After Ike - Lessons from Rita don't work

Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas announced in a press conference yesterday that the island would implement the “Look and Leave” policy beginning at noon. Three hours later the policy was rescinded. Why? Three lanes of traffic lined up 15 miles, trying to get onto the island. The backup delayed emergency crews working to restore power to the crippled island. According to Texas’ oldest newspaper, The Galveston County Daily News, police had their hands full dealing with irate drivers trying to return to the island.

More concerning to me is the rumor that most of these people had no intention of honoring the “Look and Leave” provisions. Most intended to stay in their homes – without sanitation, water, or power. Dr. David Lakey, state health commissioner, has declared the island a health hazard, and warns of water-borne illness, food-borne illness, and the lack of health care on the island. UTMB is the state’s oldest medical school, and most residents have no concept of life on the island without nearby medical care.

Evidence of this was borne out today, when the Kroger grocery store opened. The Kroger suffered no flood damage, and only minor roof damage. They imported workers from neighboring workers, and brought in 16 dump trucks to carry out food spoilage. They were given clearance to sell packaged/dry goods and any remaining fruits and vegetables. They also opened the pharmacy, saying they would fill any existing prescriptions with a 72 hour supply. They also promised to honor new prescriptions, unless for narcotics, with a 72 hours supply. They declined to fulfill any narcotic prescriptions.

Guess what happened? Needing new or replacement prescriptions, people lined up to be seen in the emergency department. The emergency department, and indeed the entire medical facility, is closed. The DMAT teams are treating minor injuries and transferring serious injuries to mainland facilities.

My sources are in disagreement about what happened next, but the crowd eventually dispersed, upset and angry.

I am not in the middle of this maelstrom, but I ask these questions:

If the island is unlivable, why are people being allowed to live there?

If the island is a health hazard, why are people being allowed to live there?

If there is no medical care, no sanitation, no water, no electricity, and a grave health

threat to the remaining population, why are people being allowed to stay?

In a policy developed as a result of Hurricane Rita, residents were supposed to be allowed to come to the island between 6 AM and 6 PM to view their property. However, with 3500 people still living on the island 24/7, it is difficult to rationalize the 12-hour-only policy. What seemed so practical in 2005 has proven to be unworkable in 2008. Ah, well, another lesson learned. I feel certain that more are to follow.

For those of you with morbid curiosity, you may view the island by relatively recent satellite image at http://ngs.woc.noaa.gov/ike/IKE0000.HTM. The views were sufficient for me to tell that a corner of my roof collapsed, but the main structure is still standing. And, as I still maintain, it’s only stuff.

Galveston Update

Dear friends,
Thank you so much for the outpouring of concern and sympathy. I feel truly blessed to have such good friends. Here is the latest news from Galveston.

From a general standpoint:
80% of the island is damaged. UTMB is not seeing patients of any type at this point. DMAT teams are providing any necessary care. There is no electricity, no running water, and not enough fuel to start pumping water out of the flooded areas. Many of the emergency generators were damaged by storm. Phone lines and internet connectivity are spotty. Even cell phone coverage is unreliable. Today, UTMB estimates re-opening the doors with a skeleton crew next week. Services will be added as it becomes possible. It is just a guess that we may not be able to have inpatients for 4 to 6 weeks. Full operability of all the hospitals/clinics/outpatient services/area clinics will probably take months. Much of the operability of the hospital depends on the time it takes for the city/county infrastructure to be rebuilt.

This is emergency medicine's surge capacity nightmare. The nearest fully functional hospital is 60 miles away, in Houston, if someone has enough gas and a truck to get there through the water and the debris.

From a personal standpoint:
I am fine. I evacuated the day before the storm, and have been staying with my parents in West Texas. I will return to Dallas today or tomorrow. My home in Galveston is still standing......in 5 feet of water. The roof line is damaged and the front door was torn off, but the basic structure and most of the windows (?!?) are intact.

I am officially E2 personnel. I will be called back to Galveston in the next 3-4 days, and will live and work at the hospital until we go off emergency status. Hopefully they will be able to flush toilets and provide showers by then. My friends who are still there tell me it's a toss up as to what smells worse, the toilets or themselves.

My email is flooded. (Who knew that getting internet access in rural West Texas would be so hard?) The UTMB email is nonfunctional. I will try to post daily updates on the blog, and will answer my emails in as timely a fashion as possible.

I fear that the aftermath may be worse than the storm. The flood waters are a cesspool. There is no sewage or trash service. There is no electricity to run air conditioners and refrigerators. There is no water for washing hands or bathing, and I fear that even FEMA can't provide enough fresh water for everyone. There is not enough ice to keep food suitably cold, and not enough fuel to heat food properly. There is no gas to get off the island, and no stores to purchase goods.
AND....the storm hit Saturday a.m., but many of us have been displaced since the evacuation, seven days. Who knows how much longer the island will be unlivable?

I plan to provide updates through this blog. If you aren't a regular reader shame on you! No, seriously, please pass this on to others interested in the recovery: http://gardnersgate.blogspot.com/

Thank you again for all your care and concern in this trying time.
Angela