PASADENA/DEER PARK, Texas – After Governor Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster Thursday, residents in the cities of Pasadena and Deer Park were hard at work to mend what’s left of their regular lives following the catastrophic storm that tore through neighborhoods on Tuesday.
On Thursday, KPRC 2′s Bryce Newberry was in the Pasadena community and spoke with several residents who are busy salvaging what’s left of their homes and making arrangements with insurance adjusters.
“Part of this process is learning and picking up on information that you were not aware of,” Richard, a Pasadena man who survived the tornado but lost portions of his roof, said. “You gotta take all the measures you can to keep more damage from being caused by the holes.”
He hired contractors to tarp his roof, hoping the extra effort will secure what’s still standing and ensure the full benefits of his homeowner’s insurance.
There’s still a lot of work to do in his neighborhood, as thousands remain without power and CenterPoint Energy is warning it could be days before the lights come back on while crews work to rebuild parts of the system damaged by the storm.
But volunteers are showing up in droves, going door-to-door and offering help to complete strangers in the areas hardest hit.
“It truly reminds you good people are still out there,” Richard said. “Bad things go on all the time, all around. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t good people that are still willing to help.”
He’s amazed at everyone who has shown up to offer assistance.
The Hunger Truck HTX served up hot meals to storm survivors not far from his neighborhood at Baker Ripley’s Pasadena campus Wednesday and Thursday nights.
“Some people had their houses just collapse, and I think it’s like important to help people in need, just because,” Deer Park High School volunteer Kelly Ibarra said.
The help isn’t going unnoticed by those who need it most.
“You don’t feel like you’re alone in the battle. You feel like you’ve got some support around you,” Richard said.
As the cleanup efforts continue, the cities of Pasadena and Deer Park are setting up a Joint Recovery Center for residents.
According to officials, the center will be opened at the Pasadena Convention Center for residents to gather important recovery resources and information.
“The outpouring of support from our community has been amazing, but not surprising,” said Mayor Jeff Wagner. “Both Pasadena and Deer Park have been hit hard and we want to do everything we can to work together to get the necessary resources to our residents.”
When: Friday, January 27, 2023 – Sunday, January 29, 2023
Disaster Assistance Recovery Center
Where:
Pasadena Convention Center
7902 Fairmont Parkway
Pasadena, TX 77507
Hours: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. (Friday); 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Saturday); 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. (Sunday)
(More dates and times may be added as necessary.)
For more information on Pasadena Tornado Recovery Resources, go to www.pasadenatx.gov or www.readypasadena.org
For more information on Deer Park Tornado Recovery Resources, go to: www.deerparktx.gov