1. By Hector Guerrero WCM, NWS San Angelo, TX, Chair of TFFC and Roy Sedwick, Co-Chair of TFFC, CFM CEO of Texas Flood Plains Management Association National Flood Workshop Houston, Texas The Texas Flash Flood Coalition

2. TFFC Motivation Most fatalities occurred in flash flood alley

3. 46 reported flood-related drownings in Texas (2007) Over two-thirds of these flood-related drownings were due to flash floods Over half of the flood-related drownings were vehicle-related Nearly 8 of 10 of these vehicle-related incidents occurred between 6 pm and 6 am Go beyond Turn Around…Don’t Drown ® Source: Data collected by the National Weather Service Forecast Office (Austin/San Antonio) and the Texas Floodplain Management Association; technical assistance provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Preliminary information through 10/5/2007. Texas Flash Flood Coalition Motivation

4. Expanding TADD

5. TFFC Stake Holders Area TV Broadcasters Cities of Austin, Bastrop, Houston, Round Rock, San Marcos, San Antonio, Llano, San Saba, and more Council of Governments--CAPCOG Texas Department of State Health Services DPS and Texas Division of Emergency Management Emergency Management Officials from Austin, Bastrop, Round Rock, San Antonio, Travis County and more Harris County Flood Control District LCRA and SARA Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH)

6. TFFC Stake Holders NWS Offices in Texas and The West Gulf River Forecast Center National Weather Service Southern Region Texas Department of Transportation Texas Flood Plain Management Association Texas State University and Texas A&M University of Texas at Austin and San Antonio URS Corporation USGS and more organizations Texas Association of Counties __________________________ Over 25 Public and Private Organizations

7. IFFL Technology Team Education and Awareness Team Warning and Communication Team Research Team Commuter Preparedness Team

8. The Texas Flash Flood Coalition (TFFC) serves as the comprehensive flood resource council for the prevention of flooding injuries and deaths; to prepare Texans for adverse flash flood events; to make recommendations to stakeholders to promote relevant research, education and communications that will save the lives and property of Texans. MissionMission

10. Research Dr. Hatim Sharif, UTSA completed an in depth study of all flood and flash flood fatalities for Texas from 1959 to 2008 primarily using NCDC Storm Data. Photo By: Larry Kolvoord – American Statesman

11. How does Texas compare? RankStateFatalitiesRankStateFatalities 1 Texas840 26Illinois56 2 Pennsylvania265 27Kansas55 3California24628Minnesota55 4South Dakota24429New Jersey50 5Virginia23730Iowa47 6Colorado18531Montana45 7Missouri17432Oregon45 8Mississippi17233Washington39 9North Carolina15534Michigan31 10Wisconsin14935Nevada29 11Ohio14736Utah26 12Kentucky14437North Dakota15 13New York13438West Virginia15 14Tennessee13139Connecticut14 15Arkansas12940Delaware14 16Georgia12041Nebraska14 17Oklahoma11042Wyoming14 18Louisiana10143Maine13 19Maryland10144New Hampshire13 20Arizona8645Vermont11 21Indiana7946Massachusetts7 22Florida7547District of Columbia4 23Alabama6848Idaho4 24New Mexico6849Rhode Island0 25South Carolina64 Flood fatalities for the 48 conterminous states and District Columbia for the 1959-2008 period. Hurricane Katrina fatalities are not included

12. Flood Fatalities by County 1959-2008 Flood fatalities by age (NCDC Storm Data)

13. Flood fatalities by flood type Flood fatalities by category (NCDC Storm Data 1959-08)

14. Time of Day 1959-08 Flood fatalities by time of day (NCDC Storm Data 1959-08)

15. International Flash Flood Laboratory Laboratory focus’ on social science and geo science Held first workshop in 2009 and IFFL developed findings on cost of swift water rescues Unfortunately funding ended for IFFL at Texas State University – San Marcos, TX in August IFFL has been relocated to University of The Incarnate Word in San Antonio, TX

16. Dr. Pam Showalter’s Spring 2010 Upper Division Undergraduate Research 44 counties in proposed Flash Flood Alley: 767 SWR records in those 44 counties, 675 (88%) mapped

17. Only four Fire Departments provided cost estimate Range: $450-$3500/hour (depends of complexity of rescue) Average cost = $1975 Assume each rescue takes 3 hours Result: 2007 “Flash Flood Alley” SWRs cost ~$4,544,000 Not including expenditures by other public service personnel (e.g., police, life flights, etc.) Dr. Pam Showlater and her students

18. TADD Poster Contest City of Austin, NWS, Austin American Statesman and the TFMA Flash Flood Education

19. Texas Flood Plains Management Association is trying to bring a flash flood educational curriculum that has been established in Oklahoma to the State of Texas.

20. FEMA Grant to LCRA and TFMA Grant

21. Radio Advertising Short-notice advertising – Notice by 10 a.m., 5 stations, 15-second spot, – Started running ads at 2 p.m. September 7 – Night-time ads cost as little as $5 per spot – Spanish version on top Spanish station Traditional educational campaign – Three weeks of advertising on 4 radio stations – Included print and online ads Used firefighter for spokesperson

22. Did it Work? Short Notice Ads - 120,000 adults heard ad 3 times Spent $3,200 – Traditional Radio Ads - 600,000 adults heard ad 2 to 3 times One fatality in Austin 7 swift water rescues in Austin

23. Print and Online Advertising

24. Commuter Preparedness Team Inventory Low water crossings

25. Commuter Preparedness Team Inventory Low water crossings Rank, find ones most dangerous Map (like a traffic map) Find website to host map Inventory Low water crossings Rank, find ones most dangerous Map (like a traffic map) Find website to host map

26. Low Water Crossings in Texas by Melinda Luna, TNRIS None Identified As of : 10-18-2010

27. Warning and Communications Dr. Fredrico Subervi of Texas State University will host a workshop on November 5, 2010 to enhance emergency communication strategies.

29. Flash Flood Technology Dr. David Maidment, Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Director Center for Research in Water Resources – Held two TFFC Flash Flood Technology Workshops in Austin this past year to brainstorm ways to develop a technological tool for flash flood situational awareness – Dr. Maidment is also presenting this exciting new information at this workshop

30. Situational Awareness for Flash Flooding By David R. Maidment Director, Center for Research in Water Resources Cockrell School of Engineering University of Texas at Austin Texas Flash Flood Coalition, TFMA Conference, San Marcos, Texas, October 14, 2010

31. Best Practices San Antonio SAFE Program City of Austin Poster Contest City of Austin Flood Warning

32. San Antonio SAFE Program www.safloodsafe.com

34. TADD Poster Contest City of Austin, NWS, Austin American Statesman and the TFMA City of Austin Poster Contest

35. TxDOT Dynamic Messaging Signs Review warning text to make it more direct, clear and immediate TxDOT Dynamic Messaging Signs display’s Turn Around Don’t Drown during times of significant, life threatening flooding across Texas

36. Flood Warning in Austin Can I take this road home? Is my house going to flood? Using Predictive Modeling and Mapping Flood Early Warning System Susan Janek, P.E., CFM Janna Renfro, P.E., CFM

37. The End rdsedwick@austin.rr.com Hector.guerrero@noaa.gov National Flood Workshop Houston, Texas The Texas Flash Flood Coalition