• WILLIAM P. CLEMENTS, JR. GOVERNOR STATE OF TEXAS OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR AUSTIN. TEXAS 7 8 711 TO: Hurricane Gilbert File FROM: Rider Scott RE: TDC Impact September 14, 1988 /0.0.1 Coo" The magnitude and severity of Hurricane Gilbert has the potential to impact certain structures within the Texas Department of Corrections system. Preparations for the landfall of a storm of this size have been under way throughout the week of September 12, 1988. There are two units which are in the surge and tidal area of the storm, should the landfall be in the mid-coast area of the Texas shoreline. Due to the counterclockwise motion of the hurricane winds, surge tides and flooding damage are at maximum levels east of the point of the landfall. Therefore, the Retrieve and Clemens Units in Brazoria County are at risk since they are only ten miles from the coast. These units are currently planned to be evacuated, with the 1700 inmates being moved to the Darrington, Ramsey I and Ramsey II Units. Additionally, sustained winds of Hurricane Gilbert are now set at 160 miles per hour while over the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Rejuvenation of the storm with an increase in the winds is expected once it reenters the warm gulf waters. Metal buildings, utilized by the Texas Department of Corrections are designed to withstand no more than sustained winds of 100 miles per hour and periods of gusts which may be higher. Therefore, trusty camps in the path of the storm could not withstand full force sustained winds of the level currently being produced by Hurricane Gilbert. Inmates in the Ramsey III Unit, a metal dormitory unit, will be parceled out to units in the immediate vicinity as well as those who reside in Jester III, which will be sent to the Wynne farm. The trusty camps in the proximity of Jester II and Central will be moved into the main building structures which are designed to sustain higher wind velocities. The classification constraints and movement restrictions of these large numbers of prisoners will require utilization of the TDC vehicle fleet. There will not be sufficient manpower or resources to process incoming prisoners during the period of time the units are being evacuated and reassigned. For that reason, the Texas Department of Corrections has authorized closure of the facility to new admissions effective 1:00 P.M. this date, September 14, 1988. A teletype to that effect has been sent to all County Sheriffs by the agency.