Tyler

If an evacuation is called prior to the arrival of Hurricane Gustav on the gulf coast, Tyler is designated as the destination for Beaumont special-needs evacuees, said City of Tyler Communications Director Susan Guthrie.

Once a notification is received, a reception center will be established at Faulkner Park, where evacuees will be processed and assigned to a shelter. The center will be at Faulkner Park because it is anticipated that most evacuees will be travelling on Highway 69. Signage has been prepared to guide evacuation buses to the reception center.

Following a conference call with state officials and another call with the City of Beaumont, the City of Tyler emergency response team reports that they have not received any official notification of evacuations from Beaumont, Guthrie said in a prepared statement. It is anticipated that another call will take place at 6 p.m. today to determine if an evacuation order will be issued.

“The City of Tyler is fully prepared to respond should an evacuation be called,” Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass said in a prepared statement. “We are standing by and are poised to receive evacuees.”