SAN ANTONIO – Businesses and non-profits are buckling down in hopes that this weekend’s storms stay calm.
State and local officials are keeping an eye on those skies, saying they’re ready for whatever happens.
Local businesses, Haven for Hope and the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) are carrying the water in different ways. They say everyone doing their part is the best way to ensure safety.
It’s an all-hands-on-deck effort as emergency crews across the state get into gear — preparing for whatever the skies bring Friday night.
“With this being an overnight threat for large portions of the hill country, and for the San Antonio area, we want to make sure that people are paying attention to what those road conditions might look like,” TDEM’s Media and Communications Chief, Wes Rapaport said.
Deadly flooding swept through both San Antonio and the hill country this summer.
“Real sad man. People lost their lives right around the corner from us,” said Terrell King.
He and his wife Kimara own ‘Momma Luvs Soul Food & Caribbean’. Beitel Creek lies just behind the restaurant. The couple said they’ve never seen anything like it.
“it just gives you perspective,” Kimara said. “I think that gave a lot of people a reality check, like, you can’t mess with nature.”
The hope they never have to again.
“I also feel sad for those that have to be out there,” Terrell said. “There’s a lot of homeless people within this area. Just gotta pray, man and hope it don’t get like last time.”
Haven for Hope will have outreach teams on the ground warning homeless groups in the area about this weekend’s storms. TDEM is already working around the clock.
“Should the storm threat, as it passes through the state, reach a point where local officials have requests for state assistance, we’ve got resources staged and ready to jump in,” Rapaport said.
He encourages everyone to have an emergency plan in their back pocket as agencies carry forward hard lessons learned over the summer.
“We need local officials to do their piece, and we need the public, the citizens of Texas, to do their piece,” Rapaport said. “Bottom line here is the state of Texas is doing our part to ensure that Texans stay safe here over this weekend.”
TDEM said they have helicopters, swift water rescue teams, and other resources on standby for Friday night — reminding drivers to keep a close eye on the roads if they have to be out.