situation, etc.

[HollynLA]

HollynLA wrote:
evacuating tomorrow?? You're kidding! This storm is still 5+ days out and the path usually does change numerous times between now and 24 hours out. I really think this is premature.


Gee...It makes perfect sence to me that Holly would have a better feel for this than the Galveston County Office of Emergency Management . If I lived in Galveston, I'm sure I'd stay put on HER advice.

Why are you twisting what I said? I've explained my reasons many times but you are choosing to ignore it.

[bvigal]

...I think there will be many who don't evacuate yet anyway as they want to make sure the path holds before they make the final decision to leave. There is still ample time. I would say by Thursday or Friday morning.

I thought I would revive this thread, as hindsight is 20/20, no? And there's always the chance someone will learn from this situation something which could help them in a similar situation in the future.

Seeing as how people this morning were saying it's ALREADY too late now to begin evacuating, and judging from the live pictures of the gridlock on the roads, it looks like Wednesday WAS the "golden day". Maybe those emergency managers DO know a thing or two more than people outside of the area.

[bvigal]

...I think there will be many who don't evacuate yet anyway as they want to make sure the path holds before they make the final decision to leave. There is still ample time. I would say by Thursday or Friday morning.

I thought I would revive this thread, as hindsight is 20/20, no? And there's always the chance someone will learn from this situation something which could help them in a similar situation in the future.

Seeing as how people this morning were saying it's ALREADY too late now to begin evacuating, and judging from the live pictures of the gridlock on the roads, it looks like Wednesday WAS the "golden day". Maybe those emergency managers DO know a thing or two more than people outside of the area.

[HollynLA]

I thought I would revive this thread, as hindsight is 20/20, no? And there's always the chance someone will learn from this situation something which could help them in a similar situation in the future.

Seeing as how people this morning were saying it's ALREADY too late now to begin evacuating, and judging from the live pictures of the gridlock on the roads, it looks like Wednesday WAS the "golden day". Maybe those emergency managers DO know a thing or two more than people outside of the area.

It was MONDAY that I said it was too early. Today is Thursday and still 48 hours from landfall. Landfall that look to probably take place somewhere between Galveston and Lafayette, LA. I NEVER said they should not evacuate. That is all I'm going to say on the subject. Good luck