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Evacuation before Hurricane Rita

After witnessing several weaknesses in Louisiana’s response after Hurricane Katrina, Texas wanted to avoid going through similar problems. The Texas Division of Emergency Management and Department of Public Safety worked closely with local law enforcement officials to evacuate Houston citizens prior to the arrival Hurricane Rita. When the northbound side of the freeway became jammed with thousands of motorists, the southbound lanes were reversed. This increased traffic flow but required the coordinated assistance of many police officers, sheriffs and others from the highway patrol. The state also had to provide gas for vehicles that ran out of fuel. The state worked with north Texas communities to receive evacuees and open shelters. The evacuation was not without problems as some elderly residents died due to the stress of evacuation. However, hundreds of thousands of people were successfully moved from harm’s way.

Much like a mayor or county judge (or parish president in Louisiana), the governor declares emergencies and disasters on behalf of the state (Ferro, Henry and MacLellan 2010). If the state is overwhelmed by the impact, the governor may seek internal or external assistance. This may include calling up the National Guard, which is a reserve military unit operated under the direction of the governor in each state (Stuhltrager 2006). Such a civilian force may assist law enforcement personnel, conduct search and rescue operations, remove debris or provide other types of support as required. The governor may also request relief from other states or the federal government. If the resources within the state prove insufficient, the governor may seek help from other states. For instance, Oklahoma turned to Iowa for help after the May 2013 tornados, because its leaders saw that Iowa had provided a great deal of assistance to aid Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. Upon the governor’s request, the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) can also be activated (Kapucu, Augustin and Garayev 2009). This is like a local mutual aid agreement, but it is operated through states instead. If requested, personnel, equipment and commodities can be sent from EMAC members to a state and communities that are in need. EMAC is operated under the National Association of Emergency Managers, which is an emergency management organization for governors and others affiliated with state emergency management agencies. If the resources of neighboring states or EMAC are insufficient, the governor may also request assistance of the federal government (Figure 2‐3).

Figure 2‐3 Many entities will work together to respond to disasters. In this picture, personnel from the National Guard and U.S. Department of Wildlife are traveling in a flooded area in Minot, ND, to check on status of telephone towers and power stations. Andrea Booher/FEMA.