Hurricane Harvey, Houston Area Decathlon Teams, San Antonio if you need place to stay Options

[zzzptm]

Severe flooding, major wind damage... some schools will not be starting / have classes delayed significantly. Rockport Fulton ISD will not be able to start classes until at least 11 September because electricity there cannot be restored any sooner than that, and may have to push that date up.

Stanley Tree has checked in as safe on FB, so I'm happy to see that. Let's hope he and the good people around Houston can all stay safe as the flooding continues.

[Guest_zenmaster_*]

To All: From the local newscasts in San Antonio, it is evident that south Texas and Houston in particular are affected by Harvey. Pearland and Friendswood were specifically mentioned in the most recent newscast. DDT - please let them know that we will find places for those affected. I would encourage everyone to donate to relief efforts.
Terry Zablocki, Warren

[stanleytree]

Friendswood has taken on the most water. Ridge Point HS was hit by a tornado with some damage. Pearland has been hit hard, Fort Bend county announced a mandatory evac for a lot of the county. Katy area is in a rough spot too. EVERYTHING is in a rough spot. I've been lucky personally and family-wise (many who still live in Pearland), and my students are all okay from what I know, but there is a lot of flooding.

It's scary out here, Katrina-level bad. It's going back out in the Gulf and it looks like it will come back to Houston for another run either tomorrow or Tuesday before pushing north. It won't be nearly as severe as it has been, but the sheer amount already in reservoirs and bayous and rivers makes another run, no matter how big, a dangerous proposition. We are getting a MASSIVE break right now that looks like it will go at least until morning which may allow the Buffalo Bayou to drain, which makes the opening of the reservoirs upstream of the bayou a more reasonable idea.

*Edit: Merged zzzptm's post with this one into the serious discussions thread. Schools throughout the region are cancelled through the week and until next Tuesday. I feel awful telling my kids they should read, but it could be a good escape from the mayhem.

[zzzptm]

To put things in perspective...

Last week, 50" of rain was unimaginable.

Today, 50" of rain is no longer unimaginable, we have some images of what to expect with that.

I would expect there to be a significant population of internal refugees that eventually settles in San Antonio - Austin - Waco - Dallas from the Coastal Bend and Houston. Not only are people forced to leave their homes, their homes are likely as not going to be places they cannot return to, so they wind up permanently settling in their cities of refuge. That's what happened with many former residents of New Orleans after Katrina. There simply wasn't anywhere for them to go once their home was destroyed due to flooding.

Over in Rockport, I know lots of people are saying brave and hopeful things about rebuilding, but not everyone will have the time or the will to rebuild. For those who want to rebuild, they may not have electricity there for 2-4 weeks, which would mean similar lack of other basic services, no gasoline pumps, no grocery stores, things like that. There may be people who rode out the storm, but how long will they last with a boil order for water, no sewage, and no electricity?

[stanleytree]

Couple of our kiddos in mandatory evacuation areas. All of the ridge point populace too. Not due to rainfall but river overflow on the Brazos.

[TinDefacto]

Things down there look unspeakably awful. Best wishes to everyone affected by the flood. :/

[Guest_ridgepoinths_*]

I've heard from a few of my team members. Most had to evacuate (if they live in Sienna Plantation where Ridge Point is located) and flooding probably has impacted between 150-200 homes in our community with perhaps 1000-1500 homes currently inaccessible due to water in the streets. I know of at least two team members whose homes now have lakefront views with one of those also being in that tornado path on Saturday night . But thankfully all seem safe so far. Can't wait to get back to school though with these students and make sure everyone is accounted for! Also thinking of the teams at Dobie, Friendswood, Dickinson, Clear Lake, etc. (this list could go on a for a long time!) that I know also suffered serious damage and flooding.

[zzzptm]

Rockport-Fulton ISD has suspended classes indefinitely. Instructions are for students to enroll where they've relocated for the disaster. Basically, if you don't get funds to rebuild, you're faced with settling somewhere other than Rockport, TX.

For the flooded areas, I imagine getting the schools cleaned out to where they're safe enough is going to be a huge chore. That water in Houston got a one-two punch of toxicity from sewage and chemical spills. Nightmare.

[Guest_fyzics_*]

Because Bakersfield is located in Kern County (which is sitting on top of a tremendous amount of oil, just like Harris County) we have a huge connection with Houston in terms of families and friends who have lived in both places. If anyone from Texas is relocating to Bakersfield, please call me at (661)665-2800 or email me at gabriela _ scully@ kernhigh.org (no spaces) and I will do everything I can to make sure you are given the chance to compete in decathlon.

Gaby Scully
Stockdale HS
Bakersfield, CA

[madcap]

Because Bakersfield is located in Kern County (which is sitting on top of a tremendous amount of oil, just like Harris County) we have a huge connection with Houston in terms of families and friends who have lived in both places. If anyone from Texas is relocating to Bakersfield, please call me at (661)665-2800 or email me at gabriela _ scully@ kernhigh.org (no spaces) and I will do everything I can to make sure you are given the chance to compete in decathlon.

Gaby Scully
Stockdale HS
Bakersfield, CA

Thank you, Gaby! People like you make Decathlon special!