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FEMA/ATCS: Houston Flooding

Challenge:

Tropical Storm Allison, which struck Southeast Texas on June 9, 2001, was the costliest tropical storm in the nation's history. Property damage ran to five billion dollars, with a death toll of 22 people it also displaced some 7,000 people from their homes. The Texas Medical Center - the largest medical center in the world - also sustained substantial damage. An estimated ten million gallons of floodwater swamped the building to a level of about 22 feet. When the rains stopped, about 32 inches of rain had fallen on Houston.

IBTS Solutions:

  • Once Harris County became eligible to receive Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding, IBTS, in conjunction with ATCS, provided full-time staff assistance for several months to assist FEMA's Texas Medical Center Task Force with building code- and standard-related issues.
  • IBTS was able to provide technical assistance by determining eligibility for funding of all code-related changes to construction made during the reconstruction.
  • IBTS also assisted in evaluating flood mitigation proposals for technical feasibility and for the verification of entry point elevations.

Benefits:

The role IBTS played in this project resulted in the expeditious and cost-effective use of Federal resources and funds to bring essential institutions back into use as quickly as possible.