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Southern Yacht Club Evacuation Plan

General

Because of its geographical location, the Southern Yacht Club is subject to hurricane conditions and rising waters from Lake Pontchartrain. To minimize damage and injury, timely warning must be given to permit precautionary measures to be taken. The club manager has advised that the “critical” time period is 18 hours. This plan establishes the hurricane conditions and actions to be taken in the event that the SYC is subject to a hurricane.

To implement the plan, the chain of command will be the following:

1.    2009 Chairman of Hurricane Preparedness Committee - Julian Richards
2.    Co-Chairmen of the Hurricane Preparedness Committee - Tom Long
3.    Commodore - Jim Wade
4.    Vice Commodore - Dwight Leblanc
5.    Secretary/Treasurer - Merlin Wilson
6.    Club Manager - Tim Fitzpatrick
7.    Club Assistant Manager - Walter Nata

Resources:
- NOAA Weather Radio
- www.southernyachtclub.org will communicate SYC updates

By June 1st and beginning of Hurricane Season:

Harbor & Navigation Committee Chairman:
-    Make sure by June 1st a letter is sent to each member having a boat in the dry storage area alerting them to the fact that they will be expected to move their boats out of the dry storage yard in the event that New Orleans and the SYC is threatened by a hurricane.

-    H&N Committee will meet with SYC’s harbor master and sailing director to review the necessary requirements that will be needed to secure all dockage, equipment and buildings in the harbor area.

-    Maintenance Committee will meet with maintenance employees and review all necessary steps to secure the building and the premises, and insure materials are available to board up and secure the club and pool area.

Hurricane Watch (36 Hours):

-    Race Committee H&N Committee, Flying Scot Committee, 420 Committee, Junior Activities Committee, and fleet captains will start evacuation of all SYC owned boats, and will notify all boat owners in the dry storage area to start evacuation of their boats. Floating docks will be moved to back harbor and all other boats will be removed from wet slip. Patrol II will be secured in wet slip.

-    The fleet captains will be notified by the SYC Sailing Director.

-    Swimming Pool, Grounds & Maintenance Committee and H&N Committee will start to secure all equipment, and insure that all items damageable by rising water, are removed to a high and safe area.

-    Tents will be taken down as necessary.

-    Designated personnel will board up windows on the North side of the club.

Hurricane Warning (24 Hours):

-    Club manager and designated personnel will start to store and secure all furniture and equipment from the downstairs area and move it to the second floor area.

-    Trophy Committee-all trophies will be moved out of their cases, and secured in such a way as to prevent damage by wind or rain. An inventory is to be maintained of any items that are removed from their display cases, or that are removed from club property. Club historian is to direct storage of historical data into cartons.

-    Unclaimed art will be packaged between sheets of bubble wrap and moved to secure location.
Boxes, bubble wrap and cartons are to be kept on hand by manager.

-    Club manager with employees’ help will move all liquor, canned goods, etc. from low shelves to the highest shelves available to prevent contamination from rising water. All file cabinets, computers and office machines should be moved or raised.

-    H&N Committee should nearly be completed with evacuation and storage of all club owned boats. Scots on trailers should be removed from club property.

-    17 Whaler will be moved to a protected location in back canal.

-    Golf type carts and tractor will be driven to secure site on other side of hurricane protection levee.

Within 12 hours of Forecasted Hurricane Landing shore:

-    Commodore, Hurricane Preparedness Committee Chairman, along with the club manager or assistant manager and designated personnel will make a final survey to insure that the club property, jib, and jib hoists have been properly secured. Pull all electrical main switches on 1st floor and turn off gas.

-    Photograph completed preparations and club condition prior to departure.

-    Commodore-Hurricane Preparedness Committee Chairman, club manager or assistant manager will make appropriate arrangements to safeguard the club property during the hurricane and/or post hurricane period.

Post Hurricane Period:

1.    Contact Insurance Committee
2.    The commodore and designated personnel will survey area of responsibility to determine the extent of damages.
3.    Photograph all damage visible, dockside and the club house.
4.    Preliminary damage reports will be submitted by the club manager and the chairman of the Hurricane Preparedness Committee to the commodore.
5.    Coverings will be removed from all areas and put in a storage location by maintenance people.
6.    Office equipment, file cabinets, supplies, trophies and inventory will be returned to the club and proper locations by manager and staff.
7.    A final summary report will be submitted to the Hurricane Preparedness Committee to the Governing Board on significant observations made and major actions taken during and following the hurricane. Include a list of volunteers.
8.    A final report showing funds expended and final cost data for this period will by the secretary/treasurer and given to the SYC Governing Board.

About US SAILING
The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity and advancement for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US SAILING is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US SAILING offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.

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Southern Yacht Club Evacuation Plan

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