Texas National Guard Deployed To Help Get Residents To Warmth, Power Issues Continue Due To Winter Weather
AUSTIN, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - With temperatures reaching dangerously cold conditions and continued power outages, the state of Texas is sending additional resources, as well as National Guard troops, to local officials to help with response.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday afternoon the state will be sending resources to help clear snow and ice-covered roads and assistance to essential workers like health care and power grid workers.
The governor also said Texas National Guard troops will be deployed across the state to help conduct welfare checks and help move residents, like the elderly, to local warming centers.
In an update to the state's power situation, Abbott said generators throughout Texas are unable to increase production due to being frozen by the conditions.
"Due to the severe weather and freezing temperatures across our state, many power companies have been unable to generate power, whether it's from coal, natural gas, or wind power," Abbott said. "ERCOT and the PUC are working non-stop to restore power supply. The state has also deployed resources to assist Texans without power and to help essential workers continue to carry out their jobs. In the meantime, I encourage all Texans to continue to stay off the roads, and conserve energy as state agencies work with private providers to restore power as quickly as possible."
Oncor, which provides electricity to much of North Texas, said it is asking all its customers to be prepared to be without power "for an extended period of time."
ERCOT said it expects the outages to continue the rest of Monday and possibly all day Tuesday.
Tips to reduce power use include turning thermostats to 68 degrees or lower, closing blind or shades to reduce the amount of heat that leaves homes, turning off or unplugging non-essential equipment such as small appliances, and trying to avoid using large appliances during peak hours like the mornings and evenings.
Both state and federal disaster declarations were issued for Texas in order to provide the necessary resources for the historic winter weather event.
Below is the list of additional resources sent on Monday:
- Texas Department of Public Safety: 3,300 Troopers and 3,300 patrol vehicles responding statewide to events in areas adversely affected by winter weather
- Texas Military Department: 6 Winter Weather Packages consisting of 90 personnel, 28 High Mobility Multi-Wheeled Vehicles, 1 Field Light Ambulance, and 4 Wreckers
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: 585 personnel, 531 4x4 vehicles, 50 UAS, 1 aircraft and 9 K9 teams
- Texas A&M Forest Service: 83 personnel, 6 Motor Graders, and 58 4x4's
- Texas Department of Transportation: 2,314 personnel, 695 snowplows, 188 loaders, 55 Motor Graders and 757 4x4 vehicles
- Texas Emergency Medical Task Force: 1 AMBUS and 1 Ambulance Strike Team and 4 Severe Weather Packages consisting of 1 Task Force Leader, 1 MIST,1 AMBUS and 1 Ambulance Strike Team each on stand-by