From time to time, emergency responders come together in a community to hold tabletop “disaster” exercises.

What would this group do? What is the role of that person? Where do people go? Who goes first?

All of these questions are reviewed and organizers hope they have made their plans for all emergencies; then all they can do is wait.

They wait for the storm that aims for the shoreline and grows in intensity. They follow each wobble of its track with hope and apprehension. They hunker down as much as possible when it strikes, although some have to go out in harm’s way. When it passes, their planning turns into reality. They find out how good or how bad their preparations are.

Southeast Texas and Louisiana are going through this scenario now, and all that most of us on the East Coast can do is watch and sympathize. At the same time, we hope our emergency responders are watching and learning what else can be done as they plan for our next big hit.

For one day, that...