DHS, Texas Guard prepare for Hurricane Harvey

The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Texas Division of Emergency Management, and the Texas Army National Guard, Air National Guard, and the Texas State Guard with the Texas Military Department are preparing for Hurricane Harvey. The Governor of Texas has already issued a State of Disaster declaration and the Governor of Louisiana has declared a State of Emergency in advance of the hurricane’s landfall.

Guard members have been mobilized and pre-positioned in several locations. Army Brig. Gen. Patrick M. Hamilton, commander of the Domestic Operations Task Force, spoke about the preparations, saying “This is what we train for. And we’re proud to stand beside our civilian partners, first responders and volunteers to serve the citizens of Texas.”

This morning, FEMA activated the National Response Coordination Center, a multiagency center that coordinates the overall federal support for major incidents and emergencies, and FEMA encourages residents to follow the directions from state, local, and tribal officials. “Storm surge is often the greatest threat to life and property during a hurricane,” said FEMA Administrator Brock Long. “Listen to your local officials and act now. This storm poses a very real danger to those in its path.”

During this time, DHS’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection will prioritize “life-saving and life-sustaining activities, the safe evacuation of people who are leaving the impacted area, the maintenance of public order, the prevention of the loss of property to the extent possible, and the speedy recovery of the region.”

For more information about Hurricane Harvey, please follow the links below.
Hurricane Harvey, Federal Emergency Management Agency
Texas Guard Mobilizes Ahead of Hurricane Harvey’s Landfall, DoD News
CBP and ICE Statement Regarding Hurricane Harvey, Department of Homeland Security
Residents in Texas and Louisiana Brace for the Effects of Major Hurricane Harvey, Department of Homeland Security
FEMA Encourages Residents to Follow Directions from State, Local, and Tribal Officials and Prepare for Hurricane Harvey, Department of Homeland Security