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Gov. Abbott activates state resources as Hurricane Ida bears down on Gulf Coast
AUSTIN – State resources are being marshalled along the Texas Coast in anticipation of Hurricane Ida’s expected landfall early next week, Gov. Greg Abbott said Friday.
“We will continue to closely monitor this hurricane and take all necessary precautions to keep Texans safe,” the governor said in a statement. “Texans should follow the guidance and warnings of local officials and be mindful of potential flooding, high wind, and heavy rain.”
Noting that forecasters predict Texas will not be in the storm’s direct path, Ida is expected to become a major hurricane when it reaches the northern Gulf Coast on Sunday, Abbott said. Southeast and East Texans should brace for heavy rain and flooding, high winds, and possible extended power outages.
Texas A&M Task Force will be available as a federal asset at the request of FEMA, Abbott said.
Here is a list of the resources Texas will be ready to deploy:
- Texas A&M Forest Service: Saw Crews and Incident Management Teams.
- Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service: Swift Water Boat Squads, and Texas Task Force Two Search and Rescue Teams.
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Boat Teams to support Water Rescue Operations.
- Texas Military Department: Helicopters, Sheltering Teams, and High Profile Vehicle packages.
- Texas Department of State Health Services: Emergency Medical Task Force severe weather packages and Ambulance Strike Teams.
- Texas Department of Transportation: Monitoring Road Conditions, Prepositioned Water-filled Barriers.
- Texas Department of Public Safety – Texas Highway Patrol: Search and Rescue Aircraft with hoist capability and the Tactical Marine Unit.
- Public Utility Commission: Power outage monitoring and coordination with utility providers.
- Texas Health and Human Services Commission: Water and Ice Contracts.
- Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: Public drinking water and waste water facility monitoring.
John C. Moritz covers Texas government and politics for the USA Today Network in Austin. Contact him at jmoritz@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @JohnnieMo.