City of Victoria– NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                    MORE INFORMATION:

September 10, 2008  1:30 p.m.                                                                                          O.C. Garza: 361/485-3110

                                                                                                                                                    Mobile: 361/649-3803

IKE # 3

City/County Preparing for Evacuation from Hurricane IKE

(VICTORIA, TEXAS)  Hurricane IKE has entered the Gulf of Mexico and has Victoria County in its sights. Its projected track calls for a landfall between Rockport and Port O’Connor as a strong Category 3 or weak Category 4 hurricane, with sustained winds more than 125 mph gusts up to 155 mph..

The role of the Victoria Emergency Operations Center is to get our citizens out of harm’s way. Here is our plan:

1.     We have issued a State of Emergency for all of Victoria County.

2.     All essential personnel have been activated to respond to Hurricane Ike.

3.     Emergency officials have declared a mandatory evacuation for all hospitals, mass care and critical care facilities. The homebound, disabled or anyone with special medical needs should seek assistance if evacuation is needed.

4.     There is a voluntary evacuation in effect for anyone that wants to leave now. If you want to evacuate we strongly suggest you evacuate tonight. Anyone evacuating should stay away from the coast and drive to Austin or San Antonio. The Port of San Antonio at the former Kelly Air Force Base has shelters open. Anyone in Austin or San Antonio can call 3-1-1 to get information on shelters.

5.     A mandatory evacuation appears imminent, perhaps as early as tonight or tomorrow morning.

6.     If a mandatory evacuation is ordered, a curfew will be declared and security forces posted.

7.     If a mandatory evacuation order is given, anyone who does not evacuate needs to understand that they can expect no water, food, electricity, or emergency services for days or even weeks. We strongly urge you to evacuate. You could be on your own for a long time.

8.     No shelters will be opened in Victoria.

9.     A Hurricane IKE information hotline is active at 485-3600 or 572-2711. That number will be manned by live operators beginning at 2 p.m. today.

10. Any residents that need transportation to evacuate should call the Hurricane IKE hotline at 485-3600 or 572-2711.

11. Residents should not call 9-1-1 except for a true emergency.

12. All City and County offices will close at 4 p.m. today to allow our non-essential employees to get out of harm’s way.

13. Residents should monitor local news outlets for the latest developments about this powerful hurricane.

14. It is very important that before residents evacuate, that they put their garbage cans and other outside loose items in a secure place. Any loose items around the home will become projectiles in hurricane strength winds.

More information:

Emergency Hurricane information:

City web site: www.victoriatx.org

Emergency Alert System Radio Stations: KIXS 108, KLUB 106.9; KQVT 92.3

HAM radio frequency: Day: 7.285 mhz   Night: 3.873 mhz

Any members of the Victoria Amateur Radio Club that want to help with the IKE effort should call John Wagner at 361-550-7603.

Garbage Collection

There will be no City residential or commercial garbage collection on Thursday or Friday. There will be no construction roll-off collections on Thursday or Friday. The landfill will also be closed Thursday and Friday.

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