Tyler

As the remnants of Hurricane Gustav drizzled outside Harvey Convention Center, Gov. Rick Perry today stopped to congratulate emergency service providers, the city and county and wish evacuees a speedy trip home.

Forty-five buses were preparing to pick up evacuees with no special medical needs, and transport them back to their homes, said Tyler Fire Department spokesperson Jeff Akin.

Around 800 evacuees that remain in the convention center will leave while buses stationed outside the city will visit 10 surrounding shelters before bringing them to the center for processing.

Akin said many evacuees brought pets and will be reunited with them before leaving. Department of Public Safety troopers will escort the buses to their destinations, he said.

With a hand shake and pat on the back, Perry congratulated County Judge Joel Baker, commissioner Bill McGinnis and Mayor Barbara Bass on a job well done. He met with Texas National Guard troops, health providers and volunteers to give them thanks.

“Texans should be proud of how they handled the situation,” Perry said. “I wish folks from Port Arthur and Beaumont weren’t here under these circumstances. I wish they were here touring the Rose Gardens instead.”

Perry took a tour of the convention center with officials and met with evacuees, shook their hand and let them know the state was doing everything possible to get them home soon.

Tyler Mayor Barabara Bass greets Gov. Rick Perry while Smith County Judge Joel Baker looks on during his tour of the Harvey Convention Center on Wednesday.The Harvey Convention Center is one of the shelters where the city of Tyler housed evacuees from Hurrican Gustav.
(Staff Photo By Jaime R. Carrero)