Annual flood drill strengthens UTHealth Houston storm readiness

(Photo by UTHealth Houston)

With hurricane season on the horizon, UTHealth Houston put its storm readiness to the test on May 2, conducting its annual flood mitigation drill, reinforcing its culture of preparedness shaped by decades of hard-earned experience navigating severe weather.

The exercise focused on testing 29 floodgates protecting key areas of campus, including the McGovern Medical School Building and Jesse H. Jones Library.

“This flood door drill allows us to make sure the doors are properly maintained and in good working condition, and that communication and coordination between the two teams of Environmental Health and Safety and Facilities, Planning, and Engineering is working as planned in regard to the flood door closures,” said Scott Patlovich, DrPH, assistant vice president of Environmental Health and Safety at UTHealth Houston.

Training, testing, and teamwork

The drill began at 8 a.m. with internal training before teams deployed across campus to test each flood door. The session included a review of past storms and hands-on instruction.

“We familiarize everyone with the type and location of the flood doors, along with other protections such as the protective berm and sumo pumps,” Patlovich said. “Then we review how the flood doors are to be closed, gaskets properly inflated, and remotely monitored to ensure they are fully functional. Most importantly we make sure everyone fully understands how to close the doors safely.”

Each door was closed, sealed, and monitored for at least 30 minutes to ensure it functioned as designed.

For Julie Lucas, MS, vice president of Facilities, Operations, and Auxiliary Enterprises, the drill is as much about people as it is about infrastructure.

“For us, a successful drill starts with the partnership not only between Safety, Health, Environment, and Risk Management and Facilities, but also McGovern Medical School administration, Auxiliary Enterprises, and the Center for Laboratory Animal Medicine and Care,” Lucas said.

She emphasized that the process extends beyond testing equipment.

“The testing and closure of the flood doors impacts multiple groups and areas on campus, from the CLAMC care team to parking and to researchers and clinicians. This is a great opportunity to educate our campus stakeholders on the system in place, practice contingency plans, and identify potential impacts.”

Consistent systems, evolving teams

While the core process remains consistent, this year’s drill reflects changes in leadership and planning.

“The approach is for the most part similar to years past. We know how the doors are supposed to close and function, and it is critically important that they are tested before we experience a real event,” Patlovich said. “If any issues are identified, then we can fix them before hurricane season even starts. One key difference on the planning side: The Rice TMC Flood Alert system has been significantly changed recently, so our decision-making process for flood door closures will take these changes into account.”

Lucas said the drill also helps integrate new personnel into a complex operation.

“Not only am I in a new role, but we have restructured and added other new leadership roles. Randy Wilson is our new assistant director in Maintenance and Operations, and Bernie Hanus is the new assistant director in Controls and Utilities,” Lucas said. “We also have new hires and have merged individuals from the practice plan onto the Facilities, Planning, and Engineering team. This is an opportunity to introduce the new team members and the protective systems in place on campus.”

Lessons that still guide preparation

UTHealth Houston’s approach to flood preparedness continues to be shaped by events such as Tropical Storm Allison and Hurricane Harvey.

“The significant infrastructural improvements were installed as a result of the Allison experience,” Patlovich said. “We know these improvements work to protect the McGovern Medical School building, as the biggest test since their installation was Harvey. Despite the devastating nature of the Harvey storm, we sustained minimal damage as a result of these protections. Thus, we continue to rely heavily on these protections as well as our processes to prepare our buildings and our people for when severe storm events occur.”

Those systems—including flood doors, berms, and pumps—helped minimize damage during Harvey despite the storm’s severity.

Measuring success in real time

During the drill, teams monitored both mechanical performance and coordination across departments.

“We were verifying the system functions as designed and then also monitoring the doors hold pressure after the doors are closed,” Lucas said.

She added that the process is iterative. “At the end of the drill, we regrouped and go over lessons learned and discuss ways to improve the process.”

That continuous refinement is paired with clearly defined response protocols.

“When we know severe storms are coming that present a significant flooding risk, we enact our emergency plans which spell out clear steps at 96, 72, 48, and 24 hours pre-storm,” Patlovich said.

Preparedness beyond campus

Lucas also emphasized that readiness extends beyond university infrastructure.

“We’ve seen that our workforce can be significantly affected by widespread power outages, boil water notices, gas shortages, and home flooding,” Lucas said. “The most important message is to be prepared at home—have a plan, stay informed, and think ahead. Personal preparedness is a critical part of our overall resilience as an institution. Being prepared ahead of time reduces stress, improves safety, and allows our workforce to remain resilient during any type of disruption, not just flooding.”

A shared responsibility

The annual drill shows the importance of coordination across teams and preparation across the community.

“There is a strong alignment between Environmental Health and Safety and Facilities,” Lucas said. “The biggest takeaway is that teamwork improves with repetition. Clear roles, strong communication, and a shared purpose lead to faster, more effective responses.”

As hurricane season approaches, that shared commitment remains central to UTHealth Houston’s efforts to protect its people, research, and facilities.