Harvey is expected to make land fall along the Gulf Coast late today, with the outer edges of the storm hitting the San Antonio area Saturday through Tuesday.
Rain predictions remain in flux but forecasters are calling the storm “life-threatening.” It could bring 20 to 25 inches of rain, accompanied by damaging winds, especially east of Interstate 35 and south of Interstate 10.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg urged San Antonio residents to stay home this weekend and avoid driving in the rain. He also suggested downloading the Ready South Texas app to receive weather updates.
The Texas Division of Emergency Management said 700 members with the Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard and Texas State Guard have been activated. They’ll help local and state agencies with water rescues, high water transportation and any other evacuation needs.
Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said the county has 80 pieces of heavy equipment ready to be deployed, along with more than 200 vehicles to deal with severe flooding.
Some are likening Harvey to Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans in 2005. That was when San Antonio became a federally and state-designated evacuation center and housed more than 25,000 Katrina evacuees.
San Antonio remains a place of refuge for anyone seeking shelter from a natural disaster, said Joe Arrington, public information officer for the Fire Department.
There are designated shelter facilities around the city. Those shelters are “always ready to go,” Arrington said, but the city currently is making preparations for all the necessities, including enough beds for evacuees. Many of the facilities include large warehouses that have been retrofitted as sleeping quarters and meeting areas.
Check-in point
At a Thursday news conference, officials said all evacuees should check in at 200 Gembler Road, just northeast of the AT&T Center.
Arrington said evacuees with pets can also go to the Gembler check-in point, but pets can’t stay in the same facilities as people. All pets, with the exception of service animals, will be kept in separate facilities, Arrington said. However, the city will provide shuttle service so people can visit their animals.
The city’s Animal Care Services department also is looking for people to foster animals, so they can clear out kennels in preparation for evacuees arriving with their pets.
The American Red Cross in San Antonio also is seeking volunteers to help with evacuees. A training session will be held from noon to 1 p.m. Friday at 3642 E. Houston St. Call 800-928-4271 for more information.
San Antonio is asking any volunteers wanting to help to call 311.
A full list of shelters was not yet available, but Southside Independent School District confirmed that South Side High School is one such designated site “if activated by the Red Cross,” though the site was not activated as of early Thursday night. The high school last was used as a designated hurricane shelter during Hurricane Katrina.
The city activated its Emergency Operations Center on Wednesday night and its Joint Information Center on Thursday, including the Fire and Police departments, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and multiple other resources, all operating out of the EOC, Arrington said.
Nirenberg said he was unsure how many evacuees might come. Buses from San Antonio and elsewhere are ready to transport them. Ambulances and other medical support teams were staging at Freeman Coliseum on Thursday, Arrington said.
Teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency also can stage there until they’re needed at the coast, he said.
The Fire Department has firefighters who are members of the state’s water rescue and urban search and rescue teams on standby, Arrington said.
Bexar County Public Works crews have positioned barricades near known low water crossings and other areas prone to flooding, Bexar County spokeswoman Monica Ramos said in a statement. Electronic message boards also are up at these locations, in case of high water.
County staffers are also monitoring the region’s creeks and making sure area drainage systems and low-water crossings aren’t clogged with debris, she said.
vdavila@express-news.net
Staff Writers Alia Malik and Kelsey Bradshaw contributed to this report.
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