Gov. Perry Deploys Additional State Assets to Support Flood Response

AUSTIN – In response to flood conditions in the Houston area, Gov. Rick Perry has deployed additional state resources to support local officials. State assets that have been activated now include:

• 50 large Texas Army National Guard trucks with crews,
• Two HH-60 helicopters with flight crews,
• Two CH-47s with flight crews,
• 30 Parks and Wildlife rescue boats,
• One large airboat from the General Land Office (GLO),
• Seven swift water rescue teams from Texas Task Force One (TTF-1),
• One TTF-1 joint air and ground coordination team,
• The 6th Army National Guard civil support team,
• One HazMat strike team from Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and GLO, and
• A satellite communications package system that enables responders to coordinate from wherever they are operating.

“We are closely monitoring the situation and are prepared to provide full support to local officials,” Perry said. “We will do whatever it takes to help keep Texans in the affected region safe.”

The Houston area has received about 11 inches of rain since early this morning, which has endangered motorists and residents in low-lying areas. State and local officials are closely coordinating and are preparing for additional rainfall; the National Weather Service has predicted up to 10 more inches of rain by Tuesday morning.