U.S.- Cuba Cooperation in Defending Against Hurricanes

8:30 a.m.

Coffee & Registration.

9:00 – 9:15 a.m.

Welcoming remarks by Lyda Ann Thomas, former Mayor of Galveston who visited Cuba with CIP in 2008.

9:15 – 9:30 a.m.

Introduction. Wayne S. Smith, Senior Fellow, CIP. Galveston, Cuba and the great hurricane of 1900, as portrayed by Erik Larson’s dramatic book, Isaac’s Storm.

9:30 – 10:15 a.m.

U.S.-Cuban Cooperation in Tracking Hurricanes. Jose Rubiera, of the Cuban-Meteorological Institute and Lixion Avila of the U.S. Hurricane Center in Miami.

10:15 – 11:00 a.m.

Health Care Preparedness and Response. Dr. Guillermo Mesa Ridel, Director of the Latin American Center for Disaster Medicine and Michael Mastrangelo, Program Director for Institutional Preparedness at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

11:00 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.

Observations of a group of distinguished Americans who have just visited Cuba regarding how the Cubans so successfully defend against hurricanes. Can we learn from them?

Chair: Rep. Craig Eiland, Democratic speaker pro tempore of the Texas House of Representatives, represents the 23^rd district, which includes Galveston.

Senator John Whitmire, Dean of the Texas State Senate

Senator Mario Gallegos, represents the 6^th district, which serves a portion of Harris County (Houston)

Rep. Tommy Merritt, represents the 7^th district, all of Gregg County and part of Smith County

12:45 – 1:00 p.m.

Concluding remarks, Robert Muse, of Muse and Associates.