Aug. 29, 2005

Texas Mobilizes Assistance to Louisiana

AUSTIN – In response to numerous media inquiries, the listing below outlines actions authorized by Gov. Rick Perry and steps taken by the State of Texas to aid the State of Louisiana and victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Texas assets dedicated to hurricane Katrina assistance efforts:

Deployment of Texas Task Force One’s 80-member elite urban search and rescue team to Louisiana. Currently staging in Shreveport, LA.
Deployment of Texas Task Force One’s 35-member water rescue team, which is comprised of 5 boat squads. Currently staging in Baton Rogue, LA.
Activation of 200 members of the Texas State Guard to assist in shelter operation in Southeast and East Texas. Staging in Beaumont, TX.
Deployment of regional liaison team from the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management to Baton Rouge to assist officials with the Louisiana Office of Emergency Preparedness.
Deployment of 1 C-23 Texas Air National Guard aircraft to Louisiana upon their request.
Texas has placed six UH-60 helicopters and two CH-47 Chinook helicopters on stand by for use in disaster relief efforts.
Suspended oversize permitting requirements and waived the oversize permit fee for all temporary housing and emergency equipment headed to Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida for disaster relief.
Full mobilization of the Texas Emergency Management Council, consisting of 34 state agencies and organizations. The council is currently operating at full strength at the State Operations Center (SOC) to organize state resources to assist Louisiana.
Texas has East/Southeast Texas area shelters available and on stand-by:
- 17 are currently open.
- 23 are on stand by, including 2 Special Needs shelters.
- Currently there are over 1,700 occupants in the shelters.
SOC is working with the Texas Railroad Commission and the Department of Energy and has put the Natural Gas Reliability Council on stand-by in case the need for natural gas curtailment were to occur with the event of a large supply loss.
All Special Needs capable medical facilities and shelters in East/Southeast Texas have been notified and are on stand-by.
TXDOT and DPS Districts in East and Southeast Texas are on a heighten level of readiness to assist evacuees.
SOC is monitoring for any evidence of "price gouging" that may occur during this event.
SOC is working with the FAA to ensure timely notification of changes with regard to air flow and traffic.