HOUSTON ASIS CHAPTER MINUTES
July 31, 2002
The Chapter held a luncheon meeting at our new location, The Renaissance Hotel. Vice Chairman Mike Crocker CPP presided. Sixty-five members and guests attended.
Opening and Pledge of Allegiance: Mike Crocker
Business Activities:
Meeting location: We held our first meeting at the Renaissance Houston Hotel at 6 Greenway Plaza East. Crescent Real Estate has generously underwritten the cost of parking for the monthly luncheon events and made considerable efforts to make our experience a positive one.
Treasurer’s Report: Bob Cascino presented his report.
CPP review: Karim Vellani CPP will be starting an accelerated review class for those planning to take the exam at the National Conference in September. Details can be found on the web page.
ASIS/HPD/UofHD Annual Seminar: Richard Hill announced it was the last day to register at the discounted rate. The seminar will be held August 13 and 14 at the Holiday Inn Select, 2712 Southwest Freeway. The seminar begins with a one-hour Ethics Course required for many certifications, at no extra cost. Some of the topics include Hiring International Employees after 9/11; Cyber Crime and Cyber Terrorism; the USA Patriot Act, Occupational Fraud and Emergency Management: Weather Conditions. There are educational credits available for TCLEOSE, CFE, CPP and TCPS. More details and registration forms are available on the web page.
Special thanks to Jeff Leite, with NVT, for
providing a projector at a moment’s notice.
Our speaker’s projector had a failure in the power plug. The presentation was greatly enhanced by
showing photos and film clips.
Gene has been with the NWS for many years, following 10 years at the Johnson Space Center working in the weather office in support of Shuttle missions. He earned his Masters Degree from the University of Houston, Clear Lake and resides in Friendswood with his wife and two children.
Thunderstorms develop in the sub-tropics or tropics. Each year, there are 50-100 easterly waves off of Africa but only a few become a formed storm. Hurricanes, also known as cyclones or typhoons, have three phases of development. First is a depression. The NWS will send in a plane to gather critical storm information at this level. When the storm winds reach 39 mph, it becomes a tropical storm and is assigned a name. The Atlantic averages 9-10 tropical storms a year. Once the winds reach 74 mph, the storm becomes a hurricane. There is an average of five hurricanes a year in the Atlantic basin.
When tracking a hurricane, we use the “eye”. However, the average hurricane is over 300 miles across with storm winds making landfall often 12 hours before the eye. Forty-eight tropical storms have hit within 75 miles of Galveston between 1886 and 2000. That’s an average of one tropical storm every 1 to 2 years. Twenty-five hurricanes have made landfall within 75 miles of Galveston in that same period. Although the probability is the same each year, the average is one hurricane every five years. Allison was the second earliest storm to hit this area in history. The latest to hit the Texas coast was Jerry (10/17/89). Jerry was also the last hurricane to make landfall in this area. The eye crossed over Kemah.
By far, the most deaths attributed to hurricanes is from drowning, often fresh-water drowning. This is caused by high storm surges. We have a shallow Continental Shelf, which helps produce a higher surge. High tides can raise the surge by another two feet. The highest storm surges are up near Trinity Bay, not the coastal areas. Wind is another critical factor. Hurricane force winds have been recorded 150 miles inland. Windows should be boarded to protect from air-born debris.
The coastal area has a population of almost one million. Evacuations need to start 30 hours or more in advance of windfall to accommodate the traffic. Many of the evacuation routes will go under water early. This also has a tremendous impact on business. Even if you don’t live in the coastal region, you may have employees working or living in the area. When do you close your business and send your employees home? It’s hard when the sun is still shining! Do you have a debris management procedure in place?
Mr. Hafele’s presentation will be posted on our web site for a short time. You will find a wealth of thought-provoking information.
Mr. Hafele was presented with a plaque in appreciation of his time and expertise.
Please be sure to attend the Annual Conference on August 13 and 14th.
The next ASIS meeting is August 28 at the Renaissance Houston Hotel. Further information may be found at www.asishouston.org.