Counties Helping Counties
Throughout the Annual Conference of the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas, conversation frequently turned to Hurricane Harvey as officials checked on one another, shared experiences, and offered help to those in still in the throes of recovery.
“When Harvey hit, you showed the nation how to come together,” Rep. Todd Hunter told County Judges and Commissioners gathered in Corpus Christi Sept. 25-28. “Don’t think that people don’t know that it was the counties, together with the cities, who stood up and brought humanity back,” Hunter declared.
Whether it was sending supplies, lending vehicles, equipment and manpower, and/or opening community centers and makeshift shelters, local elected officials and community volunteers answered the call, including those who lived both next door and across the state.
For example, in West Texas’ Glasscock County, members of the volunteer fire department approached County Judge Kim Halfmann about making a trip to provide relief. Before she knew it, Halfmann found herself coordinating an effort that would touch her both professionally and personally.
County Progress asked Judge Halfmann to share her experience:
Upon being approached by the VFD, I quickly explained how every County Judge across the state is in charge of emergency management, and with those points of contact we could do more good than if we just showed up with items or assistance that weren’t needed or planned for.
We opened an account at the bank the next day, and I got in touch with Heather Hawthorne, Chambers County Clerk, to see what was most needed.
At that time, we had calls coming in with donations of food, clothing, water, feed, etc. Heather got me in touch with who we needed to contact regarding donating round bales of hay, and two trucks were fueled and loaded; delivery was made within four days of the initial call.
Keeping in contact with Heather daily, she informed me that their neighboring county, Jefferson, was in greater need of food for volunteers and first responders; that’s how we ended up adopting Jefferson County, too. Two teams were willing to travel nine hours, first to Nederland, then on to Bevil Oaks, to cook for up to 1,000 people three times per day. Combined, the teams were there a total of seven days.
The efforts are continuing, and money keeps coming into the account. We are well aware that the needs of those displaced or affected will continue for months. We are prepared to continue our efforts to meet their needs as they begin to clean up and rebuild. Just this week (early October), a travel trailer was completely updated and prepped for handing the keys over to the new owners.
There’s already talk of helping families with upcoming holidays. We know their money will be spent trying to get their lives and homes back in order, and there won’t be much leftover to purchase traditional holiday meals or gifts.
I want to encourage other counties to consider #adoptacounty. We call it that, but no county equipment or manpower was utilized. This was about people helping people. I can tell you grown men came to my office with tear-filled stories, and I talked with young adults whose lives will forever be changed because they chose to answer the call to help.
HELPING HANDS REACH ACROSS THE WATER
Tarrant County, North Texas Respond to Hurricane Harvey
By Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley
Here in Texas we had one of our finest moments in the midst of a devastating tragedy.
Boat by boat, neighbor by neighbor, hands stretching across the water lifted us all to a higher level and purpose.
Even as Hurricane Harvey laid waste to the Texas coast and hammered Rockport, Houston, Beaumont and Port Arthur in late August, Texans from across the state rushed to Southeast Texas with trucks and boats to assist in rescue operations.
In Tarrant County, 18 fire departments and other agencies deployed more than 160 first responders – firefighters, emergency medical technicians, 10 ambulances, a dozen boat crews and two saw crews. They joined Air Force and Navy active duty and reserve, the National Guard from Texas and nearby states, Louisiana’s makeshift Cajun Navy, and all of those volunteers. Yes, the volunteers. The neighbors who did what they could, sometimes risking their own lives, no matter if their house was dry or soggy.
The Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base became a staging area for rescue aircraft and personnel. Folks from Tarrant County helped out at the San Antonio staging area.
In the days following the disaster, tens of thousands of individuals made charitable contributions to food banks, shelters, the American Red Cross, nonprofits and other relief foundations. Large tech companies, supermarket and drugstore chains, banks, entertainment companies, furniture stores, and others stepped up with donations of goods and cash.
Local governments worked hand-in-hand with state and federal agencies, nonprofits and the faith-based community.
Weeks before the North Texas Giving Day of Sept. 14, Hurricane Harvey tested the Lone Star spirit and our resolve as a people, and we came through with flying colors.
North Texas opened its arms to Harvey’s evacuees. Several thousand set up camp in shelters in Fort Worth and Dallas. Some are staying with relatives or going home.
Initial estimates of repair and rebuilding in Southeast Texas from Hurricane Harvey could reach $160 billion, making it one of the most costly natural disasters in the nation’s history.
Several hundred thousand people have applied for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Federal officials, for their part, have said that it will take many years to sort out the impact of the storm and the federal disaster relief that is needed.
When the skies cleared after the Great Flood, Noah sent out a dove. With nowhere to land, it returned quickly. A week later, the dove came back with an olive leaf in its beak, and a week after that it did not return at all, signaling it had found a home.
Rebuilding and renewal is a process. There is so much to do. The waters of the Great Texas Flood from Hurricane Harvey are subsiding, and the work of reshaping our lives and restoring our communities has begun.
All of us are ready to do whatever we can to help. The walls and debris may be waterlogged, but not the spirit. We proved that when we were called in the moment. We stand ready.
We will keep everyone in South Texas in our thoughts and prayers, and keep them there a long time.