Tyler

By KENNETH DEAN
Staff Writer

Preparations are already under way in Tyler to house vast numbers of evacuees in the area if Gustav strikes the Texas or Louisiana coastline.

While Gustav was situated off the Jamaican coast Thursday as a tropical storm it was projected to move into warmer waters and gain strength and speed. The computer models are giving indications to a hit somewhere along the Gulf Coast.

Tyler Fire Department's Public Information Officer Capt. Jeff Akin said the Tyler/Smith County Emergency Management is already making plans and is participating in two phone conferences with state authorities every day.

"Right now we are in preparation mode only and we have begun contacting our shelters and advising them they may be called into service if needed," he said Thursday.

Tyler Conventions and Visitors Bureau Coordinator Susan Travis said there are still some of the city's 2,200 hotel rooms available but they are being booked fast.

"Some of the hotels are already booked and from everyone we have talked to they are definitely selling. If nothing changes, we will be sold out of rooms by the weekend," she said.

Earlier in the day, Gov. Rick Perry issued a disaster declaration in response to the significant threat posed by Tropical Storm Gustav to 61 Texas counties.

The governor's declaration allows the state to initiate necessary preparedness efforts, such as pre-deploying resources requested by local officials to ensure their communities are ready to respond to severe weather.

The declaration has up to 5,000 guardsmen and 19 aerial resources are on standby for deployment as needed and the Texas Task Force 1 and Texas Task Force 2 are on standby if search-and-rescue capabilities are needed.

In Tyler, American Red Cross Public Information Coordinator Pat Shannon said they are following the storm closely and preparing themselves for a possible onslaught of people

"We are contacting our shelters and volunteers to make sure they are all ready and we have contacted our national headquarters to get additional supplies in here like cots and other items," he said.

Shannon said the Red Cross in Tyler's shelters alone has enough space for 1,800 people, but he added there are other shelters in the area not part of his organization that may also house evacuees if needed.

Akin said busses would arrive at Faulkner Park in Tyler and then the evacuees would be dispersed.

During Katrina an estimated 3,500 evacuees were housed in shelters and motels.

Akins added that after Katrina, the Texas Emergency Operations Center developed point to point shelters where a northern city would be paired with a city on the gulf needing to evacuate.

"We are in an agreement with Beaumont so we would take all of their evacuees that were bussed our directions," he said. "The state is now trying to figure out how many evacuees each city can take so that one city doesn't get completely bombarded."

Perry said the state is watching the storm as it approaches the Gulf of Mexico.

"I urge Texans along the coast to monitor this storm closely, heed warnings from their local leaders, and take necessary precautions to protect their families, homes and businesses," he said.