Attention Coastal regions (East Texas Hog Doggers)

[longshot]

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
R i c k   P e r r y








For Immediate Distribution
Governor’s Press Office

Aug. 17, 2007
News
Release



Gov. Perry Declares Hurricane Dean Imminent Threat to Texas

Activates State Resources as Dean Approaches the Gulf

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today declared Hurricane Dean an imminent
 threat
to Texas, initiating full-scale state hurricane preparedness
efforts.  Perry activated state resources, including search and rescue
teams, as National Weather Service projections show Hurricane Dean
 could
impact the Texas coast by the middle of next week.

“With the potential of another major storm entering the Gulf of
 Mexico and
threatening the Texas coast, now is the time to begin mobilizing our
resources and implementing our plan to ensure an orderly response
 before
landfall,” Perry said.  “As we continue to monitor Hurricane Dean,
 the
state is preparing to deploy ample resources, manpower and equipment to
 
meet any potential need to ensure the safety of Texas residents.”

Gov. Perry ordered the following state resources activated and actions
 to
be taken:

    * 250 Texas Military Forces (TMF) command personnel to support the
potential activation and deployment of up to 10,000 TMF soldiers, if
 necessary
    * Texas Task Force 1 in Bryan/College Station - 300 personnel
    * Texas Task Force 2 in Dallas - 160 personnel
    * Texas Forest Service Lonestar Task Force - 80 personnel
    * 250 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department crews with boats
    * The Texas fuel industry has begun surging fuel loads to all
 coastal
counties to ensure adequate fuel supply
    * The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will begin
 displaying
public service announcements at noon today in costal counties advising
residents to keep their gas tanks full
    * TxDOT has also begun pre-positioning resources and sweeping
evacuation corridors in preparation of extra evacuation lanes and
 contraflow
    * The State Operations Center (SOC) will be fully activated at 7:30
 
a.m. tomorrow, and twice daily conference calls are being held with
 local
elected officials, first responders, mass care providers, the Federal
Emergency Management Agency, and the National Weather Service to assess
 the
latest weather projections and to coordinate state and local
 preparation
and response.

If Dean continues to strengthen and threaten Texas, additional
 emergency
forces could be activated and deployed in the coming days to
 appropriate
staging areas near the Texas coast.

“As the state works with local leaders to activate emergency response
 
plans, it is imperative that Texans living along the coast pay close
attention to threatening weather conditions and heed the warnings of
 their
local leaders,” Perry said.


[[ Media Note: If the threat to Texas from Hurricane Dean intensifies,
 a
media center will be opened at the SOC in the Department of Public
 Safety’s
cafeteria (similar to the set-up during Kartina/Rita) on Monday, August
 
20th.  The Governor’s Press Office will issue a media advisory on
 Sunday,
Aug. 19 with relevant details. ]]

# # #

[Clay]

i live less then 5 miles from water and i have not even paid attention to the storm everybody is just runnin scared because of katrina and rita the media needs to give it a rest..Its not even in the gulf yet.Come on this isnt the first storm everbody has seen .We even rode out hurricane alica when i was younger so when there is a reason to pay attention i will..

 Im not trying to say we shouldnt be prepared but people are already buying out the wood at home depot so i think were jumping the gun alittle early.

[Clay]

I forgot to say i am from galveston area. This is only my opinion though  cause my dad was the first one in line today at home depot

[Mike]

Well, if it hits Galveston and heads North, we'll all come out to the Hill Country and hunt with Longshot!

[matt_aggie04]

We can all gather up at my lease and have " Hurricane Dean Hunt".  I just hope that sucker goes South into Mexico, as wet as the ground is even tropical storm winds could cause enormous amounts of damage to the hardwood forests along the gulf coast.  Houses can be rebuilt and people can drive away from the storm but you just can't replace 1-200 year old oak trees. (Almost sounded like a tree hugger there  : )

Matt

[Clay]

Well atleast we could have one heck of a b-b-q no searching for fire wood

[matt_aggie04]

Amen to that bbq......Lord knows the chainsaws would be humming in the woods and everyone would have a cord or two for the next big party.