UT Medical School Prepares
for 2009 Hurricane Season
| WHAT: | As it prepares for the upcoming hurricane season, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston will host an annual drill to practice closing its flood doors and test all equipment designed to protect the medical school from floodwaters. |
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| WHO: | Meet members of the response team who are responsible for closing the 23 flood doors when the Texas Medical Center flood alert system is activated and there are flood or hurricane warnings. |
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| WHEN: | 9 a.m. Saturday, May 16 |
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| WHERE: | The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6431 Fannin |
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| WHY: | During Tropical Storm Allison in June 2001, an estimated 10 million gallons of floodwater poured into the UT Medical School at Houston, causing more than $87 million in damage to property and contents. As part of the renovations after the storm, the university added three layers of flood protection. The medical school now has an outer berm and sump pit pumps, a hydrostatic wall that provides flood protection 1 foot above the 500-year flood plain and the flood doors. Each flood door is designed so that it may be closed by only one person in under five minutes. The seal status of each door can be monitored by technicians via remote computers to quickly identify possible leaks. The three-layer flood mitigation project was more than $20 million. B-roll and photo opportunities are available. Photographers who would like images of the flood door drill are welcome to attend. Members of the response team also will be available for interviews. Parking can be arranged for those who call 713-500-3030 or 832.755.8950 in advance. |
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