STC Mid-Valley campus hosts RGV Hurricane Ready Expo
With hurricane season approaching, South Texas College recently welcomed the Rio Grande Valley Hurricane Ready Expo to the Mid-Valley campus to help educate residents about the risks, dangers and actions to take before, during and after a hurricane.
WESLACO, Texas - With hurricane season approaching, South Texas College recently welcomed the Rio Grande Valley Hurricane Ready Expo to the Mid-Valley campus to help educate residents about the risks, dangers and actions to take before, during and after a hurricane.
The free one-day event included guest speakers, exhibits and activities for both children and adults. Featured booths included partners like Walmart, the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Hidalgo County Emergency Communication District, the Rio Grande Valley Amateur Radio Club, Hidalgo County Drainage District No. 1 and others.
Jeremy Hinck, STC physical science professor and event coordinator, said this is the first time in three years that the RGV Hurricane Ready Expo has been held in-person. Local organizations were invited to participate to provide information about their emergency services to the public, he added.
“Here at STC, we have such a big outreach and we’re a focal point for the community,” Hinck said. “As an institution of higher education, we’re a foundation to provide and deliver correct emergency information. The event is very focused, and all the people here are from our own community.”
Barry Goldsmith, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Brownsville, gave a speech about the history of the “Cuba-Brownsville Hurricane” and discussed being weather-ready, like knowing how weather risks affect specific areas of the Rio Grande Valley community.
“It's great to see this back in person after the pandemic,” Goldsmith said. “I'm sure we'll build back up as we reengage with all the community, because it’s always important to be prepared for hurricane season, no matter what that forecast is.”
“We’re here to talk about hurricanes, but this is also a student event. One student mentioned the rain gauge and wanting to measure rainfall. Others are interested in possible careers. It’s important that we support them, and they learn about who the weather service is and what we do.”
Daniel Montez, Mid-Valley campus administrator, said the region is historically prone to flooding, and residents are actively playing parts to help improve the potential aftermath of a natural disaster.
“We’re a close-knit community here in the Mid-Valley,” Montez said. “The city of Weslaco recently had a cleanup to clear drains that are clogged and remove any debris that could build up. Because once it starts flooding, it's too late to be doing that. These are things that have to be done proactively by the community so when hurricane season comes, at least some drains are cleared.”
From the Weslaco Police Department sharing what role they would play during a storm to Walmart displaying household emergency supplies, Hinck said he hoped participants learned about the resources that are available to them.
Sandra Gutierrez, an education major at STC, attended the expo with her children to learn more about preparedness and because her fifth-grade daughter has an interest in becoming a weather forecaster one day.
“My daughter says she wants to be a meteorologist and she loves and is fascinated by the weather,” Gutierrez said. “But she’s a little scared of it, too. So, I told her, let’s go to the Hurricane Expo and see ways we can learn to prepare for what happens. It’s helped her be more comfortable. You tend to fear what you don’t know about.”
A group of Mid-Valley nursing students said they picked up tips and tricks from the expo’s presentations.
“It's pretty good information to know about because we're still in danger for all these hurricanes and need to have disaster plans,” said Pam Salinas, a vocational nursing student, after learning about the Cuba-Brownsville Hurricane of 1933. “What they're presenting today helps us all be better prepared for potential disasters.”
Nursing student Javi Chavez added that he appreciated the number of exhibitors the organizers brought to the campus and noticed a variety of people in attendance.
“There’s a lot of reach at STC,” Chavez said. “A lot of high school kids do come here so they’re able to take this information home with them.”
Goldsmith said the National Weather Service is working to keep threats from becoming disasters with greater accuracy in forecasts and warnings, evolving services to community decision makers and better ways to communicate risks to the public. And, by hosting the Hurricane Ready Expo, STC plays a role in that effort.
“We’re here to talk about hurricanes, but this is also a student event,” Goldsmith said. “One student mentioned the rain gauge and wanting to measure rainfall. Others are interested in possible careers. It’s important that we support them, and they learn about who the weather service is and what we do.”