Arena as mass shelter

[patric]

On this day of the groundbreaking for Tulsa's new arena, pictures pour in from Hurricane Katrina's devastation in New Orleans.  Among the stories are those of the terrified 10,000+ refugees who watched helplessly as the roof of their arena began to slowly disintegrate.

While a hurricane isnt likely in our neck of the woods, Tulsa isnt a stranger to catastrophes that result in mass numbers of people being forced from their homes.  Be it fire, weather, chemical leaks or acts of war, at some point the new arena is going to play a role in some future disaster relief strategy.

With Katrina fresh in our memory, now is the time to think about the unthinkable and ask some hard questions about the disaster-worthiness of our new investment.

How long can heat or fresh air be sustained without outside power?

How long can food preparation facilities operate without outside power?

How long can toilet facilities remain usable under a constant, daily load of a thousand-plus people?  Two thousand?  Ten thousand?

How will the structure bear the wind load of a severe storm?  Of a May '99-magnitude tornado outbreak?

How much drinkable water will be there independent of city pressure?

What sort of communications will be available independent of outside power and wired connections?

How long can in-house emergency medical facilities be sustained per thousand users, and at what response level?


It may sound extreme, but it's exactly the sort of planning that someone, somewhere down the road is going to wonder whether or not we had the "vision" to foresee.