CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — With what is currently Tropical Storm Hanna set to make landfall in the Coastal Bend on Saturday -- possibly as a Category 1 hurricane -- city and county leaders detailed their final preparations during what's usually their daily briefing on COVID-19 activity.
Chief among the preparations was the activation of the Emergency Operations Center at 8 p.m. Friday, which gives a variety of city and county agencies a place to coordinate their response to disasters such as tropical systems.
Unlike the other disaster currently impacting the area, the novel coronavirus, local leaders are well-aware of how to respond to storms.
“I think we’ve seen over the past several years with (Hurricane) Harvey, and now the coronavirus thing, that we’re a pretty tight-knit community," said Corpus Christi Mayor Joe McComb. "And we want to work together to make sure that everybody stays safe.”
While the city and county make their preparations, they urge residents to take some of their own.
People who live in low-lying areas or other areas prone to flooding should consider leaving and staying with friends, family, or in a hotel. But local leaders encourage them to wear masks around people who aren't immediate family members because of coronavirus concerns.
“Be ready, stay informed, and don’t take any unnecessary risks," Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales said. "It’s not worth it.”
Residents are also urged to take a look around their yards and take inside anything that could blow away and become dangerous debris.
They're precautions folks in the Coastal Bend know all too well.
"We know what to do," Canales said. "We know how to help. But we need you to remain vigilant along with us.”
