Governor Abbott Directs State Emergency Response Resources Ahead Of Severe Weather
Governor Greg Abbott today directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to ready state emergency response resources ahead of severe thunderstorms expected to impact the eastern half of Texas tomorrow.
"Texas is ready to swiftly respond with emergency resources to help local officials keep their communities safe amid severe weather," said Governor Abbott. "Texans in at-risk areas are encouraged to remain vigilant, regularly monitor weather conditions, and take necessary safety precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones. I thank all of the brave emergency personnel as they prepare to protect their fellow Texans during this severe weather."
According to the National Weather Service, severe thunderstorms moving across the state tomorrow could bring a slight to enhanced risk of tornadoes with additional threats, including damaging winds, large hail, heavy rainfall, and flash flooding to the eastern half of Texas.
At the direction of Governor Abbott, TDEM has placed the following state emergency response resources on standby to support severe weather response operations if needed:
• Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (Texas A&M Task Force 1): Boat Squads & Urban Search and Rescue Teams
• Texas A&M Forest Service: Incident Management Teams and saw crews
• Texas Department of State Health Services (Emergency Medical Task Force): Severe weather packages
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Game Wardens and Boat Squads
• Texas Department of Transportation: Personnel and equipment to assist with traffic control and road closures
• Texas Department of Public Safety: Texas Highway Patrol Troopers
• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: Air/water/wastewater monitoring
• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: Disaster Assessment and Recovery Agents
• Public Utility Commission of Texas: Power outage monitoring and coordinating with utility providers in the threat area
Texans are urged to prepare for severe weather impacts by taking safety precautions, including heeding warnings of local officials, making an emergency plan, and monitoring local weather forecasts. Texans can check road conditions at DriveTexas.org and access the flood tracking information at TexasFlood.org.