On Sept. 8, 1908, a devastating hurricane killed between 8,000 and 12,000 residents of Galveston, Texas. The US weather service was in its infancy. Hurricanes didnt have names. No one kept accurate death records. Those who survived Americas worst natural disaster knew they could not prevent other hurricanes. In time, the weather service grew in accuracy and coordination. Galveston erected enormous sea walls and rebuilt itself on formidable stilts. Eventually, the people of Galveston believed that next time, it would be better.
And it has been successively better, everywhere until Katrina hit three years ago. A delayed, inadequate response from both federal and state officials contributed to the high death toll as much as damaged levees and storm surges. Once again, America returned to the preparedness drawing board. The next time, they promised, it would be better.
By the time Hurricane Gustav swirled into New Orleans on Labor Day weekend this year, almost everyone had been evacuated. True, the storm declined in strength and the levees held. But the real saving grace was when New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin told everyone to clear out of Dodge. Sometimes only the most direct, unflinching language inspires sufficient fear to flee and it was better.
Then, in the early morning hours of Sept. 13, Hurricane Ike positioned itself to strike the Gulf Coast of Texas, the state of Louisiana and even Houston. Galveston, whose tides began raging a day earlier, was in big trouble. If you try to ride this one out, officials declared, it could mean death. The majority left; about 90,000 stayed. Reporters who struggled to keep their balance in the wind invoked the Galveston storm of 1900. But lessons had been learned, and taken seriously. Ike was ugly. It could have been much worse.
No, you cant fool Mother Nature. But if you heed the facts, warnings and best laid human plans, you can outsmart her long enough to live.
