Reprint from the Progress Times - July 13, 2007
©Progress Times 2007 - All Rights Reserved

Comprehensive disaster plan for Mission in place

Still in the midst of hurricane season and with recent rains and flooding in many areas of the Rio Grande Valley, the Mission Fire Department would like residents to be assured the city has a comprehensive plan should disaster strike.

"We have an emergency management plan that is the size of a textbook and it is approved by the State of Texas which we are maintaining and which will pertain to any type of disastrous event," said Mission Fire Chief Ricardo Saldaña. "In the last year and a half we have been working very closely with the State since Katrina and Rita regarding evacuation of the Rio Grande Valley and Mission, in particular."

Once the decision to evacuate is made, all eastbound traffic will be converted to westbound and then north. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and Texas State Troopers would be posted along all major highways headed north to San Antonio to give assistance to any who become stranded along the way. The ultimate decision whether to evacuate or not is made by local county judges and municipal mayors based on reports and advisories from the National Hurricane Center.

Particular attention is paid to those residents with special needs. Special needs residents are those without transportation or relatives nearby who could assist them should evacuation be necessary. According to the state’s plan, those residents will be evacuated by charter bus with the City of Mission’s help.

"The state has contracted with private bus companies to be able to put the people on buses and deploy them out to the San Antonio area," said Saldaña. "Buses will have GPS devices so they can be tracked and everyone on the buses will be given wristbands and will be tracked so we know which shelter which individuals are being taken to."

Residents should also be aware of the 2-1-1 Texas First Call for Help telephone line. 2-1-1 is a non-emergency information and referral hotline available 24 hours a day, seven days a weeks to every resident of Texas. Specialists are trained to provide callers with current information such as food and shelter locations as well as evacuation routes during a disaster. The hotline was included in the Texas Homeland Security strategy as a way to share information and mobilize resources during local, state or national disasters.

According to Chief Saldaña, people should also know provisions have been made for their pets in the event of a disaster.

"It was found during Katrina that a lot of families did not leave New Orleans because they were not allowed to take their pets," said Saldaña. "The state is now allowing companion pets to come along in charter buses as long as they are in a portable kennel or, if they are too large, are muzzled."

The Chief also had these quick tips:

- If the local authorities ask the citizens of Mission to evacuate, please comply.

- Make sure necessary precautions are taken to safeguard your home.

- Once you leave, make sure you take appropriate medications, food and water.

- Anywhere from 96 to 72 hours prior to a hurricane, make sure your vehicles are full of fuel.

- Make sure you have cash on hand.