Acting Governor Dan Patrick Provides Update on Hurricane Beryl Response Efforts

For Immediate Distribution  |  July 8, 2024  |  media@tdem.texas.gov

Acting Governor Dan Patrick Provides Update on Hurricane Beryl Response Efforts

AUSTIN - Acting Governor Dan Patrick issued this statement today following his press conference with Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) Chief Nim Kidd:

“As Hurricane Beryl passes through Texas, the state’s efforts have switched from preparedness to response, and in some areas are quickly moving into recovery. Texas has assets deployed throughout the Coastal Bend, the Houston area, and Deep East Texas, and they will work diligently to assist their fellow Texans.

“There are nearly 3 million ratepayers without power and at least 10 transmission lines down. CenterPoint Energy, Entergy, and smaller electric co-ops will work around the clock to assess damages and restore power. This will be a multi-day restoration event. If Texans have questions about restoration efforts, they should contact their power provider.

“Those in northeast Texas need to be careful if they are on the roads. There will be heavy rains, potential flooding, and tornados possible in that area. Best advice? Stay off the roads tonight.

“Sadly, we have been informed of 3 storm-related fatalities, 2 by fallen trees and 1 by drowning. Please join Jan and me in prayer for the victims and their families.”

To view Acting Governor Patrick’s press conference from earlier today, click here.

To view Acting Governor Patrick’s disaster declarations, click here.

More than 2,500 responders and over 1,200 assets remain rostered and deployed by the state of Texas in support of the state’s storm response. Those resources have continued to follow the storm as it moves through East Texas to support any requests for assistance from local officials in those areas.

The following state emergency response resources remain rostered and deployed to support response operations:
• Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (Texas A&M Task Force 1 & Texas Task Force 2): Search and Rescue Personnel, and Swiftwater Boat Squads.
• Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service: Texas A&M Public Works Response Team.
• Texas A&M Forest Service: Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) All-Hazards Incident Strike Teams and Saw Crews, including personnel, and fire engines.
• Texas National Guard: National Guard Personnel, including High Profile Vehicles and Chinook & Black Hawk Helicopters.
• Texas Department of Public Safety: Texas Highway Patrol Troopers, the Tactical Marine Unit, and Helicopters with hoist capabilities.
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Game Wardens and Park Police to provide law enforcement support, along with Swiftwater Boats, Airboats, Flat Bottom Boats, Four-wheel Drive Vehicles, and Helicopters.
• Texas Department of State Health Services (Emergency Medical Task Force): Medical Incident Support Teams and Severe Weather Packages, including Ambuses, Ambulances, and Command Vehicles.
• Texas Department of Transportation: Highway maintenance personnel and personnel to monitor roadway conditions.
• Texas Animal Health Commission: Personnel to provide livestock support.
• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: Disaster Assessment and Recovery Agents as well as AgriLife Extension Agents to support agricultural and livestock needs.
• Texas Department of Information Resources: Monitoring for potential cyber-threats and impacts to technology infrastructure.
• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: Air/water/wastewater monitoring
• Railroad Commission of Texas: Monitoring the state’s natural gas supply, and communicating with the oil & gas industry.
• Public Utility Commission of Texas: Personnel to coordinate with utility providers across the threat area.
• Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster: Coordinating volunteer organizations across impacted areas.
• FEMA Region 6: More than 100 personnel, 500,000 Meals Ready to Eat, 800,000 liters of Water, 20,000 Tarps, 2,500 Rolls of Plastic Sheathing, Generators, Urban Search and Rescue Teams, Tractor-Trailers, Communications and Command Vehicles.

Texans are urged in this storm and future storms to stay informed, monitor local weather forecasts, follow directions from local officials, make an emergency plan, review hurricane evacuation routes, build a kit containing emergency supplies, and consider reviewing flood risk and insurance coverage. Additionally, visitors to Texas beaches should review beach safety tips and remain aware of the risks of rip currents during an approaching tropical system in the Gulf of Mexico.

Texans are encouraged to visit the TDEM Disaster Portal or Texas Hurricane Center webpages for storm information. Additional storm safety and preparedness information is available at TexasReady.gov and tdem.texas.gov/prepare.

The State of Texas continues to take action to provide all available resources to help support local communities from the anticipated impacts of Hurricane Beryl, including:

• July 2^nd– Texas Emergency Management Officials Urged Texans to Keep an Eye on the Gulf this Holiday Week
• July 3^rd– Governor Abbott Directed TDEM to Issue Hurricane Beryl Advisory Notice for Texas Emergency Management Council
• July 4^th– Governor Abbott directed TDEM to increase the readiness level of the State Emergency Operations Center
• July 5^th– Acting Governor Patrick Issued a Disaster Declaration for 40 Counties and Held a Press Conference
• July 6^th– Acting Governor Patrick Expanded Disaster Declarations for an Additional 81 Counties
• July 7^th– Acting Governor Patrick Held a Press Conference on Hurricane Beryl to Update Texans on the State’s Preparation Efforts

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