DALLAS, Texas – Gov. Greg Abbott held a news conference Tuesday morning in Dallas to provide an update on the state’s emergency response to the severe weather and flash flooding across Texas.
Abbott was joined by Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd, Dallas Chief of Police Eddie Garcia, Dallas Fire Chief Dominique Artis, and Dallas City Emergency Manager Rocky Vaz. The governor signed a disaster declaration Tuesday for 23 Texas counties impacted by severe weather and floods. He noted that more counties will be added as demands are needed throughout the following days.
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On Monday, Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to increase the readiness level of the Texas State Emergency Operations Center to Level II in support of the state’s response to flooding impacting communities across Texas.
“The State of Texas remains proactive in our emergency response efforts, and we continue to monitor rainfall and flooding conditions across the state,” Abbott said. “I want to thank emergency response personnel and first responders for working around the clock to protect lives and property amid these storms. As we work together to protect our communities, I urge Texans to heed the guidance of their local officials and avoid dangerous roadways that could be affected by heavy rain and flash flooding in the days ahead.”
TDEM also activated five additional Texas A&M Task Force 1 swiftwater boat squads and a floodwater boat squad to support local response efforts, according to a release.
Texans are encouraged to report damage to homes and businesses using the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool damage survey at damage.tdem.texas.gov. The information provided in the survey aids emergency management officials gain an understanding of damages that have occurred and help officials determine if the state meets federal requirements for various forms of disaster assistance, as well as identify any immediate resource needs.