Tropical storm season is in full swing, with Hurricane Beryl having officially landed in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday morning, July 6. 

Given multiple reports that the hurricane is expected to hit Texas early Monday morning, July 8, here’s how the state and Austin County advise families to prepare, and what necessary measures to take throughout the storm. 

In a press release from Austin, Lieutenant Acting Governor Dan Patrick announced 81 counties were added to the state’s “Hurricane Beryl Disaster Declaration,” which included Austin County. 

“As Hurricane Beryl approaches the Gulf Coast,” said Patrick. “Today will be the last day for Texans to make preparations for the coming storm. Beryl is a determined storm, and incoming winds and potential flooding will pose a serious threat to Texans who are in Beryl’s path at landfall and as it makes its way across the state for the following 24 hours. As Acting Governor, I’ve been in constant communication with Texas state agencies and local leaders to coordinate preparations and response, and I will continue to do so. Do not ignore this storm.” 

According to the National Hurricane Center, Tropical Storm Beryl is expected to intensify as it moves northwest through the Gulf of Mexico, before it takes a northerly turn to make landfall along the mid-Texas coast as a hurricane on Monday. 

The State of Texas has over 2,000 responders and 850 assets rostered and deployed to support the state’s response to anticipated impacts from Hurricane Beryl. The following state emergency response resources have been rostered and deployed to support response operations: 

· Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (Texas A&M Task Force 1 & Texas Task Force 2): Search and Rescue Personnel, and Swiftwater Boat Squads. 

· Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service: Texas A&M Public Works Response Team. 

· Texas A&M Forest Service: Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) All- Hazards Incident Strike Teams, including personnel and fire engines. 

· Texas National Guard: National Guard Personnel, including High Profile Vehicles and Chinook & Black Hawk Helicopters. 

· Texas Department of Public Safety: Texas Highway Patrol Troopers, the Tactical Marine Unit, and Helicopters with hoist capabilities. 

· Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Game Wardens and Park Police to provide law enforcement support, along with Swiftwater Boats, Airboats, Flat Bottom Boats, Four-wheel Drive Vehicles, and Helicopters. 

· Texas Department of State Health Services (Emergency Medical Task Force): Medical Incident Support Teams and Severe Weather Packages, including Ambuses, Ambulances, and Command Vehicles. 

· Texas Department of Transportation: Highway maintenance personnel and personnel to monitor roadway conditions. 

· Texas Animal Health Commission: Personnel to provide livestock support. 

· Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: Disaster Assessment and Recovery Agents as well as AgriLife Extension Agents to support agricultural and livestock needs. 

· Texas Department of Information Resources: Monitoring for potential cyber- threats and impacts to technology infrastructure. 

· Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: Air/water/wastewater monitoring 

· Railroad Commission of Texas: Monitoring the state’s natural gas supply, and communicating with the oil & gas industry. 

· Public Utility Commission of Texas: Personnel to coordinate with utility providers across the threat area. 

· Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster: Coordinating volunteer organizations across impacted areas. 

· FEMA Region 6: More than 100 personnel, 500,000 Meals Ready to Eat, 800,000 liters of Water, 20,000 Tarps, 2,500 Rolls of Plastic Sheathing, Generators, Urban Search and Rescue Teams, Tractor-Trailers, Communications and Command Vehicles. 

Austin County Emergency Services, the organization responsible for handling natural disasters in the county, posted to their Facebook page Saturday evening, July 6, informing residents of the hurricane’s potential landfall, what to expect, advice to residents, ways to prepare and wind speed estimates. 

“As most of you know, Hurricane Beryl is officially in the Gulf of Mexico and heading our way,” said the post. “We are monitoring the situation and expect landfall near Port Lavaca at 92 MPH on Monday about 10 a.m.—1 p.m. With the eye of the hurricane coming towards Austin County, coming in with a sustained wind of 40 mph. The storm expectations are coming in at an estimated sustained wind of 90 mph, reducing before getting to Austin County. Estimated wind gusts are projected between 70 - 85 MPH in Austin County. Please prepare and be ready, meaning food, water, medications, and other items needed before the storm reaches Austin County. Please stay with friends and family members if possible. Road conditions and trees down will be problematic; again, these damages affect you, and they affect emergency responders as well. Just so you know, large traffic areas will be cleared first, followed by secondary roadways, and so on. Lastly, electricity has also become a problem; if you have a generator, please ensure everything works well. If not, be prepared not to have power for serval days.”