Posted on 09/20/2005 12:22:05 PM PDT by SolidSupplySide
AUSTIN - Gov. Rick Perry declared the state a disaster area today in anticipation of Hurricane Rita hitting Texas and personally asked President Bush to approve federal aid to affected counties.
Perry's request for 100 percent federal reimbursement for counties that respond to the disaster came as federal Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency officials moved into the state to help.
A FEMA official is already at the State Operations Center, which went on full alert status today with 34 state agencies on site around the clock, said Perry spokeswoman Kathy Walt.
"FEMA has already been part of this. They have offered whatever support we need,'' Walt said. "Texas is not Louisiana. You won't see that breakdown occurring here.''
Walt said that Texas National Guard troops returning from Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in Louisiana at Perry's request will be staged along evacuation routes when officials better determine the most likely landfall for the storm.
"That's so they're positioned and ready to move when they need to whether it's rescue or whatever assistance they need to provide,'' she said, adding the troops might help keep traffic moving along evacuation routes.
Texas' Division of Emergency Management also has begun moving water, food and other supplies to Dallas, Fort Forth and San Antonio in preparation for evacuees.
The Texas Department of Health and Human Services said it is ready to ensure water and ice distribution if a hurricane hits the coast, while the Texas Department of State Health Services said it is prepared to help communities evacuate hospitals and provide vaccines, medications and ambulances.
Heh
get those buses running...
If Rita's effect is dealt with quickly and efficiently, will that be Bush's fault too?
Don't Mess With Texas!
Man..Galveston..1900..nasty.
You left off an "E"
Notice how the States with Republican Governors have their act together before hurricanes hit.
I don't think we'll see a lot of people disregarding the danger of hurricanes...at least for the rest of this season.
Of course, it helps if you have the brilliant foresight to build your seaside cities above sea level.
hahaha - thats great
Since N.O. Mayor Nagin has already moved to Dallas, bought a house, and enrolled his kid in school, perhaps he can volunteer to run this Texas operation. /shudder
I know a lot of people love living on the beach, but personally I think anyone who lives along the Hurricane Coast (North Carolina-Texas) is crazy!
Must of been that Redskins comeback on Monday Night Football, that hurt.
Looks like the devil has got it in for those New Orleans refugees. I wonder how many are going to have the guts to stick it out inside the Astrodome.
'Course, Houston is a couple hours inland.
Bush will get blamed because things will go SO WELL!!!
Just watch.
They will say "Of course, cause its Texas..and cause the people were mostly white..."
Just watch.
Sadly, that really isn't the case with the Galveston/Houston area. Let's hope that the Galveston sea wall holds if a Cat. 4 or 5 hits.
My Mother told the story that her family left Galveston after a visit just in time to miss that terrible 1900 hurricane.
Yes, if the Texas victims are predominantly white. It will be just another example of his racism.
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