Mayor White's advice on Hurricanes etc

I had the unique opportunity to hear Mayor White speak yesterday to the League of Women Voters lunch on issues from air quality to hurricanes.

It was hurricane preparedness that seemed to be foremost on his mind. He recommended people get window protection before the next storm, because there will be one. He said that we really needed to upgrade our building codes throughout the region. (And 2 years after Katrina, FEMA had not reimbursed the city one dime of the $60 million it spent on the evacuees--HeckofaJob FEMA!)

He should know: it was Mayor White and Harris County Eckels who "weathered" Rita and Katrina -- the largest forced migration of people due to a natural disaster in our nation's history.

He's right. I visited one new 30 story condo on Clear Lake which is outside of Houston's jurisdiction. It's windows were rated for 75 mph wind - that was within code!

Two lawyers in a room could generate 75 mph winds, so those windows offer minimum protection from flying debris from a Category 1 -- for the buyer of a $600,000 to $2 million condo filled with furniture you won't find at Sears.

Until those codes are improved, the only thing buyers can do to protect their families and belongings from a hurricane or a bomb blast is to install XO Armor on their windows.

I don't think the Mayor knows about it yet because it is so new, and just passed the Miami Dade test --the toughest standard in the U.S. I hope that he'll look into it.