GNL In the News
GNL_Building

GNL Unscathed by Hurricane Beryl

Jul 12, 2024, 16:49 PM by Connie Holubar

 The Galveston National Laboratory (GNL) experienced its second named storm of the season on July 8, and despite Category 1 hurricane winds and driving rains from Hurricane Beryl, the facility performed as designed and was unscathed by the assault.

Beryl brought heavy rainfall and low-level flooding to Galveston Island and the mainland Houston metropolitan area, as well as elsewhere across the state. In its wake, the storm left widespread power outages for millions in the region during Texas summer heat.

The GNL was designed specifically for its location on a barrier island, built above storm surge levels and fortified by multiple layers of concrete and steel. The GNL has a generator room where two 2000-kilowatt back-up generators, each capable of powering the facility, reside. The generators are tested monthly to ensure efficient operation in the event they are required. The GNL never lost power during Beryl. A security team remains in the facility throughout storms, as do stay-teams that include personnel focused on maintenance, animal care, mechanical operations, information networks, and biocontainment.

"Every year we take hurricane season seriously, and we monitor every developing storm very carefully. We enacted our Incident Command Team the week prior to the storm and everyone on the team began preparing the labs and rescheduling work as soon as it became clear the storm would be entering the Gulf of Mexico,” said Dr. Gary Kobinger, Director of the GNL.

"The team here is very experienced. We have comprehensive emergency protocols in place to prepare for and handle such events, and our team executed these flawlessly to protect our staff, our vital research, and the community," he said.

GNL is a critical asset in the global fight against emerging infectious diseases. The laboratories are contained deep within the structure, ensuring the safety and security of ongoing research projects. Backup systems are designed to maintain operations if a storm impacts the laboratory, however, these were not needed during this storm. 

“One thing we won’t compromise is personnel safety. UTMB directs staff to avoid travel if conditions are unsafe. The facility is built to withstand these storms, but it’s not worth taking risks. The work will be here when they can get here safely, said Kobinger.

The GNL team has come together during the aftermath of the storm, showcasing their genuine care for one another. Offers of housing for those without power, bags of ice, loans of battery powered fans, and friends checking on one another’s pets have been common conversations in the halls.

While Beryl certainly won’t be the last storm of the season, the GNL team showed it is ready to do what is needed to protect the critical research, staff and students.