TIMELINES  Note:  Phased Evacuation times will be adjusted based on storm speed and intensity.  Periods between timelines may be shortened or lengthened depending on the storm.

PHASE 1:  40 hours prior to the onset of 35 MPH winds (Tropical Conditions)
DESCRIPTION:  VOLUNTARY EVACUATION of all special needs residents, nursing homes, home health care patients, tourists and vacationers in Aransas County.
HAZARD:  Category 1-5 hurricane
ESTIMATED AFFECTED POPULATION:  1,000 to 2,500
EVACUATION ROUTES:  SH 188 to IH 37.  SH 35 north to FM 239 to US 77 or US 183.

PHASE 2:  32 hours prior to the onset of 35 MPH winds (Tropical Conditions)
DESCRIPTION:  MANDATORY EVACUATION of all special needs residents, nursing homes, home health care patients, tourists and vacationers in Aransas County.  All residents living in mobile homes or along the water front/canals or low lying areas that normally flood with heavy rains or high tides.
HAZARD:  Category 1-5 hurricane
ESTIMATED AFFECTED POPULATION:  5,000
EVACUATION ROUTES:  SH 188 to IH 37.  SH 35 north to FM 239 to US 77 or US 183

PHASE 3:  24 hours prior to the onset of 35 MPH winds (Tropical Conditions)
DESCRIPTION:  MANDATORY EVACUATION of all residents and those not deemed essential employees by business such as banks, food service, pharmacies, fuel supply, grocery/emergency supply stores and those in the oil, gas and chemical industry.
HAZARD:  Category 1-5 hurricane
ESTIMATED AFFECTED POPULATION:  15,000
EVACUATION ROUTES:  SH 188 to IH 37.  SH 35 north to FM 239 to US 77 or US 183

PHASE 4:  16 hours prior to the onset of 35 MPH winds (Tropical Conditions)
DESCRIPTION:  MANDATORY EVACUATION of all remaining residents.  Essential employees of businesses such as banks, food service, pharmacies, fuel supply, grocery/emergency supply stores and thosse in the oil, gas and chemical industry begin to reduce staff.
HAZARD:  Category 1-5 hurricane
ESTIMATED AFFECTED POPULATION:  5,000
EVACUATION ROUTES:  SH 188 to US 181 or IH 37.  SH 35 north or south.

PHASE 5:  8 hours prior to the onset of 35 MPH winds
DESCRIPTION:  MANDATORY EVACUATION of all residents, employees or volunteers left in Aransas County whether deemed essential or not that have planned to leave. 
HAZARD:  Category 1-5 hurricane
ESTIMATED AFFECTED POPULATION:  2,500
EVACUATION ROUTES:  SH 188 to US 181 or IH 37.  SH 35 north or south.

PHASE 6:  4 hours prior to the onset of 35 MPH winds
DESCRIPTION:  MANDATORY EVACUATION of all residents, employees or volunteers left in Aransas County.
HAZARD:  Category 4 or 5 hurricane with possible 20 foot or higher tidal surge.
ESTIMATED AFFECTED POPULATION:  1,000
EVACUATION ROUTES:  SH 188 to Sinton.  SH 35 north to FM 774 to Refugio.

MANDATORY EVACUATION:  An order by the County Judge and/or Mayor(s) that a state of local disaster exists or is imminent within their jurisdication, to the extent that emergency services will not be able to respond to assist anyone who has chosen not to follow said order.

SPECIAL NEEDS RESIDENT (BY STATE DEFINITION):
LEVEL 1:   Persons dependent on others or in need of others for routine care.  Transportation by buses, trains, airplanes or personal autos.
LEVEL 2:  Persone with disabilities such as the blind, hearing impaired, amputation and deaf/blind.  Transportaiton by buses, trains, airplanes or personal autos.
LEVEL 3:  Persons requiring assistance with medical care administration, monitoring by a nurse, dependent on equipment, assistance with medications and mental health disorders.  Transportation by buses, trains, airplanes, personal autos or handicap buses.
LEVEL 4:  Persons outside an institutional faciity care setting who require extensive medical oversight.  Transportation by ground or air ambulance, buses, trains, airplanes or handicap buses.
LEVEL 5:  Persons in institutional settings such as hospitals, long-term carfe facilities, assisted living facilities and state schools.  Transportation by ground or air ambulance, buses, trains, airplanes or handicap buses.

    When a hurricane threatens, evacuating is the smartest move.  Make your evacuation plan now and discuss it with family, friends and relatives.  Put an emergency supply kit together now.  Make sure your vehicle is in good repair.  Make a checklist of what you need to do before you leave. 
REVERSE 911 EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM
    During an emergency, the City of Rockport and Aransas County will implement the REVERSE 911 Emergency Notification System.  The words EMERGENCY MSG will appear on Caller ID.  The system will call each telephone number in the database.  Once answered, the system will deliver a short voice message to you or your answering machine.  If the call is not answered or if the line is busy, the system will attempt to make the call again.  The database of telephone numbers includes all published and unpublished telephone numbers.  Cellular telephone numbers are not automatically included in the database.  If you use a cell phone as your primary telephone, please contact the Public Safety Center at 361-729-1111 and provide your name, address and cell phone number.
SPECIAL NEEDS
    If you will need additional assistance with activiities of daily living in the event of a disaster or emergency AND you have no other means to evacuate if a hurricane threatens, call 211 and register your name, address and special need.  This information will be given to the Aransas County Emergency Operations Center so your needs can be addressed in the event of an evacuation.
1610 AM EMERGENCY ADVISORY RADIO STATION
    The City of Rockport owns and operates a low-power emergency advisory radio station broadcasting 24 hours a day on 1610 kilohertz AM.  In the event of an emergency, tune to this radio station for public safety information, advisories and announcements.
WWW.CITYOFROCKPORT.COM
    Check the City of Rockport's website for information during tropical storm events.  The website is based in another state and will remain operational even if power is out in Rockport.  In the event of a mandatory evacuation, selected City staff will relocate to the Austin area and update the website with information from Rockport.

    Listen frequently to radio, TV and NOAA weather radio for bulletins and forecasts of a storm's progress.  Double check items in your emergency supply kit.  Service and fuel your vehicles.  Inspect and secure mobile home tie-downs.  If you plan on staying, make sure you have supplies to survive on your own for at least one week.  Board up windows in case the storm moves quickly and you have to leave.  Store lawn furniture and other loose, light-weight objects, such as garbage cans and garden tools.  Get extra cash in case power does out and ATMs do not work.  Check with your boat manufacturer for proper ways to secure your boat during a storm.  Consider arrangements to move your boat well in advance of an approaching storm.  Trailer boats should be removed from the water and securely stored at least 48 hours before the onset of tropical force winds.  Follow the instructions issued by the Aransas County Emergency Operations Center.  Evacuate immediately if ordered to do so.
    When hurricane conditions threaten, check your emergency supplies.  You'll need non-perishable food, water, batteries, cash and credit cards.  Take copies of medical prescriptions and insurance information as well as products for any special health care needs and special products for babies and the elderly.  Keep your gas tank full and listen for instructions from the Aransas County Emergency Operations Center.

When hurricane conditions threaten, be smart.  Don't make traffic worse.  If you have extra vehicles, get them out early before a mandatory evacuation.  If you wait until the mandatory evacuation, take only one vehicle.  Remember, if you want to travel with a boat, camper, RV or an extra car or truck, don't crowd the highways.  Get these extra vehicles out before a mandatory evacuation is ordered.

Hurricanes are extremely dangerous.  Make evacuation plans in advance.  Keep highway maps in your car and learn evacuation routes before the storm.  When the Aransas County Emergency Operations Center calls for a mandatory evacuation, highways will be crowded.  Watch for Texas Department of Transportation highway signs and listen to your car radio.  Remember, make travel plans in advance.  Expect your trip to take longer than usual.

When hurricane conditions threaten, make special plans for babies, the elderly and medically fragile family members.  Make sure your emergency kit includes supplies and equipment for special health care needs and supplies for babies and the elderly.  Avoid crowded highways.  Leave before the mandatory evacuation begins.

The City of Rockport’s Hurricane Response Plan contains the provision to turn off water, sewer and natural gas service in the event of a disaster. The reason for this is the protection of the water/wastewater systems and facilities and for safety in the case of natural gas.
    The Rockport Utility System, which provides water service to Rockport, Fulton, portions of Aransas County and two private water companies, has to balance the needs of its customers with the protection of its assets.
    Our water storage facilities, particularly the two elevated water towers, can only withstand the force of a major hurricane if they are full. During Hurricane Ike, the San Patricio Municipal Water District informed the City that they intended to shut down their water treatment plant and pumps as the hurricane approached, which would leave the City without a replenishment supply.
    Hurricane Dolly destroyed numerous private piers with water lines in Willacy County which completely drained all of their elevated and ground storage tanks overnight.
    The Rockport Utility filled all tanks at the first notice of the impending hurricane. To ensure they remained full, the Utility was prepared to shut off the distribution system in phases, beginning with low lying areas. Based on the approach, size and intensity of the hurricane, other areas would have been turned off.
    The Rockport Utility System would also have shut off power to wastewater lift stations. Lessons from Hurricane Katrina and Rita in other jurisdictions taught us that energized lift stations, when flooded, causes such extensive damage that it takes many months to restore the wastewater collection system.
    With the expectation that Hurricane Ike would destroy homes and businesses along the water and in some cases inland, the Plan also envisions isolating portions of the natural gas distribution system. Broken natural gas lines where structures used to be brings the risk of explosion and fire. Due to Hurricane Ike, one of the two natural gas suppliers stated they “may suspend gas receipts and deliveries … beginning sometime during the day of Thursday, September 11, 2008.” As the Rockport Utility does not store natural gas, loss of both natural gas suppliers would effectively shut down the Rockport natural gas distribution system.
    All of the Rockport Utility System plans are to protect the infrastructure and provide for safety so, after a disaster like Galveston is experiencing, the City of Rockport can measure recovery in days or weeks instead of months.

                                        The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale

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The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a 1-5 rating based on the hurricane's present intensity. This is used to give an estimate of the potential property damage and flooding expected along the coast from a hurricane landfall. Wind speed is the determining factor in the scale, as storm surge values are highly dependent on the slope of the continental shelf and the shape of the coastline, in the landfall region. Note that all winds are using the U.S. 1-minute average.

Category One Hurricane:
Winds 74-95 mph (64-82 kt or 119-153 km/hr). Storm surge generally 4-5 ft above normal. No real damage to building structures. Damage primarily to unanchored mobile homes, shrubbery, and trees. Some damage to poorly constructed signs. Also, some coastal road flooding and minor pier damage. Hurricane Lili of 2002 made landfall on the Louisiana coast as a Category One hurricane. Hurricane Gaston of 2004 was a Category One hurricane that made landfall along the central South Carolina coast.

Category Two Hurricane:
Winds 96-110 mph (83-95 kt or 154-177 km/hr). Storm surge generally 6-8 feet above normal. Some roofing material, door, and window damage of buildings. Considerable damage to shrubbery and trees with some trees blown down. Considerable damage to mobile homes, poorly constructed signs, and piers. Coastal and low-lying escape routes flood 2-4 hours before arrival of the hurricane center. Small craft in unprotected anchorages break moorings. Hurricane Frances of 2004 made landfall over the southern end of Hutchinson Island, Florida as a Category Two hurricane. Hurricane Isabel of 2003 made landfall near Drum Inlet on the Outer Banks of North Carolina as a Category 2 hurricane.

Category Three Hurricane:
Winds 111-130 mph (96-113 kt or 178-209 km/hr). Storm surge generally 9-12 ft above normal. Some structural damage to small residences and utility buildings with a minor amount of curtainwall failures. Damage to shrubbery and trees with foliage blown off trees and large trees blown down. Mobile homes and poorly constructed signs are destroyed. Low-lying escape routes are cut by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Flooding near the coast destroys smaller structures with larger structures damaged by battering from floating debris. Terrain continuously lower than 5 ft above mean sea level may be flooded inland 8 miles (13 km) or more. Evacuation of low-lying residences with several blocks of the shoreline may be required. Hurricanes Jeanne and Ivan of 2004 were Category Three hurricanes when they made landfall in Florida and in Alabama, respectively.

Category Four Hurricane:
Winds 131-155 mph (114-135 kt or 210-249 km/hr). Storm surge generally 13-18 ft above normal. More extensive curtainwall failures with some complete roof structure failures on small residences. Shrubs, trees, and all signs are blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Extensive damage to doors and windows. Low-lying escape routes may be cut by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Major damage to lower floors of structures near the shore. Terrain lower than 10 ft above sea level may be flooded requiring massive evacuation of residential areas as far inland as 6 miles (10 km). Hurricane Charley of 2004 was a Category Four hurricane made landfall in Charlotte County, Florida with winds of 150 mph. Hurricane Dennis of 2005 struck the island of Cuba as a Category Four hurricane.

Category Five Hurricane:
Winds greater than 155 mph (135 kt or 249 km/hr). Storm surge generally greater than 18 ft above normal. Complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings. Some complete building failures with small utility buildings blown over or away. All shrubs, trees, and signs blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Severe and extensive window and door damage. Low-lying escape routes are cut by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Major damage to lower floors of all structures located less than 15 ft above sea level and within 500 yards of the shoreline. Massive evacuation of residential areas on low ground within 5-10 miles (8-16 km) of the shoreline may be required. Only 3 Category Five Hurricanes have made landfall in the United States since records began: The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, Hurricane Camille (1969), and Hurricane Andrew in August, 1992. The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane struck the Florida Keys with a minimum pressure of 892 mb--the lowest pressure ever observed in the United States. Hurricane Camille struck the Mississippi Gulf Coast causing a 25-foot storm surge, which inundated Pass Christian. Hurricane Katrina, a category 5 storm over the Gulf of Mexico, was still responsible for at least 81 billion dollars of property damage when it struck the U.S. Gulf Coast as a category 3. It is by far the costliest hurricane to ever strike the United States. In addition, Hurricane Wilma of 2005 was a Category Five hurricane at peak intensity and is the strongest Atlantic tropical cyclone on record with a minimum pressure of 882 mb.