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Sheriff Warned County About Jail: ‘Future Flood Might Be Much More Serious’
May 21, 2014
Following the flooding of the Central Booking and Detention facility in June 2012, Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan wrote a letter warning Interim County Administrator Larry Newsom and county commissioners that restoring the basement to “pre-flood” condition without safeguards against flooding could result in severe consequences.
“The ramifications of a future flood might be much more serious,” Morgan wrote in his November 14, 2012 letter to Newsom.
“I strongly object to restoring the facilities in the CBD basement to their original location. Now is the time to relocate these critical functions to an above-ground site that will not be subject critical services to the risk of becoming disabled in the event of a future flood or rain event,” Morgan concluded.
Morgan listed in his letter numerous problems associated with restoring the basement, which the county did. Morgan’s warnings about future flooding included:
- The central feed for all power, including the direct line and emergency generator is in the basement. With a flood, there is no power at all in a facility holding up to 697 inmates. Without power, the sheriff said water pressure drops, decreasing sewage capacity. A sewer pump is disabled, and sewage will eventually stop up. ECSO warrants, booking and classifications go offline. And the five story building loses elevator service.
- Chiller units serving the CDB, main jail, and Juvenile Justice are disabled in a flood, causing a wet and a hazardous environment for inmates and staff.
- Boiler units were a total loss in the June 9, 2012, flood, as was the basement laundry facility for CDB. The basement also houses a kitchen that supplies food to the CDB and serves as a main jail backup.
“The list is extensive, but not comprehensive, and if any of the above systems are not restored in a timely manner inmates may have to be evacuated at a cost of both money and human resources possibly placing the public at risk if mass relocation is required,” the sheriff wrote.
Escambia County responded with a press release Tuesday afternoon.
The release said the Escambia County Commission and Administrative staff had a difficult decision to make. Moving all flood damaged equipment to the next floor of the CBD building, possibly the best way to prevent issues caused by a 100 year storm event, was not considered cost feasible. The insurance holder for the County’s correctional facilities had no issues with the County’s plan to repair the damaged facilities, as long as there was proactive improvement measures included in the plan.
The county release said the county plan did include improvements that, once completed, would have helped mitigate the threat posed by severe weather. Those steps included:
- Adding a wall and pumps to the bottom floor of the CBD (the back wall was built, but the pumps had not been installed before the April 2014 flood)
- Adding additional retention ponds to the area around the jail (property for one new pond had already been purchased before the flood, but construction on a retention pond had not yet begun)
Escambia County’s response pointed out that there was no FEMA Disaster declaration following the storm which flooded the CBD building in 2012. This meant that any large-scale changes and improvements would have been paid for solely by the tax payers of Escambia County.
Currently, leaders with the Escambia County Administration, Corrections and Facilities divisions are working with consultants to create a cost benefit analysis of all possible options for “the future of corrections facilities. This includes the cost of relocating jail facilities, consolidating operations to comply with the U.S. Department of Justice requests, increasing the use of technology to lower staffing costs while providing the safest, most modern correctional facilities possible,” the county release stated.
The Central Booking and Detention Center basement flooded again on April 20, 2014. An explosion occurred that killed two prisoners and injured about 200 inmates and corrections staff. The building has been deemed a total loss and will require replacement. Investigators have determined the explosion was caused by a natural gas leak, but the cause of the leak and explosion are still under investigation by the ATF.
Comments
20 Responses to “Sheriff Warned County About Jail: ‘Future Flood Might Be Much More Serious’”
The commission was oblivious to Sheriff Morgan’s warnings because they were deafened and blinded by their dislike for the man.
Such behavior is childish and irrational. Thank goodness that these are men of only minor office and influence. Things could be far worse.
@ Ann – the Sheriff took office in January 2009.
The first time the CBD facility flooded under his watch was June 2012.
During the next 14 months the facility was operated on generator power as all of the power equipment, laundry and kitchen were inoperable. The plans for rebuilding and replacement of equipment was in conflict. It was during this time that the Sheriff sent his letter to Larry Newsome (acting County Administrator) and all of the County Commissioners. If you noticed, the letter written by the Sheriff was dated September 14, 2012.
The rebuilding contract to authorize repairs wasnt issued until August 2013. By that time the BoCC had already decided to relieve the Sheriff of operational control of the facility.
Was the building unsafe from June 2012 until 9/30/12 under Morgan’s leadership? Hard to answer. But we all know it didnt undergo a second flood during that time – and didnt explode.
The renovations to the basement area were completed in the two weeks prior to the flood on April 30th. With all the plans for repairs, the actual rebuilding efforts and installation of utilities and equipment all occurring with the approval of the BoCC and under the supervision of the BoCC.
The next question, is what was Morgan to do with the 650+ inmates housed in the facility? The DOJ was already critical of staffing, housing conditions, classification assignments, etc within the jail operations. The Sheriff had two buildings provided to him housing inmates. The BoCC, as everyone now knows, had additional facilities to house inmates. A study authorized by the BoCC and conducted by Justice Concepts identified the need to better use BoCC controlled correctional facilities to eliminate the overcrowding and improve classification issues. SURPRISE, that study was ignored by the BoCC.
I am not much of a fan of our current Sheriff. With that said, the BoCC ignored good advice. As told by one of the lead Facility Maintenance supervisor for the jail, the decision to rebuild was driven by “$$$$”. It was cheaper to rebuild without changing building design as the same construction plans could be used. It was cheaper to pay the insurance premiums and the $100k deductible then it was to build in a manner to prevent new flood damage.
Thanks to the short-sidedness of the BoCC, coupled with poor leadership of Gene Valentino (then BoCC Board Chairman), the BoCC the taxpayers of Escambia County have once again gotten the short end of the stick.
The BoCC has routinely failed to provide real leadership and oversight in their operation of the jail. But that is a whole ‘nother story.
If the Sheriff knew the jail was such a danger why would he house inmates there????
I am retired as an LEO. I worked in different agencies throughout the years and it is always the same. Jail Administrators ask for more staff to do their job correctly, County Commissioners (politicians) fail to listen. Pay now or pay later!!! Politicians should not operate a jail, prison or the Sheriff’s Office. Jails are a huge liability and the management of the jail must be listened to. Mr. May was the only one to vote no, the others let their egos rule over common sense. The voters need to be outraged and demand the jail be back under the Sheriff. Make the commissioners put forth the money to hire the officers. These lawsuits will go on for years from the explosion, do you still want the Commissioners to operate the jail?
All the BP money that Escambia County and other counties receive should be spent on updating and correcting all the infrastructure before all the pet wasteful projects are funded. I sometime believe these projects are a way for them to line their pockets with kick backs. They never turn out as presented to the voters. Look at the Studer baseball facility. All they got was a stadium and it was supposed to be more. I don’t know how the BOCC can sleep at night. The politicians only care about themselves that is one reason this country is in the shape it’s in.
I may not be looking at this correctly, but it seems to me that somewhere behind the scenes, Sheriff Morgan knew the commissioners were not going to take the proper steps and so he backed out and let them handle it. Back when that issue was going on, I read where Sheriff Morgan was trying to get them to do things the right way but they refused. I don’t blame him for backing out. I wouldn’t want to be ultimately responsible for something that I actually had no control over due to those above me rejecting my plans to make it a safer place. Now, they will have to do something. If they had just agreed to fix the jail the right way to begin with when Sheriff Morgan wanted them to, they would have only had the costs of the repair work. Now, they also have the anticipated costs of the law suits of the two inmates who died. I know if it were my brother, son, husband, I would sue the county for everything I could get. Only so that my family would be cared for and to teach them a lesson. If there had been no harm done, that would be one thing. But more and more inmates and staff are coming forward stating that they smelled the gas for days before the explosion. No one was evacuated. I find it difficult to believe that if Sheriff Morgan had been in charge of the jail during that time that he would not have got those folks out of there. The county commissioners made this bed, so they can lie in it.
@ Robert S–Good idea until the neighbors in an area find out they are going to have a jail next door. Recall a few weeks ago when the state wanted to put a probation office in the old coke plant on N. Palafox. The North Hill group raised a big fuss and it didn’t happen. Maybe the county could put it on some of the 4-H property— (just kidding), or even better put it next door to a member of the county commission. King George pushed the BofCC to take over the jail and they did–oh well so much for that.
The basement of the former hospital, now the Central Detention and Booking Facility has been rebuilt after each flooding because the county was still able to buy insurance on the equipment.
After the June 2012 flood ruined everything, the insurance carrier said they would insured it again if some preventive measures were taken.
Some requirements were not done by the county.
Guess what the insurance company is going to do now?
Claim denied!
Mary….You are exactly right. Friend of mine worked there in the basement back in the late 60’s when it was a hospital. Said they were at work one day when a person said to “GET OUT NOW” and while they were leaving the water began to rise until it had flooded that same basement area. At one time the county had emergency communications there…not smart then and outright dumb now.
In this modern day of instant video and audio communications there is no need for the jail to be near the courthouse. Inmates can be interviewed via secure network and only transported to court when needed.
Put the jail somewhere where the topography is less likely to flood.
All the paving at and near the Pensacola REGIONAL Airport is what led to the flooding in the Cordova Park area. Old, poorly planned and too costly to maintain infrastructure is all over the place and our leadership wants to build a fish hatchery. Use the BP windfall in more responsible ways.
The proper steps should have been taken after Ivan and were not and then the 060912 flood and still nothing after it was known that improvements for safety needed to be made and were not. After staff and inmates complained for weeks of smelling gas still county commissioners IGNORED their please for help. Criminal Negligence is what that is called and charges needs to be filed immediately!!! their lack of enthusiasm in their jobs cost 2 lives and the injury of over 200 others and not to mention the emotional scars it has left on many others in the community. Escambia County SUCKS!!!
The county commission is not the only politicians wasting our tax money. The State work release across the street from the main jail has been “refurbished” after every flood all the way back to the 1980’s.
The flooding problem at the jail is the product of growing. When the building (hospital) was built there was a lot of empty land around the area. Now it has been covered with homes, businesses, ect. and paved with asphalt and concrete so the water has no place to go. There was no planning, just building.
It does seem like the county ran smoother when the commissioners were getting their payoffs in collard pots.
To Patricia McLellan:
Administration tactics trickle down. What you’re describing sounds like the way our country is being run. Wow!
Ive been living in Esc. Co. for over 27yrs and in this time I have seen a majorchange inhow this co is ran. I must say for the worse, you dont care about the people only yoyr paychecks. You hide the problems or from them but they always surface just likea lie the truth will come out. You complain you have no money well stop spending,we are the pooriest county in fla what does that say for yall. Your not worried about it you have a paycheck, retirement , 401k, but there are people that risk their lives everyday for this county that dont sit behind a desk that deserve wat county ccommissioners make.
For Kken: The jail was once Escambia County General Hospital built in the late 50s or early 60s. Then the county turned it into the CBD. Now all tax payers get to pay for it nit just Escambia County tax payers. Save a few dollars now spend a lot more later that’s how government works.
that was a hospital in the 80s the entire building really needs to be REBUILT!
Question becomes moot after blowing up the building.
If replaced, avoiding those problems should be included in design of replacement.
Put replacement high and dry beside McDavid nuclear power plant.
What could go wrong?
This goes back further then 2012. What about when Ivan hit? They were without total power to the CBD for days. The workers had to use porta pottys and they had to bring in many other resources just for the CBD to continue to operate due to the flooding of that storm back in 2004. I think the county commissioners should be held to the highest level possible for all this. Quit paying for stupid stuff and pay for the things this country really needs. What if it was one of their children that had gotten killed? It would be a different story then, I bet!
Why with a history of flooding issues would rational people not take steps to eliminate the potential for future flooding. It would seem that the original planners for the jail failed to deal with this potential. Why in an area that is historically know for flooding would you build a structure with a basement? If anything, it would seem that fill dirt should have been brought in to raise the first floor of the structure well above the 100 year flood level. If that was not possible, then a different site should have been selected for the jail to be built on. It would seem that the entire jail history is a comedy of errors.