Mitigation Best Practices

EASTLAND COUNTY, TX – A 2006 wildfire destroyed nearly 25 percent of Eastland’s land mass burning 60 homes within 12 hours. Part of the problem stemmed from a lack of communication and management. Lessons learned prompted the need for a mobile command unit.

BURBANK, CA – During the last 10 years, Burbank has experienced many earthquakes. Two of the most notable were the 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake and the 1994 Northridge earthquake. These two made Warner Bros. Studios especially cognizant of the potential for earthquake damage that could cause serious business interruption. In addition, their Burbank facility is adjacent to the Los Angeles River. In the event of severe rainstorms, surface ground water is prone to accumulate and overwhelm the area’s usually sufficient drainage system.

SAN MARCOS, TX – Unlike hurricanes, which can be tracked prior to landfall, the art of tornado predictions is still in its infancy. Tornadoes can strike with only minutes to prepare and the consequences to life and property can be significant.

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR – Homes in the Rose City subdivision of North Little Rock were kept flood-free during the severe weather of Christmas 2015, thanks to a 1800-2200 gallon-per-minute water pump put in place by the city’s Public Works Department.

The pump kept floodwaters at bay during the worst flood the state had experienced since 1990.

FORT BEND COUNTY, TX – As floodwaters ravaged the state of Texas during Memorial Day weekend 2015, the water pumps in Simonton were hard at work protecting the city.

The city of Simonton in Fort Bend County, Texas, had been plagued by flooding in the past, but escaped the flood waters of the Brazos River during this recent event largely because of its drainage pumps.

MERCER ISLAND, WA - Mercer Island in Lake Washington is a busy community with a population of 22,000 and high median income. Located east of Seattle, it is accessed only by the Interstate 90 floating bridge. The islanders are totally dependant on two above-ground steel water reservoirs, four million gallon capacity each, as their main water source. This water supply is also essential for fire fighting.

GULFPORT, MS – Legacy Towers stands approximately 150 feet tall on the beach facing the Gulf of Mexico. These new luxury condominiums withstood the powerful 30-foot storm surge and winds of more than 140 miles per hour when Hurricane Katrina struck on August 29, 2005.

FORESTVILLE, CA - Wayne Gibb lives on a quiet street about a quarter of a mile from the banks of the Russian River. But when the rain-swollen river jumped its banks in 1986, Gibb's backyard was flooded with more than 5 feet of water, and the floodwaters poured into more than 30 houses on the block.

WAYNE COUNTY, MI - Located in southeastern Michigan, Wayne County frequently experiences severe weather and tornadoes. In 1997, a dangerous tornado moved through parts of Detroit and the surrounding suburbs of Highland Park and Hamtramck injuring 90 persons. It was the most costly tornado the State had experienced, with damages estimated at $90 million. The tornado traveled nearly 5 miles and was 2,500 yards wide. The tornado was part of an outbreak of 13 tornadoes in southeastern Michigan, the largest number for a single day since records have been kept.

HARRIS COUNTY, TX – For the last 25 years, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, has consistently ranked among the top two cancer care hospitals in the nation, according to a survey published by U.S. News & World Report. The hospital’s staff of more than 19,000 treat an average of 114,000 patients a year from around the world.