Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Gov. Rick Perry today issued a disaster proclamation for 19 Texas counties & ordered the pre-deployment of state resources as Tropical Storm Alex tracks toward the Texas coast. The governors declaration allows the state to initiate necessary preparedness efforts such as pre-deploying resources to ensure local communities are ready to respond to disasters.
We continue to closely monitor this storm and are preparing accordingly for its potential impact to our communities" Gov. Perry said.
Tropical Storm Alex is now in the Gulf and it is imperative that residents pay attention to this storm heed warnings from their local leaders and take the steps
necessary to protect their families homes and businesses" said the Governor.
According to the National Weather Service Texas remains in the projected path of Tropical Storm Alex which based on current projections could strengthen to a hurricane before making landfall later this week.
The following state resources have been activated:
- Texas Military Forces: Up to 2500 guardsmen eight UH-60 helicopters and three C-130 aircraft are prepared for rapid deployment as needed.
- Texas Engineering Extension Service: Texas Task Force 1 and Texas Task Force 2 have been activated and will preposition in Weslaco and Kingsville on Tuesday to provide search and rescue capabilities as needed.
- Texas Forest Service (TFS): TFS is coordinating the activation and deployment of a Type III Incident Management Team to support disaster operations and the DPS McAllen Regional Headquarters.
- Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS): DPS is activating the disaster district committee in McAllen to support potential emergency response for resource coordination. Regional liaison officers are being
deployed to support field operations.
- The Alamo Regional Command Center has been activated and 100 buses are on standby should they be needed to assist in a potential evacuation. Additionally the Health and Human Services Commission is preparing to provide support for mass care operations as needed and the state is working with volunteer organizations and private sector partners to coordinate efforts for potential evacuations and sheltering operations should these capabilities be required.
- The State Operations Center is closely monitoring Tropical Storm Alex and holding daily conference calls with federal state and local officials private industry partners volunteer organizations and the National Weather Service.
For more information on preparing for hurricanes please visit
http://www.governor.state.tx.us and to view the governors proclamation please visit
http://governor.state.tx.us/news/proclamation/14811/
