Information Only
February 27, 2006
TO THE ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED:
SUBJECT: Texas Hurricane Conference 2006, May 23-25, Beaumont, Texas
The events of the 2005 hurricane season were truly unprecedented. Texas first responders,
elected officials, the education community, and citizens of our state responded with
overwhelming courage and generosity as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck the Gulf Coast area
of our country. The State of Texas alone evacuated more than three million residents from the
Texas Gulf Coast ahead of Hurricane Rita. Almost every county in the state was involved in
evacuating or sheltering these displaced citizens.
As a result of these experiences, we learned many lessons, and we have much to share with each
other. To this end, the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management is hosting “Texas
Hurricane Conference 2006” on May 23-25, 2006 at the Ford Park Convention Center in
Beaumont, Texas.
This conference is a unique opportunity for local officials and first responders from coastal cities
and towns to meet with their counterparts from the inland communities that will shelter hurricane
evacuees. Volunteer organizations, emergency management professionals and first responders
will join with local leaders to discuss key issues involved in evacuation, sheltering and the
reentry process after the storm. The goal is to share information and improve coordination
among our communities in planning to respond to a catastrophic storm. Topics will include
planning for special needs populations, hurricane debris management, National Weather Service
hurricane products, issues for industry, computer modeling programs to help local officials make
evacuation decisions, surge models, re-entry and short-term recovery, the Incident Command
System short course and more.
For more information, contact the Division of Agency Infrastructure at 512-463-9045 or visit the
Governor’s Division of Emergency Management website at http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem/.
Look for the topic “Hurricane Conference 2006”.
Sincerely,
Ernie Zamora, Ph.D.
Associate Commissioner
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