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Galveston jail unprepared for Ike aftermath

When the Galveston Sheriff chose to make jail inmates and deputies ride out Hurricane Ike despite warnings to evacuate or face "certain death," the justification was that the jail was on high ground and built to withstand hurricane force winds.That overlooked two important factors: First, the main risk was flooding; fortunately the worst of Ike barely missed Galveston, but here's the official pre-storm prediction of how a worst-case scenario would have engulfed the jail along with the rest of the island had it happened. (The blog Facing South has an update including post-storm pictures of the jail released yesterday by the Sheriff.)Second, and this is the problem they're struggling with now - once the storm has passed the jail is stranded in a disaster area with no electricity, running water or working toilets, reported the Houston Chronicle:"We've been trying to get some power hooked up inside the justice center," [jail architect Dudley] Anderson said...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on September 17, 2008 (boomark / email).