Palestine, Anderson County Prepare for Tropical Weather

PALESTINE — At 7:00 a.m. Monday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) predicted an 80% chance that a tropical wave in the Gulf of Mexico will develop into a tropical depression or tropical storm. The City of Palestine and Anderson County offices of Emergency Management encourage all residents to prepare for the likelihood of severe weather impacting the region, according to a city news release. Officials note that significant rainfall and flooding are very possible for an extended period. Residents are encouraged to put together an emergency supply kit to prepare themselves and their loved ones.

Some recommended items for an emergency supply kit include 1 gallon of water per person per day, non-perishable food, flashlights, a radio, a first aid kit, a manual can opener, and a cell phone with a charger. Residents should prepare now and not wait for the storm to approach before taking precautions, according to city officials. You can go to http://www.ready.gov/kit to find additional suggested items. The NHC updates its forecasts four times a day and residents can go to at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov to track the progress of the storm.

Palestine and Anderson County are working with the Texas Division of Emergency Management to track and respond to the storm as necessary, according to the news release. If you have a legitimate emergency, you’re asked to call 9-1-1 as normal. However, residents are asked not to call that number for general information. For general information questions or concerns, you should contact either the Palestine office of Emergency Management at (903) 731-8465 or Anderson County Office of Emergency Management at (903) 723-7813.

Visit http://www.cityofpalestinetx.com or http://www.co.anderson.tx.us/default.aspx?Anderson_County/Emergency for more information on this and other emergency management topics. On Facebook, like the City of Palestine Office of Emergency Management: Facebook.com/PalestineTxEM. Also on Facebook, like the Anderson County Office of Emergency Management: Facebook.com/Anderson-County-Texas-Emergency-Management-Office.