Governor Greg Abbott today directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to prepare state emergency response resources ahead of a severe storm system expected to move across North, East, Central, and Southeast Texas beginning today through tomorrow evening. This storm system is expected to bring an increased risk of severe weather, including damaging winds, large hail, tornados, heavy rain, and potential flash flooding.
“Texans across the state should remain weather-aware as this severe storm system moves across portions of Texas this week,” said Governor Abbott. “The State of Texas is fully prepared to assist local officials and emergency response personnel on the ground to keep our communities safe. We remain on standby to provide any additional resources that may be necessary over the course of this storm.”
At the direction of the Governor, TDEM has activated the following state resources to support severe weather response operations:
Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (Texas A&M Task Force 1 and Texas Task Force 2): Urban Search and Rescue Teams
TDEM has the following state resources on standby to respond if conditions warrant:
Texas A&M Forest Service: Saw Crews and Incident Management Teams
Texas Department of State Health Services: Texas Emergency Medical Task Force Severe Weather Packages
Texas Department of Transportation: Monitoring road conditions
Texas Department of Public Safety (Texas Highway Patrol): Search and Rescue Aircraft with hoist capability; Tactical Marine Unit
Texas National Guard: High-profile vehicle platoons
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department: Game wardens and boat teams
Public Utility Commission of Texas: Power outage monitoring and coordinating with utility providers in the threat area
Texas Commission on Environmental Qualify: Air/water/wastewater monitoring
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: Disaster Assessment and Recovery Agents
Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service: Texas A&M Public Works Response Team
Texas Division of Emergency Management: Disaster Recovery Task Force and state mass care coordination
TDEM has alerted all members of the Texas Emergency Management Council to be prepared to support response and recovery operations across the state. These emergency response resources are mobilizing as TDEM and other Emergency Management Council agencies continue to support local officials in the western half of Texas with state firefighting resources at the Governor’s direction. The Texas A&M Forest Service is forecasting extreme fire danger conditions in West Texas tomorrow, with very high fire danger in the forecast for Thursday and Friday across South Texas.
Additionally, Governor Abbott has renewed the state disaster declaration for drought conditions in 86 Texas counties.
Texans are urged to take severe weather safety preparedness measures, such as monitoring local weather forecasts, making an emergency plan, and heeding warnings of local officials.
Texans can visit texasready.gov for severe weather and fire safety information.