Texas A&M Agencies Respond To Southeast Texas

Teams from several Texas A&M University System agencies and the flagship have been deployed to southeast Texas to aid in recovery efforts in communities impacted by flooding produced by former Tropical Storm Imelda.

Personnel from Texas A&M Task Force 1 and the Texas A&M Forest Service have responded to the disaster, which has produced record amounts of rain, shut down roads and left hundreds in need of rescue. Both agencies deployed several teams to locations across the region Thursday, and remain in the area along with local and state response partners. The Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agents are also assisting with the evacuation and care of animals.

Texas A&M Task Force 1, at the request of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, has deployed 13 water rescue squads, three water group supervisors, two liaisons officers and three helicopter search and rescue technicians on Texas Military Department helicopters, as well as one high-profile vehicle package. Sixteen boats and two high-profile vehicles were sent to the Winnie area to assist in evacuation efforts there. Water rescue squads remain engaged in operations.

As of late Friday, Texas A&M Task Force 1 teams had rescued 334 individuals and evacuated 818 people and six animals throughout the region. It also conducted 50 shelter-in-place checks.

Texas A&M Forest Service personnel also remain in the area in support of state emergency operations. To assist the local governments and emergency management coordinators who oversee a vast amount of requests during regional events, the Texas A&M Forest Service regularly works with the Texas Division of Emergency Management, local disaster district chairs and first responders by deploying to regional and state disasters.

The agency deployed an eight-person team to Beaumont, is leading an all-hazard incident management team in Hardin County, where it has chainsaw crews available on standby, and also has agency employees staffing the State Operations Center in Austin. They are serving as the emergency branch director and fire emergency service function coordinator for the state’s Emergency Management Council.

On Friday, 21 members of the Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team departed College Station to provide veterinary medical assistance in Chambers County. They will be joined by three agents from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. The team will care for animals evacuated to an emergency shelter, and anticipates performing field-based work as the flood waters recede.