"Ask Arlington" is a show dedicated to answering the questions you have about what's happening in our city. Each week, on the City's social media pages, we'll let you know what the topic of the "Ask Arlington" episode will be. All you have to do is post your question and we'll do our best to get it answered during our show.
This week's show focuses on Hurricane Harvey and the massive flooding brought on by the storm throughout the Texas Gulf Coast Region.
Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams and Arlington Fire Emergency Management Administrator Irish Hancock joined us to answer your questions about what the City is doing to provide assistance and how Arlington residents can helpsoutheast Texas communities and evacuees affected by the hurricane.
The City of Arlington is awaiting an official request from the State of Texas to open an emergency shelter to serve evacuees. The shelter, which would be operated in conjunction with local faith-based organizations and the American Red Cross, could provide assistance for up to 100 people.
"In the North Central Texas region, we have several shelters that have opened and are accepting evacuees," Hancock said. "We have one shelter identified already. It is set up and ready to open. We will open it once the State of Texas makes the request because we want to ensure we have evacuees coming."
The Arlington Christian Disaster Network, a coalition of Arlington faith-based organizations, stands ready to help Arlington's Office of Emergency Management in providing emergency relief if needed. Members are encouraged to complete the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training which is a standard curriculum set forth by FEMA that covers disaster preparedness, fire safety, light search and rescue, and disaster medical operations.
Arlington's first responders are also helping our fellow Texans in need. Earlier this week, the City of Arlington has deployed 19 police officers to the Gulf Coast Region for shelter security, traffic management and 911 emergency response. More than a dozen Arlington Fire Department personnel have also been deployed to Houston and other Southeast Texas communities to provide requested assistance, from clearing limbs and debris from roadways and power lines to assisting with search and rescue efforts.
In addition, the City of Arlington is serving as a Vehicle Replenishment Point, ready to provide fuel, maintenance and parking for buses that transport evacuees to emergency shelters set up in North Central Texas communities.
The City's Office of Communication develops programming for MyArlingtonTV. Viewers can find MyArlingtonTV programs on the following cable systems: Spectrum Channel 16 and AT&T U-Verse channel 99, and streaming capabilities at www.arlington-tx.gov.
All episodes are also available on the City's YouTube channel, Facebook page and Twitter account.
Related articles:
- Community Shows Big Heart with Outpouring of Support for Hurricane Victims
- Arlington Prepares to Shelter Hurricane Harvey Evacuees if State Requests
- Hurricane Harvey: Where You Can Donate to Help Disaster Relief and Recovery
- City of Arlington Assisting Gulf Coast Communities Devastated by Hurricane Harvey
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