Hurricane preparedness workshop educates PA residents
Published 8:17 am Thursday, July 11, 2024
Attendees listen to a presentation on storm forecasting by National Weather Service meteorologist Nick Slaughter. (Keagan Smith/Port Arthur News)
Southeast Texas residents showed up to learn about how to best prepare for a potential hurricane. (Keagan Smith/Port Arthur News)
PAFD Deputy Chief Jermey Houston takes the podium to teach people how to make a hurricane preparedness kit. (Keagan Smith/Port Arthur News)
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While Southeast Texas saw few major impacts from the impact of Hurricane Beryl earlier this week, it served as a reminder that hurricane season is already in full swing.
With seemingly perfect timing, the city of Port Arthur hosted an educational hurricane preparedness workshop for the community at the Bob Bowers Civic Center, July 9.
The event was a joint effort between the city and several public services and agencies which are heavily interconnected with keeping the public safe during hurricane season.
“With the hurricane season being here, it is imperative residents of Southeast Texas make the necessary preparations to ensure their safety,” Port Arthur Fire Department Deputy Chief Jermey Houston said.
Houston outlined the essential items people should pack in a hurricane preparedness kit, such as identification and financial documents, nonperishable food items, clean water, flashlights, batteries and more.
Other Port Arthur representatives gave details on evacuation and traffic plans, as well as preparations residents can make for their personal health.
National Weather Service meteorologist Nick Slaughter spoke at length about how the agency develops their forecasts, the conditions which could lead to an active 2024 hurricane season and potential impacts from each intensity level of storms. He also emphasized that even when a hurricane misses Southeast Texas, the weather conditions of outer bands can still have an impact on the region.
Other speakers included representatives with the Texas Department of Emergency Management, Red Cross and FEMA.
The full list of speakers included:
- Port Arthur Fire Department Deputy Chief Jermey Houston
- Port Arthur Mayor Thurman Bartie
- National Weather Service Meteorologist Nick Slaughter
- Texas Department of Emergency Management District 15 Chief Mike Rowell
- Red Cross Disaster Program Manager Tramena Horn
- FEMA Region VI Flood Insurance Liaison Gilbert Giron
- Assistant Director of Health Services LaTasha Mayon
- Port Arthur Fire Department Interim Deputy ChiefAntonio Mitchell
- City Manager Ronald Burton
