(July 24, 2008)--Tropical Storm Dolly weakened to a tropical depression Thursday afternoon as it moves north over Texas, producing showers across South Texas that extended into southern areas of Central Texas.
Dolly, which is expected to break up by Friday, was centered about 35 miles south of Eagle Pass at 4 p.m.
Dolly started the day with a lot more punch.
National Weather Service experts were en route Thursday to San Antonio to determine whether what ripped roofs of several homes and businesses was a tornado or straight-line winds as the storm’s remnants blew through.
Dolly was producing torrential rains in parts of South Texas, where totals of as much as 20 inches are possible.
President Bush declared a major disaster for 15 Texas counties Thursday in the wake of Hurricane Dolly, which made landfall at midday Wednesday, causing heavy damage on South Padre Island.
The president’s declaration makes federal resources available to state and local governments and to certain non-profit groups in Aransas, Bexar, Brooks, Calhoun, Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Starr, Victoria, and Willacy Counties.
Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, were touring affected areas of the state Thursday.
Despite heavy rain, the good news Thursday was that Rio Grande levees were holding.
There were concerns the levees would fail.
At least 50,000 customers are without power as the day started.
Most of the damage Wednesday from the now-downgraded hurricane was on South Padre Island where roofs were ripped off and windows were smashed as Dolly barreled ashore around midway Wednesday.
Roadways and yards were strewn with trees, fences, power poles and fallen streetlights while business signs rolled around the streets like tumbleweeds.
The causeway linking the island to the mainland was closed for hours. It was reopened late Wednesday night.
Nine hours after making landfall as a Category 2 hurricane on South Padre Island, Dolly weakened to a Tropical Storm around 10 pm Wednesday.
However, the storm continued to pound parts of South Texas with heavy rain and damaging winds of up to 70 miles per hour.
More than six inches of rain fell in Brownsville Wednesday, and forecasters said some areas could receive several more inches of rain on Thursday.
There were isolated reports of tornadoes in South Texas, and tornado watches remained posted across the region Wednesday night.
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(Source: Texas Governor’s Division of Emergency Management)
2-1-1 Texas: Continue to answer general ITR calls and increased special needs call for TAR. Resources being requested by callers include evacuation routes, comfort station locations, and shelter information in preparation of landfall.
American Red Cross (ARC): Operations Headquarters and warehousing facility established in San Antonio. Four Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) to be deployed to Weslaco. Six ERVs will go to Laredo. Twenty-nine ERVs are en-route to San Antonio. One ERV is pre-positioned in Laredo and 6 are pre-positioned in San Antonio. Six shelter trailers are in position in Laredo for post-hurricane sheltering. Shelter teams are being recruited for post hurricane sheltering. The ARC has recruited and deployed 250 disasters workers to Texas.
Coach America: Contingency contracts activated for Coach America for bus logistical support, approximately 30 bus companies for 224 commercial buses, SunCoast for refueling, and United Site Services for 100 porta-potties. Suncoast has 6 ISO trailers, 2 transports, 2 bobtails, 47,000 gallons of diesel, 1,000 gallons of gasoline and 15 employees onsite at Kelly USA.
Deaf Link: Has made informational alerts, fuel and emergency supply kits accessible for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf-Blind or Blind residents in the affected counties and distributed through individual notification system. This information was also provided to TV stations in accessible formats for airing. There is an interpreter on site in the SOC to interpret messages to the public. Deaf Link also has liaison at AARC to assist/coordinate and staff on site in Cameron County to coordinate County Judge Casco’s televised storm briefing. Deaf Link is prepared to make TXDOT message accessible as appropriate. Stand up shelter link (remote video interpreting) will provide access for evacuees who are Deaf. Deaf Link also has a Liaison on the ground to assist with media coverage in the Valley.
Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS): Central office staff coordinated with DADS regional office staff to call all LTC providers in the four counties. Provider associations have also been notified and are contacting member agencies and facilities to offer assistance and to determine any needs for assistance, supplies or unmet needs. The 69 facilities in the four counties have evacuation plans available and will implement based on local instructions. Home health agencies were notified to assist individuals that require assistance with evacuation or other needs.
Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS): Has advised offices in impact area. Actions are underway to protect assets from flooding and to ensure continuity of operations. DARS staff is standing by to provide support as requested.
Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS): Has implemented efforts to protect personnel and agency assets such as equipment and offices in the vulnerable areas. This includes protecting critical equipment and records. Communication protocols have been initiated to stay in contact with staff and clients. DFPS has added a Hurricane news section on the public website (http://www.dfps.state.tx.us). This section will include information for DFPS clients and staff. Information will include contact information for clients. In addition protocols for staff to stay in contact with the agency will be included. DFPS executive and regional incident command teams for all regions have been activated. Update scan calls will occur daily for the duration of the incident.
Department of Insurance (TDI): Is closely monitoring the situation from the SOC and is currently making plans to assist the citizens of Texas with their insurance needs in the impacted areas, please see press release at http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/news/2008/news2008115.html. Additionally; TDI has secured its State assets in the projected impact areas.
Education Service Center (ESC): The ESC continues to monitor communication with districts. The ESC has emailed districts to see which districts are participating in summer school programs as well as to determine which schools currently operate year-round.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): FEMA has established an initial operating facility in Austin. There are currently 2 liaisons attached to the Texas SOC in Austin and three senior liaisons on standby in San Antonio.
Fuel Team: Emergency Fuel Contract has been activated to support possible evacuation and response requirements. The fuel industry is reporting a significant increase in retail fuel sales along the entire Texas Coast. As conditions change, appropriate modifications will be made to spur further retail sales and subsequent fuel storage. Fuel teams, consisting of 6 refueling trucks, 2 eighteen wheel tankers and 2 bobtail tankers are on-site and ready to refuel.
General Land Office (GLO): Has secured equipment at the Brownsville warehouse. There is one airboat secured at the Harlingen airport. GLO is moving one 17', one 21' boat and one truck to the Beeville staging area. There is one Relocation Wildlife Refuge trailer and one Jon Boat going to a warehouse in Port Lavaca. One individual deployed to Kingsville to join Texas Task Force One for SAR water rescue assistance. GLO staff is on standby.
Health and Human Service Commission (HHSC): Has coordinated staff coverage for 24 hour SOC operation's activated Regional Disaster Assistance Coordinators. Currently there are three Property Damage Assessment teams on standby ready to deploy with GDEM and FEMA. HHSC has coordinated the delivery of one load of ice and water to the San Antonio Regional Command and requested delivery of 10 loads of ice and water to the RSA in Weslaco to support the POD's with an additional 10 loads of ice and water on standby. HHSC has notified state offices in the projected effected area.
Public Works Response Team (PWRT): Planning for a Category II Hurricane to hit lower Rio Grande Valley at noon on Wednesday, July 23, 2008, which is expected to produce heavy rainfall resulting in local area flooding: Two representatives of the Public Works Response team are in the SOC and have completed the following coordination activities: 1) Teams in McAllen have been placed on alert and are standing by ready for deployment. The team’s resources are listed in the TRRN Database and will have both assessment response capabilities; 2) PWRT representatives in SOC have coordinated with the PUC, TXDOT, TFS and FEMA Region 6 Representative; 3) Team in San Antonio placed on alert, standing-by with heavy equipment and trucking resources; 4) Team in Lufkin placed on alert, standing-by; and 5) Other teams in Houston alerted, placed on stand-by.
RACES: Duval and Brooks Counties have no operators. The following jurisdictions are covered, if needed: Klesberg, Bee, Live Oak, Refugio, Bishop, Aransas, Port Lavaca, Corpus Christi, and DDC.
Texas Agrilife Extension Services (TAMU): Texas AgriLife Extension Service has activated 52 personnel across 17 coastal counties, at two AgriLife Research and Extension Centers and a marine education center to secure state resources to support local jurisdictions and DDC’s for community, business, family preparedness and recovery planning for wind and flooding threats. Additionally, six AgriLife Communications personnel in College Station have initiated plans for printing and distribution of recovery educational materials. Public household and farmstead mitigation and recovery information are available at http://texashelp.tamu.edu. Contact: Andy Vestal, t-vestal@tamu.edu 979-229-5710
Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC): TAHC and United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Veterinary Service (USDA-APHIS-VS) field personnel are standing-by to assist in Dolly response operations. Three animal health inspectors will work with the three deployed incident management teams (IMTs) to activate Animal Issues Branches within Operations Sections of the IMTs. The Texas State Animal Resource Team (TXSART) is ready to assist these three Animal Issues Branches with the small animal situation, and they have been coordinating with Houston SPCA and SPCA of Texas for this support. TAHC will activate Area Command operations in the TAHC Central Office beginning at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. TAHC personnel are also on duty in the two activated DDCs in South Texas.
Texas Civil Air Patrol (TXCAP): TXCAP is requesting post-landfall aerial photography support by the TXCAP starting July 23, 2008 through 30 July, 2008 in Hurricane Dolly’s wake. The GDEM has agreed to provide the required funding.
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ): Has Strike Team on standby, pre-deployed in Austin. TCEQ is also verifying contacts in potentially impacted areas for water and wastewater treatment plants, as well as dams for post landfall assessment. TCEQ is on standby for fuel waivers if necessary. If Hurricane Dolly continues to move on the projected path, Mexico may decide to release water from affected dams to ease the load on these reservoirs, which are located below Falcon. This may contribute to a projected flooding in the western part of the Valley (Mission Area). Vehicles/boats have been refueled and moved to staging areas at TxDOT, Greenwood. No boats have been moved from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi.
Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ): The TDCJ, Seguin and Lopez units, will not evacuate. The units have started working twelve hour shifts. Both facilities will be on lockdown starting at midnight, 7/22/08.
Texas Department of Public Safety – Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (TXDPS – CVE): There are 25 CVE Bus Inspectors mobilized and en-route to Kelly USA San Antonio. DDC McAllen has been tasked with providing eight two-man units (16 troopers) for Mass Care Strike Teams to be staged at HEB Distribution Center in Weslaco.
Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS): DSHS has set up the ROC in Harlingen and is currently preparing rapid needs assessment teams. A 100-bed shelter is on standby in San Antonio. Five ALS strike teams have been deployed to San Antonio. Six buses were deployed to Edinburg staging area to stand ready to evacuate the Rio Grande State Center if needed. HF radio functionality and communications were successfully tested via a 3-way HF radio link. Shelter surveillance forms have been posted to the DSHS Web site. Jump bags are being transported from DSHS warehouse to the AARC in the event that it becomes necessary to transport medical special needs individuals. Jump bags are basic medical supplies and equipment to support EMTs or medical staff on Medical Special Needs buses. A strike team and a Forward Coordinating Element team are en-route to Weslaco.
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) : All coastal districts and buddy districts are standing by with all fuel tanks filled, personnel on standby. In far south Texas, Courtesy Patrols began at 8:00 a.m. with 14 vehicles. 149 dynamic message signs activated with fuel message. The TxDOT is changing signal timing on US 77 signals to give preferences to North-bound traffic.
Texas Education Agency (TEA): Is contacting school districts in counties that might be impacted to emphasize the importance of making sure all records will be safe if sustained flooding occurs. Continuity of service (student records, etc.) could be a major issue.
Texas Engineering and Extension Service (TEEX): Has activated Texas Task Force 1. There are also Over & Joint Air Ground Coordination Teams, State & DDC Liaison Teams, Type I US&R Team, Ten Water Rescue Teams, Five Helicopter Rescue Specialists (160+Personnel); Type III W US&R Team on Alert (45 Personnel); 57+ Watercraft & Game Wardens (150+ Personnel); 14+ Watercraft (20+ Personnel); 50+ High Profile Vehicles, 5 Helicopters (200+ Personnel); overhead Team & Joint Air Ground Coordination (2 Personnel). Texas Task Force 2 Type III US&R has been alerted and on standby in Dallas.
Texas Forest Service (TFS): Will provide a Lone Star Incident Management Team. Team members have been identified and are on standby ready to be deployed. TFS will provide three (3) Type III Incident Management Teams (IMT). Each Team will be composed of nine members, one of which will be a TFS Liaison Officer (LNO). Members will rally in Boerne this afternoon (July 22, 2008) and then deploy to Weslaco tonight. Mission of teams will be in direct support of incident mass care activities. In addition, two (2) persons have been sent to McAllen DDC and two (2) persons to Corpus Christi DDC.
Texas Military Forces (TMF): Has activated 1200 members, an incident management team and six UH-60s.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD): Region 10 Game Wardens are currently on standby. Currently mobilizing wardens in the northern counties of the region.
Texas Procurement and Support Services–Comptroller of Public Accounts (TPASS-CPA): Two hundred fifty buses have been activated to support evacuation requirements, and 100 porta-potties to support first responders at the Alamo Area Regional Command (AARC). Out of 102 buses received, 88 are in staging, 9 are out of service, and 5 are in briefing. Emergency contracts for commercial buses and coordination have been activated for management of commercial buses.
Texas Railroad Commission: Personnel and resources of RRC District 4 remain in a condition of readiness to respond to Hurricane Dolly. Field operations in the extreme South Texas Counties remain on alert.
Texas Workforce Commission (TWC): TWC providing SOC staffing through Risk Management Department. TWC-owned buildings have been secured, boarded, and sandbagged to protect agency assets.
The Salvation Army (TSA): The Salvation Army has deployed 4 canteens to Weslaco HEB Distribution Center to report by 3:00 PM this afternoon. One canteen will support the EMC Strike Team, 300 individuals X 3 - 4 days. An additional 5 -6 strike teams will report following the storm. The Salvation Army is providing 120 meals for bus drivers on Tuesday evening.
United States Border Patrol (USBP): Sarita Checkpoint in Kenedy County open to four lanes.
United States Coast Guard (USCG): Conducting offshore flights warning mariners of approaching storm. Conducting flights to ensure beaches of North and South Padre Islands are clear of vehicles and campers. Coordinating with ACOE to conduct sonar scans of Brownsville ship channel. 2 87’ patrol boats on standby. Incident Command Post (ICP) established at NAS Corpus Christi.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): Providing support to TAHC.
United States Navy (USN): Have set Tropical Cyclone Condition 2. No evacuations planned.
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