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NOV 28 1984 BOOK 59PAGE 5 BEACH PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION COMMITTEE REPORT RE DAMAGE q CAUSED BY THE THANKSGIVING DAY STORM Commissioner Wodtke felt the storm was a very unique one in that we did not have any warning. He asked Steve Wells, Emergency Management Director, to give a brief summary of the steps taken by Emergency Management during the storm. The Board reviewed the following memo dated 11/28/84: TO: Michael Wright DATE: November 28, 1984 FILE: EM -84-0149 THRU: H.T. "Sonny"n General Servi a Director SUBJECT: "Tom Turkey" Storm November 22,23,24, 1984 d FROM: Stephen J. We REFERENCES: Emergency Man ent Director At.approximately 4 P.M., on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 1984, the Emergency Operation Center personnel was called to active duty because of -excessive rainfall and high winds that had been produced by a low system off the coast of Bermuda. Winds on the beach area were estimated at above 50 MPH , sustained with gusts of 60 to 70 MPH. Heavy astronomical .tides combined with northeast winds promised to produce -- major erosion on local beaches. After conferring with Daytona and Miami weather stations at 11 P.M., it was decided to close the EOC and await the high tides early Friday morning..... At 7 A.M. Friday morning the "Tom Turkey" storm had indeed wracked havoc on our beach frontage. Extensive damage to beach front property, an estimate of approximately 30 feet of beachline and 6 to 7 feet of dune lines have been washed away and seawalls at many locations were undermined. Water levels were 4 to 6 feet above normal and 3 to 4 feet on the river. Due to the National weather forecast of astronomical tides of 6 to 8 feet above mean sea level and gale force winds in excess of 60 MPH, a Control Group Meeting was called for 3:30 P.M. The decision of the Control Group and with the approval of the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, it was decided that a mandatory evacuation be effected of Ocean front buildings from Rio Mar Country Club to Vero Beach North City Limits and for ocean front residents along AlA from 510 intersection to the Brevard County line. Also, a suggested evacuation for.residents on the beach or any resident located in a low-lying area who might feel threatened by the storm. AlA from 510 intersection north to the Brevard County would also be closed by the Department of Transportation. 56