Governor Greg Abbott toured a resource staging area at NRG Park in Houston today, expressing gratitude to first responders who have been working continuously to aid Texans affected by Hurricane Beryl. Following the tour, Governor Abbott held a briefing and press conference with state and local officials at NRG Arena to update on the state’s ongoing response and recovery efforts.
“I had the opportunity today to visit with more than a hundred emergency responders from the state’s Emergency Medical Task Force who came to this region to assist and support their fellow Texans,” said Governor Abbott. “Working collaboratively with our local partners is crucial for an effective response to any severe weather event, and Texas was able to work a week in advance with the City of Houston and other local officials to be ready for Hurricane Beryl. Everyone should be prepared for severe weather events, including during hurricane season. That is why the lack of power provided by CenterPoint compromises our No. 1 goal: protecting life. Texas will continue our efforts to work with local officials to provide resources and assistance—including water, ice, and ready-to-eat meals—to Texans in need until CenterPoint gets the power back on.”
The Governor was accompanied by Mayor John Whitmire, Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd, Public Utility Commission of Texas Chairman Thomas Gleeson, and other state and local officials.
Governor Abbott also announced the suspension of the seven-day waiting period for certain unemployment insurance claimants. This measure aims to expedite benefits for workers facing partial or total unemployment due to Hurricane Beryl.
Yesterday, Governor Abbott demanded CenterPoint take immediate action to enhance their hurricane preparation and response efforts following repeated power failures in Greater Houston. He requested that CenterPoint provide an action plan by July 31, 2024, detailing how they plan to remove vegetation threatening power lines, prepare in advance of tropical storms entering the Gulf Coast, and pre-stage sufficient personnel for immediate response to outages.
Texas continues its support by providing resources such as personnel, generators, tarps, fuel, meals, water, and ice. To date, over 5 million bottles of water, more than 834 thousand hot meals and ready-to-eat meals, and over 216 thousand bags of ice have been distributed.
Residents are urged to submit damage reports using the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) available at damage.tdem.texas.gov. The information helps emergency management officials assess needs and determine eligibility for federal disaster assistance.
The State of Texas remains committed to providing all available resources for supporting communities impacted by Hurricane Beryl:
- July 2: Texas Emergency Management Officials urge vigilance over Gulf activity.
- July 3: Governor Abbott directs TDEM issuance of Hurricane Beryl advisory.
- July 4: Readiness level increased at State Emergency Operations Center.
- July 5: Acting Governor Patrick declares disaster for 40 counties.
- July 6: Additional 81 counties added to disaster declaration.
- July 7–14: Series of updates on preparations and responses from Governor Abbott and Acting Governor Patrick.
