By Ron Thaniel
February 6, 2006

In framing the evacuation planning issue during the Homeland Security plenary session January 26, Conference President Long Beach Mayor Beverly O’Neill said “After seeing first-hand the devastating impact of hurricanes, we recognized, more than ever, that an evacuation plan must be a major element of our homeland security preparedness plan.”

As she introduced Thomas C. Lambert, Vice President and Chief of Police of the Department of Police and Traffic Management with Houston’s Metropolitan Transit Authority, O’Neill said, “We have experienced three hurricanes that this country simply was not prepared for.”

“We have learned that when it comes to disasters, whether man-made or natural, mayors must have a voice and a seat at the table because we are on the front lines of defense and emergency response,” said O’Neill.

As Hurricane Rita approached the Southeast Texas and Louisiana coast late September last year, Houston’s evacuation plan included regional, state, and federal partners; the use of Intelligent Transportation Systems, including message signs and cameras on all freeway corridors for real time and on a regional level traffic movement; redundant telecommunications systems, including 311 and reverse 911 networks; and a joint operation center to make sure the public was receiving clear messages.

However, according to Lambert, what made the evacuation plan function as well as it did was its flexibility.

On behalf of Houston Mayor Bill White, Lambert told the mayors that, “The best thought out emergency plans must be flexible, must be adaptable, and must be able to move based upon real time experiences.”

Other points Lambert raised were to make sure evacuation plans anticipate the staging needs of equipment immediately outside the disaster area and transportation movement based on multimodal plans. Lambert said the highway system alone will not be able to move people from an evacuation area. In Houston’s case, their multimodal transportation plan included 500 buses, taxi cabs, school buses, private bus operators, Amtrak, and a commuter train sent from the Dallas – Fort Worth area.