As the threat of severe weather from Hurricane Harvey is imminent, emergency officials are taking steps to prepare for the worst.
Hays County’s Office of Emergency Management, along with local emergency districts, are organizing efforts in the event of severe weather this weekend.
According to multiple weather forecasts, Hurricane Harvey is currently a Category 1 storm; it is expected to make landfall along the Texas coast as a Category 3 storm Friday night.
In Central Texas, meteorologists are predicting tropical storm force winds to hit the area by late Friday and into early Saturday. Wind gusts are projected to be between 30 and 50 miles per hour.
The storm is also projected to bring anywhere from eight to 10 or more inches of rain, which has elevated the risk of flooding to the area. Hays County will be under a Flash Flood Watch until Sunday night.
Hays County’s OEM is urging residents to take time to prepare Friday. Hazardous weather is expected to begin by mid-day Friday.
Kyle Taylor, Kyle Fire Department chief, said emergency officials have prepared a 5-ton military truck, along with swift water rescue boats, in the event of potential water rescues.
Kyle Fire will also have two crews on hand Saturday, which will be in addition to regular staffing.
Taylor said the advanced preparation is in response to what emergency officials learned following the Memorial Day and Halloween 2015 floods.
“We learned a lot, especially making sure the drainages are clean,” Taylor said.
The Buda Fire Department, along with Buda EMS, will also bring in extra personnel this weekend, said Clay Huckaby, Buda Fire Department chief.
Huckaby said the departments have already prepared predetermined response protocols to make sure all areas are covered. Buda Fire will also work with Hays County emergency management and monitor the situation.
Municipalities are also taking steps to keep residents safe during the weekend.
Buda Public Works are barricading known low water crossings. In addition, the city is taking “all the necessary precautions” to prepare for the hurricane, said David Marino, Buda public information officer.
Those measures include placing all personnel on stand-by in order to be ready to go, Marino said. He added the city will have one city staff member at the Emergency Operations Center in San Marcos; the city will also work with Hays County officials to monitor the situation.
“We will also be prepared to evacuate residents if need be,” Marino said. “We will be in contact with residents in flood prone areas ahead of the storm as well.”
Along with barricading low water crossings, Kyle city officials are preparing a communications plan, cleaning drainage culverts, readying equipment, filling generators and working with emergency management. Kyle is also planning to drain Lake Kyle.
Hays CISD is also monitoring the weather situation in the lead-up to the first day of school on Monday, said Tim Savoy, Hays CISD public information officer. According to reports, Lehman High could be used as a shelter, if needed.
Residents are also urged to sign up their mobile devices and emails to Warn Central Texas, which is a reverse 911 system unveiled this week by the Capital Area Coalition of Governments (CAPCOG). The system is a partnership between CAPCOG and it's 15 member counties, including Hays County.
Below are some additional tips and precautions residents can take to be ready for the storm:
Ways to be prepared for the storm:
• Secure outdoor items (patio furniture, plants, etc.)
• Keep pets inside
• Secure important documents
• Make sure to have fresh batteries for flashlights
• Charge cell phones
• Refill medications
• Fill up your car's gas tank
• Clear debris from drainage ditches
• Have plenty of fresh water and food on hand
• Stay off roads and avoid low water crossings during severe weather
• If in a flood prone area, have an evacuation plan ready
