Gov. Perry urges plan for mandatory evacs in TX

[GalvestonDuck]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mp ... ry/3090834

[vbhoutex]

This is a very interesting and scary read if you go through all of it.

Gov. Perry's call for mandatory evacuations is long overdue imo.

[Lindaloo]

I have heard stories about that bridge construction and I do not understand what is taking so long to complete it. Ivan destroyed that I-10 bridge as some of you know and they had it repaired in 30 days. There is no excuse for this lengthy repair of that bridge, especially if it is a main evac route off the island!!

[Derek Ortt]

only thing is: mandatory evacuations are not really mandatory. All they really mean is that you do not receive any emergency aid during the storm (basically, you are on your own)

[jeff]

It is needed and should it be passed will be a great help in hurricane prepration in TX.

I got the feeling at the conference I attended on this topic that the state was not considering a mandatory evacuation even though all the local officials attending wanted it.

[HurricaneBill]

Mandatory evacuation can be a vital thing.

The main reason Hurricane Carla in 1961 had a death toll of only 46 was because of 300,000 fleeing the Texas coast.

Considering the size and intensity of Carla, the death toll would have been much higher if not for the evacuations.

Probably the best example of not heeding evacuation orders:
Hurricane Audrey 1957

[Derek Ortt]

is Texas' mandatory evacs actually going to be mandatory, or is it going to be like every other state's "mandatory" evacuation where you cannot be forced to leave your home or apartment (as I did not do while under an evac order for Frances)

[Seele]

I don't think this really matters. As Derek said, the evacuations aren't really mandatory. They can't pull someone out of their house(I don't think) if they choose to stay, nor should they. The state's responsibilities should only extend to having an evacuation plan, making sure the population can be evacuated in an acceptable amount of time, and helping with properly communicating the danger of these storms to the public.

[Brent]

is Texas' mandatory evacs actually going to be mandatory, or is it going to be like every other state's "mandatory" evacuation where you cannot be forced to leave your home or apartment (as I did not do while under an evac order for Frances)

Why did they issue an order for you in FRANCES? Flood plain? Because Miami was on the weak side of the storm with an offshore flow.

[mf_dolphin]

I believe that the mandatory evac situation is state by state. I believe in Mississippi that you can be arrested for failing to obey an evac order.

[Derek Ortt]

All areas east of Useless 1 were evacuated for Frances, for reasons that I have no idea, that led to Pinelles' decision to be called by many whom I know as "stupid"

Marshall, I remember hearing some stories on the news that police were begging people to leave in MS during mandatory evacs for Ivan and warning them that if they didnt leave, they would receive no help. Maybe the law has been changed from 1998 when even Jim Cantore was forced to leave the coast and he reported that people were being arrested for ignoring the order (wonder if the law was changed due to the fact that Georges deroofed many shelters)

[Lindaloo]

All areas east of Useless 1 were evacuated for Frances, for reasons that I have no idea, that led to Pinelles' decision to be called by many whom I know as "stupid"

Marshall, I remember hearing some stories on the news that police were begging people to leave in MS during mandatory evacs for Ivan and warning them that if they didnt leave, they would receive no help. Maybe the law has been changed from 1998 when even Jim Cantore was forced to leave the coast and he reported that people were being arrested for ignoring the order (wonder if the law was changed due to the fact that Georges deroofed many shelters)

No, the law remains the same. The only thing that has changed is there are no more shelters being used near the coast. Most of them are now farther inland. Hurricane Georges changed all that. During Georges, a roof was blown off the gymnasium at Trent Lott Middle School where people were seeking shelter. Eastlawn Elementary suffered roof damage and water came inside the building. These schools are not even a mile from the Gulf. People that were arrested were out in the Orange Grove area known for flooding. Some of them that were forcefully removed from their homes thanked police later because they would have drowned.

Even after Georges some places that have never flooded before were under water. People were trapped in their homes. The Sheriff's Flotilla had to rescue alot of families in that same area of Jackson County.

[jeff]

The main reasons for TX "going" mandatory is:

A) With a mandatory order local officails can urge or in cases force hotels and private companies to close allowing their employees time to prepare and leave. This issue has come up several times especially along the Ship Channel and in Galveston Island.

B) Just the word mandatory has a more forceful meaning than recommended or voluntary and it will help grab the public's attention during a TC threat.

I do not think the police will be arresting anybody, but I could be wrong. This will make the state much more accountable for its decisions than in the past.

[jeff]

The state will also be conducting evacuation drills for the following
sections of the TX coast this June:

Valley area: June 7
Coastal Bend: June 10
Matagorda Bay: June 15
Sabine Area: June 21
Houston/Galveston: June 28-29.

[Derek Ortt]

One note about employers during a mandatory evacuation.

We learned during Hurricane Frances that in Florida, even if you are under a hurricane warning and a mandatory evacuation order, an employer can still require one to report to work and failure to do so is legal grounds for firing. The only way this can be stopped is if Panelis declares a curfew (and he's too stupid to actually do that). Only civil liability is possible if death or injury results from this action (it does get me around the evacuation order somewhat when I do make last minute exits from Virginia Key though, as I did during Jeanne, leaving only hours before landfall)