Kyle Announces Preparation Efforts For Hurricane Harvey; What Can Residents Do

We urge all Kyle residents to help us be prepared.

Kyle, TX – With Tropical Storm Harvey potentially headed straight for Central Texas, the City of Kyle is mobilizing staff in preparation of severe weather including heavy rain and high winds.

Here is a list of just some of the things Kyle is doing in anticipation of Harvey: placing barricades at low water crossings, preparing communications plans, cleaning drainage culverts, draining Lake Kyle, staffing appropriately, readying equipment, filling generators and equipment with gas and working with Hays County Office of Emergency Management.

But this is only half the equation. We urge all Kyle residents to help us be prepared. What can you do? Secure items that are outside (heavy winds expected), keep pets inside, secure important papers, and MOST importantly, stay off the roads during storms, flooding and severe weather.

Also, be sure to have fresh batteries for flashlights. Refill medications before the storm hits. Have plenty of fresh water and food on hand. Charge cell phones. In essence, be ready for anything.

Never take the chance of going through water on a road. Remember: Turn Around, Don’t Drown. Your safety is paramount. Every time there is a severe weather event in our area, emergency personnel have to rescue individuals who think they can make it over a low water crossing. Why put yourself, your loved ones and first responders at risk?

It’s best to stay off the roads but if you must be out in heavy rain and flooding, remember to stay clear of water on roads.

For an updated list of road closures, please visit ATXFloods.com. This is the region’s most comprehensive list of road closures. When our police officers and public works employees close a road, they report it to ATXFloods.com. We urge you to refrain from calling law enforcement (whether it’s 911 or a non-emergency number) to get a list of closed roads; that can keep dispatchers away from true emergencies.

Being prepared is the best thing we can all do in situations where severe weather can affect our lives, property and safety. Visit the city’s website for updates; we will also use CodeRed if there is a need to get emergency information to Kyle residents. Visit www.warncentraltexas.com to sign up. It’s free.

One last item: Hays County is opening its Emergency Operations Center tomorrow for a coordinated countywide response if necessary.

For questions throughout the weekend, please contact Kim Hilsenbeck and follow our social media posts. We appreciate you sharing urgent and important information with your respective audiences.