Hurricane Berry strikes Brownsville during a preparedness drill

As the 2009 hurricane season starts, emergency officials statewide are working to prepare their respective cities for the possibility of a cyclonic storm hitting the Texas coast.

Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties worked in coordination with state officials to run a mock hurricane drill that tested the readiness of first responders and other emergency operations.

This year is the drill called for a Catergory 3 hurricane named Berry to strike Brownsville with 120-mph winds and cause significant structural damage and casualties both human and animal, said Cameron County Emergency Management Coordinator Johnny Cavazos.

"Basically Dolly and Ike changed the way we look at Category 2 hurricanes," Cavazos said referring to hurricanes relatively low in the severity scale. "The rules have changed."

Dolly and Ike where both Category 2 hurricanes; Dolly caused extensive water damage in the Rio Grande Valley and Ike ravaged the Galveston area, he said.

"Everyone, from the National Weather Service to the local emergency management officers, no longer takes Category 2 hurricanes lightly, anymore," Cavazos said.

County officials gathered at the Dancy Building while city of Brownsville officials met at the public library for their parts in the mock drill.

"Hurricane season has started and we are preparing to deal with any storm that may come to our shores," said Jeff Johnston, Brownsville's emergency management coordinator. "That is the price to live in paradise; occasionally we get a hurricane."

While both the county and city stage a yearly drill, this year the drill focuses on a moderate hurricane causing a great deal of damage and the steps taken during the aftermath, Cavazos said.

"The exercise this year is different because this year the city will face more issues with post hurricane damages," Johnston said. "The scenario will visit the scene five days after the hurricane strikes and deal with restoring power and repairing flood damages."

Both the county and city emergency management officials said that citizens need to do their parts and begin planning now for a hurricane.

"Because of Dolly and more recent thunderstorms people know which areas are prone to flooding," Cavazos said. "If you know that you live in an area that is prone to flooding you need to begin planning now. You need to make plans and before a storm arrives you need to relocate to higher ground."

Johnston advised the public to begin compiling a hurricane preparedness kit, which should include food and water for three days at least. The food should be stored in watertight containers.

"The good thing about this hurricane is that no one gets hurt," Johnston said. "We can find areas that need attention and fix them now and be better prepared for a real situation."

The hurricane season began Monday and runs through Nov. 30.