Texas Medical Center Annual Storm Drill: Protecting McGovern Medical School

Annual Storm Preparedness Drill

• 🗓️ UT Health Houston McGovern Medical School conducts an annual drill to test its storm defense system, a practice in place for over two decades.
• 💡 The drill aims to ensure emergency staff, students, and faculty are prepared for hurricane season, emphasizing the importance of personal preparedness at home as well.
• ⚠️ This yearly exercise is crucial for testing flood doors and other protective measures, stemming from lessons learned after Tropical Storm Allison in 2001, which caused significant damage.

Multi-Layered Flood Protection System

• 🧱 The McGovern Medical School is protected by a multi-layered system, starting with an outward berm designed to deflect initial water ingress.
• 💧 Following the berm, a series of large sump pumps are in place to manage water if it breaches the initial defense, creating a reverse moat effect.
• 🏢 The third and most critical layer involves the building's direct protection, including aquarium-level cladding and glass, designed to withstand extreme weather events.

Flood Doors and Building Access

• 🚪 Twenty-three large flood doors, some standing 16 feet tall, are a key component of the protection system, with ongoing tests to ensure their functionality.
• 🛠️ These doors are designed for single-person operation, allowing for rapid deployment in advance of an incoming storm.
• 🔑 The system balances robust protection with the need for continuous access to the building, which houses critical 24/7 operations and research.

Lessons from Tropical Storm Allison

• 📉 Tropical Storm Allison caused over $80 million in damages, leading to the loss of valuable research and medical equipment.
• ✅ The current preparedness measures are focused on safeguarding staff, medical operations, and ongoing research to prevent similar losses in the future.
• 🔧 Drills allow for necessary adjustments and maintenance to be made to the defense systems before the peak of hurricane season.