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Refugio emergency coordinator reviews evacuation plan

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  • CHRISTINA BURKE - Victoria Advocate
  • Originally published July 22, 2008 at 10:14 p.m., updated July 22, 2008 at 10:14 p.m.

Hurricane Dolly is looming in the Gulf and, as with any force of nature, it’s not up to man to decide its path. Stan Upton, emergency management coordinator for Refugio County, sat down with Ranging Reporter Christina Burke to see what Refugio County officials are planning.

Q:Where is the focus of the statewide emergency management operation?

A: “The focus is the Valley but that can change. We’ll know more as the day goes on. Hurricane hunters are flying this storm to prepare with data and that data is generated out from there.”

Q:Where is the consolidation point here in Refugio?

A: “This is what’s known as a coastal county. We don’t take refuge here. If it gets to the point where evacuation is deemed mandatory, when Judge Rene Mascorro makes the declaration, then the folks will have the option to leave. We hope it appeals to everybody’s sense of better judgment. We’ve got areas at the community center where our buses will pick people up at the 100 block of Swift Street. That’s meant for people who don’t have the means to evacuate themselves.”

Q:Where will those busses go?

A: “San Antonio, Stockdale and the Seguin area, depending on the proximity of landfall of the storm. That is also indicative of the evacuation from other areas. Last year, when they were ramping up for Dean, they were looking at 900,000 evacuees.”

Q:What is ARC?

A: “Alamo Regional Command center at San Antonio. They are preparing for any evacuation for sheltering, feeding and caring. They’ve been ramped up since Sunday in preparation forf this. They coordinate through the state operation center in Austin. They’re getting ready for all the buses, Red Cross, Salvation Army and a lot of the state and federal assets will stage in San Antonio after the impact. Katrina was the model.”

Q:Texas Division of Emergency Management held a conference call at 10:30 a.m. What happened during that call?

A: “Right now, everything is focusing towards Brownsville and the Valley. We don’t know what Mother Nature will do. The projected path is just that – a projection. We’re in an observation mode here. We’ll continue to monitor the conditions. The outer bands, the northern and eastern edge of the eye wall, has the potential rain, wind and tornadoes so that’s what everybody here is focusing in on. It’s still a tropical storm right now.”

Q:In the event that power goes out, how will you communicate with residents?

A: “If power goes out, hopefully the cell towers will be OK. Common sense has to prevail. This is a yearly situation for everybody on the coast. This is not rocket science and its nothing new to anybody. We do PSAs, there’s the news media, the print media and HAM radio.”

Q:What populations are you concerned about?

A: “That’s going to be incident driven. We’re reactive – we can’t stop Mother Nature. Everything is still in a reactionary mode. If they call and need anything from us, we have ways and means of providing volunteer fire department, EMS, or police. We'll shift assets to help aid and assist. That’s what it's all about.”

Q:Have area ranchers contacted your office with concerns for livestock?

A: “They’ve been through this. Ranches and ranchers in general are used to operating on their own. When it comes to weather situations, the animals can tell you a lot sooner than weather services. Animals know when to move to high ground.”



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Comments

  • txrancher270 txrancher270 Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    I would personally like to commend EMC Upton for the excellent job he has performed since taking office in April of 2007. As few know, this is a part-time position in Refugio County, and I know that Mr. Upton spends many more hours than the 20 per week the county compensates him for to provide for the needs of not just one community, but five in Refugio County. He has gone out of his way to provide the emergency responders of Refugio County with digital radios, enabling them to contact dispatch on the new digital system and personally recognizing and aiding the volunteer fire departments. His position requires many trips out of town, some extended, for training and also involvement in other committees in which he is required to attend, such as the Coastal Bend Council of Governments, Coastal Plains LEPC, Coastal Bend Emergency Management as well as several other committees. Additionally, EMC Upton is responsible for involvement with Exelon and the preparations for the new nuclear power plant planned to be built in Victoria County. Approximately eight miles of the emergency protective zone lies in Refugio county,which requires a large amount of EMC Upton's time and involvement to plan for its' implementation. As a citizen of Refugio County, I would strongly urge Judge Mascorro to consider making the EMC position full time with benefits to properly compensate Mr. Upton for the excellent job he has done since taking this position and the ever increasing demands placed on his office.

    July 23, 2008 at 10:23 p.m.