Thread: Request for assistance in Texas

This was sent to me just now incase any Texas folks may be interested

From: Pekar, Gregory [mailto:Gregory.Pekar@txdps.state.tx.us]
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 7:00 PM
Subject: Request for Assistance, Wide Dissemination
Impacted jurisdictions will have a demand in the days following hurricane Ike’s landfall to 'red-tag'
a massive number of storm damaged residential and commercial properties. Red-tagged
structures require a building permit before permanent repair.
The Hurricane Ike Public Works Response Team (PWRT) can be used to allow building code
personnel from non-impacted communities across the state to temporarily come to the aid of the
damaged communities, and to do so without taking on the financial burden themselves.
Reimbursement will be made for time, travel and other approved expenses up to State of Texas
approved rates.
This commitment can be short or long, a day or two, up to as long as it takes, based on your
availability. This activity will be after basic restoration of critical resources have been completed,
however you should expect only basic lodging accommodations and meals; alternatively you may
find yourself driving in and out of the impacted area on a daily basis from a base camp outside
the impacted area.
So, we are looking for qualified building inspectors. If you, or any other member of your
municipality, company or neighboring community or company qualify and can assist please
contact me directly. You do not have to be a Public Works Response Team member to
participate in this assignment, although this will now become a new category of resource within
the PWRT.
If interested, message Tony Alotto. His contact information is below.
=====================================
|| Tony Alotto
|| GDEM - State Operations Center
|| TEEX - Public Works Response Team
|| 979-575-7759 (Cell)
|| 512-424-2208 (SOC)
|| tony.alotto@teexmail.tamu.edu
=====================================
Thanks, Gregory Pekar
GDEM Mitigation 512-424-2429

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I just got 2 more emails from Texas officials - please do not respond unless you are licensed in Texas. They have been inundated with phone calls. Texas HIs must respond by email not phone.

And they do not want any help from outside Texas either.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

And they do not want any help from outside Texas either.

That why I said if

"This was sent to me just now in case any "Texas" folks may be interested"

I did not call but I was curious about the offering per day plus per diem, plus gas and travel.

Mr. Peck

If they were to allow folks in from all over the place then they would have to let us Oklahoma inspectors go in also.Maybe they don't want the liability.
Oh by the way your a patient man with the boy.

Darn, I was packing my bags until Jerry explained it to me. Texas's loss.

Originally Posted by Ted Menelly

That why I said if

"This was sent to me just now in case any "Texas" folks may be interested"

I know that is what was said, but I figured, hey, if they need help ... and they don't need *that much* help.

I asked if they thought days/weeks/months, their response was days/weeks, not months.

I did not call but I was curious about the offering per day plus per diem, plus gas and travel.

I asked that too, however, because I do not work for a municipality in Texas, nor am I currently a Texas licensed inspector, they did not bother getting past the 'only Texans' part.

I figured they would have "months" of work ahead of them. They are only figuring "days or weeks". I suspect they will be surprised at how daunting the task becomes, putting a red tag *on each* structure.

Maybe they should fly over in a Cessna 172 and drop red tags, saturating the sky with red tags, and any house on which a red tag lands, that house 'has been red tagged'. Now that would takes "days or weeks" and not "months".

From what I have seen, the beach homes are no longer a problem. They are no longer there to tag.

Originally Posted by Jim Luttrall

From what I have seen, the beach homes are no longer a problem. They are no longer there to tag.

Jim,

True, but ... Hurricane Ike did not contain its damage to only "the beach homes". *A lot* of other buildings were damaged too.

Originally Posted by Jim Luttrall

From what I have seen, the beach homes are no longer a problem. They are no longer there to tag.

Shoot, send me down there. I'll red tag all those missing homes.

The problem is. I think (and I did not talk to them) that they are thinking a state wage pay per day and expenses. They say compensate you for your time, hmmmm. I wonder who is figuring what your time is worth?????

There are thousand upon thousands of homes that have to be looked at. Probably most in the huricanes path. This is not a home inspection. I am sure it is a anything beyond minor repairs needs a red tag to insure safety. If anything is getting repaired after red tagging then the home owner and contractor get fined.