Riding Out The Storm Hurricane Preparation and Recovery Considerations for Cruise Ports

Transcription

1 Riding Out The Storm Hurricane Preparation and Recovery Considerations for Cruise Ports Lessons Learned from Hurricane Ivan AAPA Cruise Workshop February 18, 2005 Chuck Porter, Port of Pensacola

2 Storm Data Landfall Date September 16, 2004 Landfall Time Approx Landfall Location Gulf Shores, AL Approx. 30 miles west of the Port of Pensacola Max Sustained Winds 145 mph Estimated Storm Surge ft. Max Wave Height at Sea Buoy 52 ft. Duration of Hurricane Winds 7 hours Associated Rainfall 15 inches Data and image provided by National Weather Service

3 Before the Storm Port Staff began monitoring Ivan related forecasts, projections and weather detail approx. 1 week prior to landfall The Port s Hurricane Plan was initiated 5 days prior to landfall and preparations commenced Preparations included the following relevant items: Securing all potential flying debris hazards Removal and stowing of all gate arms Closing, locking and sandbagging all doors Reinforcing all doors to prevent blow-ins Elevating all computer and electronic equipment Final evacuation and closure

4 Aftermath Wharf Condition Open laydown areas were undermined causing substantial sink holes Estimated ft. tidal surge washed away asphalt paving

5 Aftermath Berth Condition Tidal surge caused fender system timbers to be washed off their mounting brackets, leaving the Port with virtually no operable berths

6 Aftermath Floating Debris Fender system sections were located and retrieved from within the waters surrounding the Port as well as inland as much as 1 mile away

7 Aftermath Buildings Condition Prolonged hurricane force winds resulted in severe breaches in buildings, particularly at vulnerable southeast facing corners

8 Aftermath General Conditions Warehouse doors blown in by tidal surge Substantial damage to gates and fencing resulting in a vulnerable perimeter

9 Aftermath Outside the Gates Major transportation arteries were impacted with roads & bridges being washed out or covered by debris several feet deep Pensacola Regional Airport was closed to commercial flights for a week following the storm

10 Aftermath Outside the Gates Hotels, restaurants and other amenities suffered heavy damage Those hotels able to reopen were quickly filled by displaced residents & emergency workers

11 Lessons Learned Forecasting No One Really Knows the Mind of the Storm! Landfall, wind speed, storm surge, rainfall and storm duration forecasting f is NOT an exact science. Gather and analyze data from multiple sources to best evaluate most m likely scenarios (NWS, Weather Underground, NOAA, etc). Analyze available data internally to determine worst case scenarios. ALWAYS prepare for the worst case within the parameters of the forecast information. Suggest preparations to the level required for a storm 1 category y higher than that predicted. When preparing within the projected storm category parameters, plan p for a direct hit scenario; whether you take the hit or not, you ll be glad you did!

12 Lessons Learned - Facilities Expect the Unexpected and Prepare For It! Yokahama fenders may be your only means of bringing berths and docks d back into operation quickly. Procure the needed materials in advance and stage s them at a safe location (slightly inland and undercover to avoid loss by floatation). tion). Re-establishment establishment of access and perimeter controls will be of paramount importance. Preposition Jersey barricades along with your Yokahama fenders to facilitate quick recovery. Assume that your normal security force will not be sufficient during the immediate recovery phase. Place private security providers and local law enforcement e on standby to provide additional personnel on a priority basis. Steel reinforced concrete buildings fared best, suffering only minimal m damage something worth considering in future cruise terminal design. Substantial roof, door, window and siding damage could render existing passenger terminals inoperable. Work with your cruise line customers at the e beginning of each hurricane season to determine possible temporary passenger terminal locations (convention centers, hotel ballrooms, etc.) and develop the transportation and operational plans that will be necessary to make them work.

13 Lessons Learned Outside the Gates There Are Some Things You Just Can t Control! If passengers can t get to you due to extended ground and air transportation outages, other cruise related recovery efforts will be for naught the vessels sels won t return until the passengers can get to them Hotel accommodations may be scarce. Be prepared to assist cruise lines in finding alternate accommodations (perhaps out of town or slightly inland) ) and work to connect line reps with the transportation and lodging resources they ll need to make required arrangements Recovery of electricity, phone, potable water, sewer and other services may lag behind your other recovery efforts and availability of generators, rs, light plants, portable toilets, radio phones, etc. will be limited. Preposition these assets a in advance (again inland and undercover) to assist your cruise line customers in re-establishing establishing their business operations

14 Lessons Learned FEMA Embrace FEMA the Process & the People! As soon as possible after the storm, request that FEMA assign a project officer (PO) to your port to assist in damage assessments and preparation of recovery project funding applications. Provide a work space for your assigned project officer on site. This will allow him or her to escape the madness of the local FEMA disaster recovery center er and concentrate on your needs full-time. Have your staff or consulting engineers on standby to respond as soon as feasible after the storm. The faster you can complete damage assessments, the sooner you ll be able to get in line for FEMA funding. Don t fight the process embrace it. Avoid sole-sourcing sourcing repairs, except in the most extreme emergency recovery situations as the documentation trail for FEMA reimbursement is cumbersome. Follow the standard bidding and purchasing procedures established for your agency and your funding applications ions will, generally speaking, glide right through the review process. Don t get lost in the growing pile of funding applications! Assign one staff member or contractor to serve as your central FEMA liaison to both walk and d track your claims all the way to final funding approval. Depending on the severity of your damage, up to 90% of your assigned liaison s time will need to be devoted to the t FEMA application process for weeks, if not months, after the storm.

15 In Closing Prepare for the worst case scenario. Propositioning supplies and materials at an inland covered location may help expedite your recovery. Accept that some things will simply be out of your control and then t stop worrying about them; you ll have enough things you can control to occupy your time and your mind! Contingency planning both internally and with your customers - is critical to a recovery effort that runs like a well-oiled machine. Work with your cruise line customers early on each hurricane season son to insure you understand each others needs and are sufficiently prepared pared to support one another in the aftermath. Think of FEMA as a rich uncle. Become his favorite niece or nephew ew and he ll be good to you in his will!