KAUFMAN COUNTY–Kaufman County Commissioners heard from Emergency Management Coordinator Steve Howie on severe area flooding and efforts to help those affected at the court’s regular meeting Oct. 31.
Howie told commissioners that the area in and around Kaufman had received 14.4 inches of rain between Friday night and Monday morning, with 10 inches of that coming down on Saturday, causing significant flooding.
In that time, emergency personnel responded to 30 area homes for evacuation and high-water rescue operations. Three Texas Task Force 1 boat crews were deployed to assist. “There’s just a lot of people I would say ‘thank you’ to for all the help Saturday,” Howie said.
Tragically, two fatalities occurred on FM 1390 as a result of the intense flooding.
The county is now entering “recovery mode,” says Howie, who went on to say that he doesn’t believe the county will have a high enough dollar amount in damage to qualify for a federal declaration, so the county is depending on its own resources and local faith-based nonprofit organizations such as Red Cross and Salvation Army to help citizens in the aftermath of the torrential downpour.
The Texas Baptist Men with Red Cross visited with known affected families one-on-one, while an assistance center was set up at the Chamber of Commerce in the Kaufman Civic Center 9-3 Oct. 31 to catch anyone in need that the county was unaware of.
“We’re trying to make every effort to reach out and gather up the people that need help and help them to the best of our ability,” said Howie.
In other business, commissioners:
• Approved consent agenda items.
• Accepted the extension office’s quarterly report.
• Declared Certified Recycling a sole source for recycled manufactured shingle pavement.
• Approved advertising bids for a SH 34 connector road project and for construction of a turn lane on University Drive in Precinct 2.
• Approved placing 15mph speed limit signs at the Kaufman County Justice Center and Sheriff’s Department.
• Approved line-item and budget transfers, claims for payment and financial information as provided by the auditor.