VZCZCXRO5708
PP RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS
DE RUEHTM #0908 2440555
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 010555Z SEP 09
FM AMCONSUL TIJUANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9192
INFO RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO PRIORITY 6143
RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE
RUEHTM/AMCONSUL TIJUANA 1970

UNCLAS TIJUANA 000908 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR DS, CA, DS/IP/WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/MEX, CA/OCS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC AEMR CASC AMGT MX PINS
SUBJECT: EAC AMCONSULATE TIJUANA - HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS PLANNING 
 
¶1.    (SBU) On August 31, 2009, Post's Emergency Action 
Committee (EAC) met to discuss potential impact on Baja 
California, Mexico, of Hurricane Jimena and to discuss post's 
response to potential storm damage. EAC participants included 
CG, CON, CON/ASC, MGT, DEA, DHS-ICE, RSO, and PAO. 
 
¶2.    (U) The CG opened the meeting by briefing the EAC on the 
conference call he received earlier from the U.S. Embassy Mexico 
City. Consular Section Chief briefed the EAC on U.S. Citizen 
resident presence in Baja California Sur and staff and resource 
availability of the U.S. Consular Agency in Cabo San Lucas. 
Cabo San Lucas has more concentrated U.S. Citizen full-time 
residents than other areas of Baja California Sur. However, 
tourism and temporary U.S. Citizen presence is estimated as low, 
with tourist hotels low in occupancy. 
 
¶3.    (U) A general discussion was held regarding the current 
location of the hurricane and the projected path, strength, and 
potential damage by wind, rain, or flooding to infrastructure 
such as airports and roads. The hurricane is heading up the 
Pacific coast of Mexico, from the state of Jalisco toward the 
state of Baja California, maintaining its strong intensity of 
135 knots.  National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts Hurricane 
Jimena will continue its north-northwest motion.  Baja 
California may experience adverse conditions on Tuesday, 
September 1, with landfall Tuesday during the day or night in 
southern Baja above Cabo San Lucas, in a less populated area 
along the Pacific side of Baja.  After landfall it may travel 
across land toward La Paz on the Sea of Cortez side of Baja, 
which has low lying areas and roads prone to wash out, flash 
flooding, mud slides. 
 
¶3.    (U) The EAC consensus was that neither the consular agency 
employees nor the general populace were panicky, but were 
cautious.  After discussing post emergency plans and past 
hurricane response, the EAC decided to take the following 
actions: 
 
-       The Consular Agency in Cabo San Lucas will remain open 
for emergency services. 
 
-       Supplementing consular staffing in Cabo with an 
additional American Citizen Services FSO and LES, along with 
hurricane supply kit and communication equipment was 
recommended. Post arranged to implement these plans immediately, 
with FSO and LES travelling this same day. 
 
-       Sending a TDY team with hurricane supply kit to La Paz 
was recommended by the EAC, as travel to that region may be 
difficult post-hurricane.  An LES staff member from Consular 
Agency Cabo San Lucas was directed to travel overland to this 
location, to be joined by an FSO from U.S. Consulate General 
Tijuana/ACS today. 
 
-        If warranted, another TDY team will stand by for travel 
overland from Post to Santa Rosalia, consisting of one FSO and 
two LES, for post-hurricane response. 
 
-        Post will monitor for any indication that the airports 
at Cabo San Lucas or La Paz may be closed. The seaports along 
the Sea of Cortez were scheduled to close at mid-day. 
 
-        Post will not approve non-essential TDY travel. Travel 
related to the hurricane will be considered essential and will 
receive clearance. 
 
-        Post will distribute State issued travel warnings and 
warden messages to keep local Americans informed. 
 
¶4.    (U) Post will continue to monitor the situation and 
convene the EAC as necessary. 
 
¶5.    (U) Tijuana's EAC will continue to monitor the situation 
in Baja California.  All members will remain in close contact 
with their local U.S. and Mexican contacts regarding any new 
developments. 
For comments or questions, please contact RSO at 
011-52-664-622-7464, or -7451. 
 
KASHKETT