Lufkin District supervisors met Monday for the annual hurricane preparation meeting and outlined actions to take should the East Texas area experience a hurricane or evacuation from the Gulf Coast in the event of a hurricane there.
The 2021 hurricane season begins June 1 and concludes Nov. 30. The Atlantic hurricane season is predicted to be a busy season, with 17 predicted named storms, including eight hurricanes and possibly four major hurricanes.
TxDOT urges the public to be ready as hurricane season begins. Determine if you live near a hurricane evacuation zone. Evacuation routes through the Lufkin District include US 59 also designated as a contraflow corridor, US 69, US 259, US 87, US 287, US 96, SH 146 and SH 21. In the case of evacuations from the Gulf Coast, residents should be prepared for an influx of traffic and changing traffic patterns should evacuation routes become active.
“We urge the public to prepare not only for possible evacuation through East Texas should it be necessary, but to also prepare for their own personal safety and make a family safety plan now should we experience the impacts of a hurricane locally,” said Rhonda Oaks, public information officer.
The public is encouraged to make a safety plan including a list of items and supplies they might need in their own homes to stay safe through hurricane-related weather conditions. Suggestions to include are:
Keep adequate supplies of food and emergency supplies in your home.
Keep fuel and a working generator in case of power outages.
Know the closest evacuation route in case of a severe weather event locally.
Keep emergency information, important phone numbers and documents in a safe place. Federal and state emergency phone numbers are available at https://www.txdot.gov/driver/weather/hurricane.html as well as emergency resources and evacuation maps. Additionally, local law enforcement agencies can provide local assistance information. In case of an emergency, always call 911.
For more information, contact Rhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov or call (936) 633-4395. Follow all Lufkin District alerts and announcements on Facebook at Texas Department of Transportation (Lufkin) and on Twitter at TxDOT Lufkin.
