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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 24, 1985)
Wednesday, July 24, 1985/The Battalion/Page 3 NTH ec d and sail t as lonjai omeones ie Americ; ■ ex-admit Whenife uxuriouse he Japans s you tole sidentof' an said, “ti felt I y-” i making rs, what e iking arm: ow to mal to givey ercnce Board itor ‘vvs Editor ;e Editor or Editor ditor f thennet xnt falter StwiJ Karen Bloc' 1 , | (;rr yOslin- rianPeafi* rent LeopoW EdCassavof Cheryl art Pallmef 8 thenne n .Greg Bad bony Cas^ 1 r fJc'’TT . ' \0 W are nistntoft ,jn oerW 1 * I" ' ' - - ' ' ■' ' J ' "" J '"L • " STATE AWDLOCAL M# S' Hurricanes Computers aid storm planning By HADDON JOHNSTON Reporter SLOSH is the newest method of hurricane studies — without it, hurricane planning would not be as effective. The National Weather Serv ice’s computer model, SLOSH, (Sea, Lake, and Overland Surge from Hurricanes), is the basis for hurricane awareness and safety along the Texas coast, and helps researchers inform others on how to lessen the effects of potentially damaging storms. In Texas, the Governor’s Divi sion of Emergency Management (DEM), is responsible for public awareness and storm planning. However, since 1979, researchers at Texas A&M have been inter preting the mathematical models of hurricanes for the DEM. These computer-simulated storms enable A&M researchers to estimate hurricanes’ character istics and the damage they might bringj. The three study phases of hurricane forecast in Texas — vulnerability, evacuation and con tingency — are studied in five designated “problem” areas along its coast. Carlton Ruch, research scien tist and director of the A&M pro gram, says the five major bay areas which constitute hurricane basins are: Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Matagorda, Houston/Gal veston and Lake Sabine. The SLOSH models inter preted at A&M are taken from computer printouts furnished by the National Hurricane Center’s office in Miami, Fla. “The federal government came up with some programs for better planning to mitigate the ef fects of hurricanes and we (re search division of the architecture college) became involved,” Ruch says. “The hurricane research done at A&M is unique in Texas,” Ruch says, “because we prepare and coordinate studies for the DEM.” Ruch and his staff receive a se ries of printouts for an area, ex tract all relevant data from it, and prepare emergency management f *rograms in conjunction with of- icials in each area. The programs are distributed along the Texas coast. These programs aid public awareness by showing zones sus ceptible to flooding and damag ing winds, and the time required for evacuation of each area. Plans for evacuation and vul nerability are well developed, but the hurricane contingency plan is relatively new. All plans are up dated every five years. “We work with local govern ments to find out how best to or ganize and plan to minimize the effects of hurricanes,” Ruch says. The three study phases should be carefully considered by each emergency management director (the mayor or county judge). The director should be aware of all aids available in making any evac uation decicions, Ruch says. The key aids are utilized by the DEM based on the research at A&M. “We’re not like a chair of wis dom with all the answers,” Ruch says, “our position here at A&M is to provide state-of-the-art esti mates that are better than gues ses.” Florida Associated Press MIAMI — Tropical St drenched the southeast coast Tuesday night as ers warned it was, not exj dissipate during the hi days and could even strength over the warm waters. “We ate not fore debut. It’s hard to say I • going to go in the- nbxt fet said National Hurricane forecaster Oil Clark. ( No injuries resulting high seas, gusts of40-5< torrential rains that cause flooding were reported Ida’s coasts. ; • ••'. -I • I j. Bob, the first of the . II lantic hurricane season’s to hit land, waded ash< Tuesday .morning aloi rm Boh lorida irecast- 2Cted to jb few' gather itlantic »re it's »m the jh and some B At- <torms g the The sustained winds of 46 mph punished beaches and temporar ily dosing some coastal roads he- , fore the storm moved east. V As of 9 p,m< EDT, Bob's broa dening center was moving toward the Atlantic, for overnight, the] weather service said. Professor says B-CS area’s concern Is rainfall By BRETT MCGLAUN Reporter The heart of the hurricane sea son is fast approaching. Although Bryan and College Station are not as vulnerable as coastline cities, residents can take measures to prepare for bad storms. Dr. James Scoggins, professor and head of the meteorology de partment at Texas A&M, says August is the month with the most hurricane activity. “Over the past 30 years, Au gust is the highest with Septem ber close to that,” he says. Scoggins says that by the time a hurricane has reached this area it has lost most of it’s energy — the only thing Bryan-College Station residents have to worry about is the heavy rainfall. “People should be prepared for flooding and moderate winds, but the number one concern is flooding,” Scoggins says. The National Oceanic and At mospheric Administration sug gests a check list of things to do before a possible flood: •Keep a flashlight and candles where tney can be found. •Make sure first aid supplies are available. •Keep a stock of food which requires little or no cooking or re frigeration. •Make sure there is a portable radio with the candles and flash- light. And, if a storm does develop with the potential for flooding: •Check the status of food, flashlight batteries and first aid supplies. •Tune in to local radio and television stations for storm pro gress. •Put gas in the car — just in case. Local radio and television sta tions work in cooperation with national and local weather serv ices to keep people up to date on severe weather conditions. They use terms such as flash-flood watch and flash-flood warning to evaluate flood situations. If a watch is issued, the poten tial for flooding in a specified area is present. And if a warning is issued, flooding is occurring and warrants prompt reaction. MADD expanding free ride program Associated Press HOUSTON — A Houston-area chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving says it will expand an experi mental program offering free cab rides year-round for intoxicated people. Twenty-five local businesses that serve alcohol also will participate in the program, sponsored by the Yel low Cab Co. and MADD’s Harris County chapter, said organizers for the new service. MADD has sponsored the free cab ride program on New Year’s Eve for the past four years but will now offer it throughout the year, said Bill Kill- ingsworth, director of the project. Local businesses that serve alcho- hol pay $400 if they wish to partici pate in the program, Killingsworth said. The businesses then receive ride vouchers that they give to taxi drivers when a client needs a ride. Yellow Cab then bills MADD for the Service. The program.has been offered on a test basis since February, but Kill ingsworth said it was so successful that MADD is trying to recruit more business members. Last New Year’s Eve, 850 people took advantage of the ride vouchers, and not one drunken driving fatality was reported for the first New Year’s $ up * * ' Reed ytcDomji rX liM nil. ' es Tlie fat Siii‘ l0n ‘ EH for non-students. . ^ —-upw STUDENTS AGAINST APARTHEID; k meeting m 7:50 J | ,m, in 120 Hekfenfeis. Ham to increase local awareness of ' ie problem of apartheid in South Africa tn ‘ •*' ’ M5€ OPEN HOUSE COMMITTEE: us having a meeting for i |Jy: v anyone interested in membership in 352 MSC at 7:30 are I Texas AFL-CIO begins labor meeting today Associated Press AUSTIN — National Democratic Party chairman Paul Kirk is among those scheduled to speak this week to the Texas AFL-CIO convention, which opens today. The four-day meeting will draw some 1,500 delegates from 900 local unions. Kirk, longtime aide to Sen. Ed ward Kennedy, D-Mass., was elected in January to help rebuild the party after the overwhelming 1984 elec tion losses. $49 00 Move-In! You want a spacious efficiency? WILLOWICK has it for $260!! You want a roomy one bedroom? WILLOWICK has it for $295!! . You want a homey two bedroom? WILLOWICK has it for $345!! LIMITED TIME ©FEED Oh yes... 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Expert assistance with selections and fittings. Park Place Plaza Texas Ave. @ Southwest Pkwy College Station 693-9358 '?A3(grn ifnaw—iter Eve in several years, Killingsworth said. Local club managers say they’ve found the program to be successful and financially feasible. “We were pTobably paying well over $400 a year for cab fares before we joined this program,” said Henry, whose club paid for individ ual taxi rides before joining the MADD project. THE BOOT BARN Largest Selection Lowest Prices in The Bra zos Valley HOURS: M-SAT. 9:30-6 2.5 Miles east of the Brazos Center on FM 1179 (Briarcrest Dr.) In Bryan, Tx. 822-0247 Among his first acts as chairman was to travel to Atlanta to meet with Democratic Party leaders from 13 Southern states, where Republicans have been making inroads in once- solid Democratic territory. Several state officials also will ad dress the delegates, including Gov. Mark White, Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby, Agriculture Commissioner Jim Hightower, Land Commissioner Garry Mauro, Comptroller Bob Bul lock, Attorney General Jim Mattox and U.S. Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez of San Antonio, who as a young man was a union organizer. MSC GROVE 85 At-A-Glance July 24-30 48Houts gisseiiss^ Topi'®- A&M Students with I.D 1.00 Non-Students 1.50 Children (7-12) 1.25 Children (6 and under) ....FREE Showtime 8:45pm SESSION PASS 12.00 Gate Opens 8:00pm SUMMER PASS 20.00