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Harris County Flood Control District prepping for Gustav
By The Potpourri Staff
The Harris County Flood Control District’s primary drainage channels and their tributaries are in good function condition, according to a report released around 2:30 p.m. Aug. 29, as the county took steps to prepare for a possibly hurricane.
Crews were also removing any “obvious” potential debris from falling into and blocking the flow of water that could result from Hurricane Gustav.
According to the HCFCD, project construction sites, buildings and equipment were in the process of being secured and district vehicles were being fully fueled for use after the storm hits the Gulf Coast, probably sometime on Labor Day, Sept. 1. Weather forecasters say the storm could hit somewhere between Louisiana and Mexico.
Essential HCFC District staff and management were reviewing communications plans and positioning themselves to support district operations and the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
“While our offices will be open during normal working hours, essential staff will be monitoring and working various aspects of the storm around the clock,” said Rosio Torres, Deputy Public Information Officer for the OHSEM. “Citizens are advised to call the district office to report concerns they may have about area drainage ways.”
The District office telephone number is 713-684-4000.
The HCFC District’s jurisdiction is over the primary drainage channels in the county. The district implements projects to reduce the risk of flooding along the major drainage channels and their tributaries.
Projects include widening and deepening channels, constructing large regional stormwater detention basins to store flood waters and buying flood prone houses and relocating residents to higher ground. HCFCD also maintains more than 2,500 miles of drainage channels in the county with maintenance activities including mowing, vegetation establishment and repair of collapsed and eroded portions of the drainage system.
For more information, visit the HCFC District’s web site at www.hcfcd.org.
RESIDENTS WITH SPECIAL HEALTH CARE AND TRANSPORTATION NEEDS SHOULD REGISTER WITH 2-1-1
Emergency officials are reminding Harris County residents with special health care or transportation needs to register with the state’s transportation registry if you will need help evacuating in the event of a hurricane.
Dial 2-1-1 as soon as possible:
If you have a disability or special health care need and require assistance to get out.
If you cannot drive and cannot arrange transportation.
If you do not have a vehicle and you have no one else to help you evacuate.
Local emergency management will make every attempt to evacuate someone who does not have the ability to evacuate themselves, as long as the person is in the direct path of the storm. In the event of a hurricane entering the Gulf, individuals should pay close attention to local media to determine when/how evacuations will take place. If someone needs specialized transportation and has not been contacted, 2-1-1 Texas Information and Referral Specialists will have referrals for those callers at the appropriate time.
Another reason for the registration process is to give local emergency planners a better idea of the numbers of individuals who may need assistance, and the type of assistance they may need. It is essential that all individuals have a personal plan concerning evacuation needs that includes family, friends, or neighbors who may be able to assist them.
It is critical that you begin now to make your evacuation plans, prepare an emergency kit and learn the evacuation routes. This should be done well in advance.
Operators answering the phones at 2-1-1 and 877-541-7905 for the hearing impaired, are prepared to help you register now, before a hurricane strikes.
Hurricane Preparedness tips on the Web
Harris Co. Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management: www.hcoem.org
Governor’s Division of Emergency Management: www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): www.Ready.gov
The American Red Cross: www.redcross.org
Crews were also removing any “obvious” potential debris from falling into and blocking the flow of water that could result from Hurricane Gustav.
According to the HCFCD, project construction sites, buildings and equipment were in the process of being secured and district vehicles were being fully fueled for use after the storm hits the Gulf Coast, probably sometime on Labor Day, Sept. 1. Weather forecasters say the storm could hit somewhere between Louisiana and Mexico.
Essential HCFC District staff and management were reviewing communications plans and positioning themselves to support district operations and the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
“While our offices will be open during normal working hours, essential staff will be monitoring and working various aspects of the storm around the clock,” said Rosio Torres, Deputy Public Information Officer for the OHSEM. “Citizens are advised to call the district office to report concerns they may have about area drainage ways.”
The District office telephone number is 713-684-4000.
The HCFC District’s jurisdiction is over the primary drainage channels in the county. The district implements projects to reduce the risk of flooding along the major drainage channels and their tributaries.
Projects include widening and deepening channels, constructing large regional stormwater detention basins to store flood waters and buying flood prone houses and relocating residents to higher ground. HCFCD also maintains more than 2,500 miles of drainage channels in the county with maintenance activities including mowing, vegetation establishment and repair of collapsed and eroded portions of the drainage system.
For more information, visit the HCFC District’s web site at www.hcfcd.org.
RESIDENTS WITH SPECIAL HEALTH CARE AND TRANSPORTATION NEEDS SHOULD REGISTER WITH 2-1-1
Emergency officials are reminding Harris County residents with special health care or transportation needs to register with the state’s transportation registry if you will need help evacuating in the event of a hurricane.
Dial 2-1-1 as soon as possible:
If you have a disability or special health care need and require assistance to get out.
If you cannot drive and cannot arrange transportation.
If you do not have a vehicle and you have no one else to help you evacuate.
Local emergency management will make every attempt to evacuate someone who does not have the ability to evacuate themselves, as long as the person is in the direct path of the storm. In the event of a hurricane entering the Gulf, individuals should pay close attention to local media to determine when/how evacuations will take place. If someone needs specialized transportation and has not been contacted, 2-1-1 Texas Information and Referral Specialists will have referrals for those callers at the appropriate time.
Another reason for the registration process is to give local emergency planners a better idea of the numbers of individuals who may need assistance, and the type of assistance they may need. It is essential that all individuals have a personal plan concerning evacuation needs that includes family, friends, or neighbors who may be able to assist them.
It is critical that you begin now to make your evacuation plans, prepare an emergency kit and learn the evacuation routes. This should be done well in advance.
Operators answering the phones at 2-1-1 and 877-541-7905 for the hearing impaired, are prepared to help you register now, before a hurricane strikes.
Hurricane Preparedness tips on the Web
Harris Co. Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management: www.hcoem.org
Governor’s Division of Emergency Management: www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): www.Ready.gov
The American Red Cross: www.redcross.org
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