The Broadcast Media & the Importance of the Local Hurricane Impact History Message

A Presentation for the 2015 NTWC

Lew FincherHurricane Historian

Galveston County Historical Commission

All Decision Makers Need To Understand Risk

•What Has Happen Before… 10-50 – 150 Years ago…•County Judges & City Mayors Need To Make Proper Evacuation Decisions…•Families Need To Understand If They Can Safely “Hunker Down” In Their Safe Have (Home)•How can the Broadcast Media Help With This Message?

AS FAR BACK AS 1898 PRESIDENT WILLIAM MCKINLEY UNDERSTOOD THE THREAT FROM THE “WEST INDIAN HURRICANE”… WHAT TODAY I CONSIDER THE “TROPICAL TERRORIST.”

Galveston Texas – Pre-1900 Storm

How many times have we heard, “It’s Never Happened This Bad Before!”

• 2008 Hurricane Ike… Surprised by the early flooding before landfall? Remember 1961 Hurricane Carla

• Hurricane Season Starts in August… Remember Audrey, in June 1957?

• Hurricane Ike’s Storm Surge Warning… did Galveston remember that the Seawall was built 17 ft. high… the warning was for a possible 22 ft.

Was 1980 Hurricane Allan’s Evacuation Problem forgotten?

Anyone remember 2005 Hurricane Rita’s Evacuation Problem?

1965 Hurricane BetsyFloods the Lower 9th Ward…

Any other hurricane come to mind? (Katrina?)

Remember That Hazmat Releases Are Possible When Building Codes Are Exceeded… Think!

Safe Haven vs Hunkering Down

Man and woman standing in front of wrecked house partially submerged in sand.  "Does this need to be explained?  A true Galvestonian would say this aint so, but I guess it is just the same.  You can hide bodies, but things like this can't be hid."  Verso stamped:  Morris-Carter Photo Supply Co., Galveston, Tex.

1915 Galveston Hurricane Aftermath

You Can’t Compare Past Damage Costs With Todays…What Has Happened Before In History, Can Repeat Itself…

Or… Be Worse Than Ever Before!

Before where was very little… Now…•Massive Development All Along Our Coastline• Industrial Centers Have Grown•We Are Building In Areas Where Our Ancestors Would Not!•The Costs of Rebuilding Have Exploded

FIND THE FACTS FROM HISTORY EXPERTS

• Your Local County Historical Commission• Your Local Emergency Management Coordinator• Your Local Research Librarian • Your Local Historical Society• The NOAA Hurricane Research Division• The National Hurricane Conference’s Hurricane History

Committee• Dr. Chris Landsea, S.O.O. at the NHC in Miami, FL• Dr. Carl Mock, Climate Professor, Univ. South

Carolina• Your Local NWSFO Archives

READ & LEARN

• A WEEKEND IN SEPTEMBER – John Edward Weems• 1900 GALVESTON FLOOD – Nathan Greene• DIVINE WIND – Kerry Emanuel• THE HURRICANE ALMANAC , TEXAS EDITIONS – Michael Ellis• HURRICANE WATCH – Dr. Bob Sheets & Jack Williams• INFINITE MONSTER – Leigh Jones & Rhiannon Meyers• HURRICANE BEULAH – ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS• GALVESTON: A CITY ON STILTS – Jodi Wright-gidley & Jennifer Marines• INDIANOLA – Brownson Malsch• THROUGH A NIGHT OF HORRORS – Casey Edward Greene & Shelly Henley Kelly• SO MANY OTHERS THAT COVER SO MANY SECTIONS OF OUR NATION’S

HURRICANE HISTORY THAT SHOULD BE READ TO SERIOUSLY GRASP THE THREAT FROM THE TROPICAL TERRORISTS IN A VERY PERSONAL WAY

HISTORY WILL REPEAT ITSELF… WILL YOU BE PREPARED?

THANKS FOR LISTENINGANY QUESTIONS?

lew@hurricaneconsulting.net@Hurakan