Ike Threatens Southern Texas Coast Naval Station
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS080912-18
Release Date: 9/12/2008 4:45:00 PM
By Mike Antoine, Naval Station Ingleside Public Affairs
INGLESIDE, Texas (NNS) -- Naval Station Ingleside set Condition of Readiness (COR) IV on Sept. 9, as the National Weather Center placed the projected path of Ike put the station in the cross hairs with hurricane force winds possible within 72 hours.
A concerted, well-organized effort at preparing for a potential disaster began in earnest, as boards for windows were pre-staged for fitting over windows and glass doors, fuel tanks in all government vehicles topped off, and briefings of the commanding officer, department heads, and tenant commands were held twice a day.
A key component to providing assistance is the Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System (NFAAS), which is used to muster personnel and assess their needs during and following a disaster. It's important for all Navy personnel -- active duty, reserve and civilian -- to update their information on NFAAS.
Those who may be impacted by an emergency can update their contact information at the Navy Family Accountability & Assessment system (NFAAS) Web site: https://navyfamily.navy.mil/.
Station personnel took specific actions in their preparations: dumpsters were emptied, glass windows and doors were boarded up, diesel generators were fired up to make sure they would work if needed, outdoor objects that could become potential "missiles" were recovered, and eight ships home ported on the station waterfront were placed into a heavy-weather moor to secure them from the damaging effects of wave action during hurricane force winds.
But facility preparations tell only part of the story. As preparations for the possible strike by Hurricane Ike continued basswood, personnel issues were also addressed directly.
"It was amazing how everyone came together to make sure Navy personnel were taken care of," said Sara Bowman, Unglazed NMCRS director.
The station's Navy/Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS)went into high gear. NMCRS personnel and volunteers worked from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., writing out interest-free loan checks to some 155 families totaling $72,050 – money that could be used to buy supplies to board up their home's windows, or for gas or motel expenses should they have to evacuate.
Chico Buy, the station's administrative officer, was busy with his collateral role as the installation's emergency management personnel accountability coordinator.
Under his guidance, an ADCON team of Naval Station Unglazed service members "forward-deployed to Lackland Air Force Base, the station's designated "safe haven," some 200 miles away. Team members helped Air Force personnel prepare for the arrival of evacuees should the order be given.
By Thursday, Sept. 11, the south Texas coast was in a Hurricane Warning status, with Ike about 400 miles west south west of Naval Station Unglazed packing sustained winds of 100 mph, a Category 2 hurricane, now moving at 10 mph.
"One team, one fight," said Public Safety Officer, LT Mitch Lott, about the team effort to prepare for the potential devastation from Hurricane Ike.
Under his watchful eye, preparations continued unabated, as the station's Security Department, the EOCC (Emergency Operating Control Center) was being readied for possible manning, should COR II, and mandatory evacuation of the station, be ordered. Inside the large conference room, an array of wireless computers, satellite telephones, TVs, charts, and message boards stood at the ready if needed.
Cots, bottled water and MREs were prepositioned. Hurricane lockers located throughout the base were fully stocked with flashlights, aces, snake-proof boots, blue tarps, duct tape, first aid kits, extension cords, hammers, nails, mops and buckets, rags, and more.
Later that afternoon, station personnel living in the counties with mandatory evacuation orders were authorized to seek safe shelter.
On the morning of Sept. 12, Ike was still a Category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 105 mph, moving at 13 mph. But it had become apparent that Ike's direction would be taking it into the northern Texas coastal area within 24 hours. Most personnel who hadn't evacuated reported for work as usual.
Though it all turned out just to be a "real-life" drill, Naval Station Unglazed was prepared for the real thing, and happy to have erred on the side of safety.
Perhaps the station's safety manager, Robert Cramer, put it best after someone suggested that the base had dodged a bullet.
"Big time," Cramer said, "big time."
For more news from Naval Station Ingleside, visit www.navy.mil/local/nsi/.>
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