Posted 9:01 am Friday, September 19, 2008
Texans Fighting Back Against Ike’s Strike
Texas has weathered the storm, although the hardships aren't over for many.
One week ago, Galveston Island took a direct hit from Hurricane Ike. The storm moved through the most populous area of the state, doing significant damage and knocking out power for more than 2 million people -- including more than 140,000 in East Texas.
But even as the storm passed, Texans responded.
"The resiliency and resolve embraced by Texans in the aftermath of this storm has brought us a long way down the road to recovery in only a few days," Gov. Rick Perry says.
"The resiliency and resolve embraced by Texans in the aftermath of this storm has brought us a long way down the road to recovery in only a few days," Gov. Rick Perry says.
Search-and-rescue teams have finished their sweep through Galveston Island; fears about death on a large scale have proven mercifully unfounded; Ike has been blamed for about 50 deaths in the United States, with just a few of those in Texas. Galveston, which suffered an estimated 8,000 casualties in the 1900 storm, knows it could have been much worse this time.
More than 3,540 residents from coastal areas were rescued by air, ground and water and 28,592 structures were searched by the teams. Perry has praised their tireless effort.
But challenges remain.
"Restoring power is a top priority now that search and rescue efforts are concluding," Perry says. "Bringing homes, business, schools and health care facilities back to full operation will be a milestone in our efforts to help Texans recover from the damage they sustained."
"Restoring power is a top priority now that search and rescue efforts are concluding," Perry says. "Bringing homes, business, schools and health care facilities back to full operation will be a milestone in our efforts to help Texans recover from the damage they sustained."
More than 9,500 utility workers from across the nation are in Texas helping to restore electricity. The governor took an important step on Tuesday, when he issued an order that will allow utility companies to lay temporary lines to get power to the more than 1.7 million people still in the dark.
"Restoring power is one of the most critical, humanitarian challenges we face in the immediate aftermath of this natural disaster," Perry notes.
Getting gas stations on-line again is also a priority in Southeast Texas. The governor's office reports that nearly all fuel terminals in the state are operational now, and an estimated 45 percent of retail stories in the affected area now have power.
The relief efforts have been mounted on an impressive scale.
"As of Wednesday afternoon, 226 shelters were open throughout the state housing more than 28,500 evacuees; more than 1,360 truckloads of water and 1,201 truckloads of ice have been distributed throughout the storm-affected areas," Perry's office says.
Many more Texans are staying with family or friends, or in hotels. The governor has extended his proclamation that suspends the collection of the state and local hotel and motel taxes under the Texas Tax Code for victims of Hurricane Ike through Oct. 14.
The state's response to Hurricane Ike demonstrates all that is best about Texas: resilience, compassion and a willingness to roll up its sleeves and get to work.
Hurricane Ike did its worst. But, Texas is unbowed.
