Stranded families struggle to be rescued from Greenspoint area apartments
HOUSTON -- Strangers come to the rescue of stranded families, using any means necessary to get women and children through flood waters to safety.
Dozens of families found themselves trapped in their Greenspoint area apartments, as Greens Bayou waters have risen quickly throughout the day. But as neighbors are helping neighbors get out of their apartments by using air mattresses, storage containers and even a refrigerator, there are complaints that the city isn't doing enough to help bring these people to safety.
Meanwhile, the city of Houston says they're working with regional agencies to assist residents affected by today's flooding in the Greenspoint area. Aldine ISD dispatched three buses to help with transporing people to a nearby shelter. The district said the buses will transport residents to Campbell Center, where the Red Cross has set up a shelter. The buses will go back and forth until all the people have been transported.
Earlier today, when the Greens Bayou came out of banks, the Houston Fire Department responded to multiple calls for assistance, some of these residents were re-located to the second floor the apartment complex until the necessary assets became available to move them to a shelter.
The city says many residents are self-evacuating from areas of refuge against the advice of first responders. The Houston Fire Department (HFD) is encouraging those residents to remain in the area of refuge; high-waters pose significant threat to health and safety and should be avoided.
Currently, HFD has 9 high water vehicles assigned to the Greenspoint area to provide immediate evacuation of affected residents. Residents are being taken to the Greenspoint Mall, and boarded onto 10 METRO buses which are taking them to area shelters.
In order to ensure the safety of the affected residents and the property at the Greenspoint Mall, the Houston Police Department has dispatched additional officers to the area.
There are five shelters currently available in the Houston area for displaced residents:
St John's United Methodist Church
8787 N Houston-Rosslyn Road
Houston, Texas 77008
(Inwood- Near Northwest )
Johnston Middle School
10410 Manhattan Drive
Houston, Texas 77096
(Meyerland)
Jersey Village Baptist Church
16518 Jersey Drive
Jersey Village, Texas 77040
(Jersey Village)
MO Campbell Education Center
1865 Aldine Bender
Houston, Texas 77032
(Greenspoint/Aldine)
Acres Homes Multi-Purpose Community Center
6719 W. Montgomery
Houston, TX 77091
(Acres Homes)
