Local organizations prepare for Hurricane Beryl response

SAN ANTONIO — As portions of South Texas are now within the forecast cone of Hurricane Beryl, Governor Greg Abbott issued an advisory notice to the 39 Texas Emergency Management Council Agencies to prepare to support hurricane response and recovery.

While it is still unclear the impact the storm will have on the state, the governor said in a statement Tuesday, “Texas stands ready.”

The Salvation Army is one of those 39 agencies the governor mentioned. Salvation Army San Antonio Spokesperson Brad Mayhar said a command center will be set up in San Antonio if the storm does make landfall in Texas.

“All of us are really at a wait and see situation right now,” Mayhar said.

Mayhar said they have mobile units or food trucks ready to be deployed.

“We can prepare warm meals on the spot and we’re able to serve hundreds of meals at a time,” Mayhar said.

He said the goal is to have boots on the ground within 24 hours of landfall. But it is not just hot meals they would hand out. He said they also have cleanup kits for people dealing with storm damage.

“Things like you know just cleaning supplies, chemicals, you know mops and brooms, gloves, masks so they can take the precautions they need to do it as safely as possible so they can get back in their homes,” Mayhar said.

He said it is all made possible by donations from the community. He said the best way to help is to give online.

“By doing those financial donations, we can purchase those items that are needed,” Mayhar said.

Other organizations like the Red Cross said they are also ready to assist where its needed, including outside the U.S. They are asking for volunteers, visit redcross.org/volunteertoday if you are interested.

If needed, the city and count could utilize the Emergency Operations Center at Brooks. This would allow them to better coordinate resources, especially if people are having to evacuate to San Antonio.