Tropical Storm Readiness Levels

Katy ISD uses four operational levels to prepare for tropical weather (hurricanes)

Readiness Level 4 – Normal Operations

Throughout the school year, the district will plan for tropical weather in the site selection and design of new facilities. The district will develop and maintain a close working relationship with the emergency management staff at the Harris County Office of Emergency Management, Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management, City of , and the Texas State Regional Liaison Officer (RLO) for Region 2a and 2c. The district will also participate in regional planning and exercises.

Readiness Level 3 – Increased Readiness

The Superintendent, acting as Emergency Manager, may increase readiness based on weather conditions including the start of hurricane season, or the existence of tropical weather systems in a zone favorable for development and storm tracts projected to strike the coast.

Increased readiness activities include

• Fueling vehicles and equipment, and if needed, refilling fuel storage tanks
• Removing debris and anchoring items used or stored outside of district facilities
• Issuing advisories to staff to begin personal hurricane preparations
• Moving valuable items and critical documents into interior rooms and elevating those items at least three inches above the floor
• Inspection of roofs and yards at school and facilities to prepare for high winds
• Inspection of flood control features to ensure outfalls are clear of debris
• Participation in state conference calls
• Placing key staff on standby
• Confirming emergency communications systems are working

Readiness Level 2 – High Readiness

When a tropical weather system threatens to make landfall along the coast in Calhoun, Matagorda, Brazoria, , Harris or Chambers counties, or when requests for mutual aid are received, the Superintendent, acting as Emergency Manager, may activate Readiness Level 2.

High Readiness activities include:

• Activating the Katy ISD emergency operations center
• Placing resources on alert to be ready to respond
• Opening a shelter for key personnel and their families
• Developing an incident action plan for approval by the Superintendent
• Receiving requests for mutual aid and evaluating the capacity of the district to provide the requested assistance

Readiness Level 1 - Maximum Readiness

The Superintendent, acting as Emergency Manager, may determine that conditions or response actions require the district be placed in maximum readiness. When the district is at maximum readiness the Katy ISD hurricane area command will be activated.

Area command will develop an incident plan. Activities likely to be included in the incident action plan include:

• Support for regional evacuation operations
• Providing a safe location for sister districts in evacuation areas to store school buses
• Providing a place for the United States Coast Guard to relocate command operations from the
• Providing staging areas for emergency assets moved into the area or moved inland from the coast evacuation zones
• Providing refuge of last resort
• Arranging for an orderly re-entry and restarting schools
• Assessing damage and making repairs
• Re-opening schools
• Recovering cost form insurance, mutual aid recipients, the state, and FEMA