With signs on the highway and in interviews with the media, government officials are taking every opportunity to remind people to prepare for hurricane season if you haven't already.
You have the long weekend to clear drainage ditches on your property, just as we found work crews out doing yesterday. Also, flood district crews were checking the gauges along the bayous, all as workers in the offices of emergency management in our area counties kept a close eye on the storm, waiting for it to enter the Gulf.
"It would be a great opportunity for people to get out, look at their ditches, see if they need to clean out, clean them if they do, see if they need mowing. Do that activity if it's required," said Gary Norman "Basically, help the drainage system work better for everybody."
When it comes to preparing your home, Harris County officials recommend you keep 7 days of food and water on hand. Plus, here's a checklist of items you'll want to make sure you have in your home.
The Harris County Flood Control District is also combing over the bayous, making sure everything is running properly. Workers checked the flood gauges yesterday. Those gauges transmit realtime data to county officials, who monitor the waterways to see if there are any problems.
A little farther inland in Austin, National Guard troops are getting ready in case they are needed. Governor Rick Perry has already enacted a disaster declaration in 61 Texas counties. Yesterday, those guardsmen practiced skills they may need to put in place if Gustav heads this way.
