Heading towards Harvey recovery in The Woodlands

THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS (Tuesday, August 29, 2017) From The Woodlands Fire Department in conjunction with Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management

The Woodlands Fire Department and emergency officials continue to monitor the effects of Tropical Storm Harvey on The Woodlands. As of Tuesday afternoon, The Woodlands Township Emergency Operations Center is beginning to shift into recovery mode.

Township offices are expected to reopen for regular business hours on Wednesday, August 30, 2017.

Town Center Trolleys and Woodlands Express will NOT operate on Wednesday.

Due to conditions on Lake Woodlands, the boat houses will not open and public use of the lake is restricted.

The following is the latest information on storm and recovery efforts in The Woodlands as of 5 p.m. Tuesday, August 29, 2017. A listing of volunteer and donation opportunities appears at the end of this release.

Even as recovery begins, residents are asked to stay home and off the roads as much as possible.

WEATHER UPDATE

Tropical Storm Harvey continues to track slowly NNE, intensity holding steady with max sustained winds at 45 mph. Threat for additional rain to The Woodlands area has been reduced to 0.5 to 1 inch through Thursday.

There is no risk of tornadoes in The Woodlands area associated with this storm.

HIGH WATER LOCATIONS

Waters are receding as expected and will continue to recede at normal rates.

A federal disaster declaration has been updated to pending status.

No active evacuations in The Woodlands. EOC operations are being de-escalated and The Woodlands Fire Department resources are in the process of demobilization.

SHELTER LOCATIONS

• Woodlands Church at 1 Fellowship Way on Highway 242 has plenty of available as of Tuesday afternoon and supplies on hand.
• College Park High School on Highway 242 has plenty of available as of Tuesday afternoon and supplies on hand.
• Lone Star Convention Center in Conroe, 9055 Airport Road, 77303. Does accept pets.
• St. Simon and Jude Catholic Church, 26777 Glen Loch Drive, The Woodlands 77381.
• Creekside Park Junior High, 8711 Creekside Green Drive, The Woodlands, 77375
  • No pets at Creekside
• Some shelters are accepting pets with owner supervision.

POWER
As of 3 p.m., there were 319 customers without power in The Woodlands and South Montgomery County area.  Assessment of the area without power is 70 percent complete with additional scouts arriving today.  It is estimated 100 percent assessment to be completed by today. Many areas are inaccessible due to flooding, including Woodloch, Huntington Estates and Forest Hills off 242 and 45, as well as south in The Woodlands off Grogan’s Point, Trace Creek and Tanglebrush.

Please visit www.entergystormcenter.com for power outage updates.

According to CenterPoint Energy, there are approximately 848 customers still without power within Creekside Park, mostly on the west side of Kuykendahl due to the inability to access the area because of high water. As soon as the area can be accessed safely by officials, they will resume response and restoration efforts.

Due to danger to residents and the public presented by electrical distribution facilities impacted by flood waters, electric service is subject to being disconnected in flooded areas until flood waters recede to the point this danger no longer exists. Affected residents are to be notified by the power companies prior to a disconnect. When the hazard is mitigated, power companies will restore power to these homes as soon as possible.

Please visit the CenterPoint Energy website for updates.

The public is urged to follow these important electric and natural gas safety tips:

Electric

• Stay away from downed power lines. Be especially mindful of downed lines that could be hidden in flood waters and treat all downed lines as if they are energized.
• Once away from the area, call CenterPoint Energy and we will respond as soon as it is safe to do so.
• When possible, we recommend that you contact a licensed electrician to advise and assist during flood conditions in turning power off at the breaker box and back on. If it appears that water will get as high as the outlets in your house, we recommend that you cut off power at the breaker box only if you are able to do so safely and without standing in water.
• If you experienced flooding above the electrical outlets in your home, contact a licensed electrician before turning on the main circuit breaker or trying to restore power.
• All electrical appliances and electronic equipment that have been submerged in water need to dry thoroughly for at least one week. Then, have them checked by a qualified repair person before turning them on. Attempting to repair a flood-damaged appliance could result in electrical shock or death. Attempting to restart it could result in further damage and costly repairs.
• If the outside unit of an air conditioning system has been under water, mud and water may have accumulated in the controls. Have the unit checked by a qualified air conditioning technician.

Natural Gas

• Do not turn off your natural gas service at the meter; doing so could allow water to enter the natural gas lines.
• Be alert for the smell of natural gas. If you smell gas, leave the area immediately on foot and tell others to leave, too.
• If you smell gas, do not turn the lights on or off, smoke, strike a match, use a cell phone or operate anything that might cause a spark, including a flashlight or a generator.
• Do not attempt to turn natural gas valves on or off. Once safely away from the area, call 888-876-5786 and once it is safe, CenterPoint Energy will send a trained service technician.

SCHOOLS

As of this posting, Conroe ISD, Magnolia ISD, Tomball ISD, all closed until Sept. 5, 2017.

TRASH
Waste Management curbside service will resume Wednesday, 8/30. View More information about trash and recycling pickup and solid waste tips and solutions during storm events.

Important details to note:

• Service days are pushed forward 2 days this week only. If your normal service day was Monday, 8/28 you will be serviced on Wednesday, 8/30. Friday service areas will be serviced on Sunday, 9/3.
• The service schedule will return to normal next week, the week of 9/4.
• Available services the week of 8/28 include trash, yard trimmings and existing bulk pickup requests (new requests will not be accepted this week). Recycling service is NOT available this week due to flooding issues with our regional processing facility. Recycling will resume the week of 9/4.
• Labor Day will NOT interrupt or delay services. Waste Management will provide curbside pickup of trash, recycling and yard trimmings to all residents on their regularly scheduled service day, including Monday, September 4, 2017.
• The Recycling Drop-Off Center at 5310 Research Forest Drive, will maintain normal operating hours beginning this weekend, on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. It will NOT be open on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017.
• Please continue to follow all normal solid waste guidelines: www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/trashandrecycling.
•Montgomery County will manage all storm debris removal. Waste Management will NOT pick up storm debris. The Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management will notify residents once they are prepared to field requests for debris removal.

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE COUNTY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE REGARDING DEBRIS REMOVAL.
All available resources are currently dedicated to emergency response. Thank you for your cooperation.

DRINKING WATER SAFE in The Woodlands, despite rumors
Despite numerous rumors throughout social media, the two major municipal water districts serving residents in The Woodlands report water is safe to drink.

The Woodlands Joint Powers Agency (WJPA) and Harris-Montgomery Counties MUD 386 report drinking water for residents of The Woodlands is totally safe. Here is contact information: 855-H2o-SAVE (855-426-7283)

Harris-Montgomery Counties MUD 386 indicates the wastewater system is operational, but is being overfilled with storm water. This is resulting in wastewater mixed with storm water that may escape the system. Please refrain from flushing or using water inside of your home as much as possible and try to stay out of flood water.

ROAD CONDITIONS
Go to https://mctxoem.org/ for alerts and advisories including road closures.

TOWNSHIP OFFICES
Township offices will reopen Wednesday, August 30, 2017.

The Woodlands Express and Town Center Trolley operations are suspended until further notice.

For additional information, please visit www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov.

Additional questions, please see the FAQ from the San Jacinto River Authority.

Where to Volunteer and Make Donations

The following information is provided for those who would like to volunteer or make donations to help victims of the storm.

Interfaith Of The Woodlands
4242 Interfaith way
The Woodlands, TX 77381
Phone: 281-367-1230
Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Interfaith of The Woodlands will accept the following donations:
Food, clothing, bedding items and new undergarments.

Please check the Interfaith Facebook and website for further updates.
The immediate needs are:
-non-perishable food
-snacks
-water
-shoes
-diapers
-wipes
-new undergarments
-new blankets
-new pillows
-new towels

Interfaith is currently assessing needs and assisting in meeting basic needs of the individuals and families in the local shelters, as well as making plans for long-term housing for displaced families. In the meantime, you can donate on the Interfaith website, www.woodlandsinterfaith.org.

Additional Donation and Distribution Sites

THE WOODLANDS/SPRING
St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church
7801 Bay Branch Dr.
The Woodlands, TX 77382
Phone: 281-296-2800
Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

CONROE
Crisis Assistance Center
1022 McCall Ave.
Conroe, TX  77301
Phone: 936-539-1096
Tuesday – Friday 8:30 am – 11:30 am and 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

NEW CANEY
Mission Northeast
22098 Loop 494
New Caney, TX 77381
Phone: 281-354-1200
Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

SHELTERS IN NEED OF DONATIONS

• Lone Star Convention Center in Conroe, 9055 Airport Road, 77303.
  • Cots and bedding are a priority need at Lonestar Convention Center

The Woodlands United Methodist Church:
Donate Needed Supplies: The Woodlands United Methodist Church is not a shelter, but is continuing to receive donations at the church, 2200 Lake Woodlands Drive, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please bring them to the entrance by the church offices, on the Lake Woodlands Drive side of the building. Items needed:

• Toiletries
• New socks
• Diapers and baby supplies
• Cleaning supplies
• Non-perishable food items
• Light blankets
• Air mattresses

Limited clothing: Please do not bring bags full of clothing. What is needed:

• Mostly men’s items – especially Large and XL plus men’s shoes
• Some women’s and children’s clothing

Note: Please fold each item and label by size and style (Men, Women, Boy, Girl). The shelters do not have the capacity to sort clothing at this time so this will be a huge help.

The Woodlands Fire Department reminds all residents to stay out of high waters due to unpredictable currents and unforeseen dangers and to stay safe! Thank you to all for your caring assistance to our friends and neighbors in need.

Source: The Woodlands Township