Want to help flood victims?
Many Hays County and other area residents are asking us how they can help flood victims. Below are some ways you can get involved to aid in flood recovery efforts:
Report missing people
Call 512-393-7796 to report missing family members/neighbors/friends. This is also the number for evacuees to report they are safe.
Hays County Food Bank
To donate food, drop items off at 220 Herndon St. in San Marcos, or at one of the other locations listed on the organization’s website: www.haysfoodbank.org.
MOST NEEDED ITEMS UPDATE:
Canned Fruits/Veggies
Tuna/Chicken/Salmon
Canned Beans?Canned Chili?Canned Soup?
Ravioli?
Granola Bars?
Nuts?
Peanut Butter
Hays County – Equipment
Hays County set up an email account for use by the public to volunteer equipment and volunteer service organizations: hayscoflood@co.hays.tx.us.
If you have equipment that you would like to offer for use during the clean-up flooded areas, please send an email with a complete detailed list of what resources/equipment you have access to. Be sure to include a Point of Contact name with email address and telephone number. It will be forwarded to the administrator and you will be contacted if your equipment can be utilized.
If you are part of a volunteer organization, please email with Point of Contact name, email address and telephone number as well as the number of people in your group who are available to assist. That information will be forwarded to the administrator and you could be contacted for possible deployment.
Beginning May 27, we will have a Volunteer Coordinator Contact available for those of you who may want to assist on an individual basis. Please note that we are not in a position to take that information today. We will notify the public when the system has been set up. We appreciate all of your patience and your willingness to assist.
Red Cross
If you, or someone you know were affected by storms and need shelter, food, comfort or help from the Red Cross, please call 1-877-500-8645. If you wish to volunteer for American Red Cross of Central Texas visit: http://www.redcross.org/tx/austin
Ways To Donate:
Donate by Check or In Person
American Red Cross of Central Texas
2218 Pershing Drive
Austin, TX 78723
Make a Donation by Phone
Give using your credit or debit card by calling (512) or (800) 928-4271. We accept MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express.
Text REDCROSS to 90999 Make a $10 donation to American Red Cross National Disaster Relief. Participating carriers only. Donations will appear on customers’ monthly bills or be debited from a prepaid account balance. Message and data rates may apply. To see terms applicable to donations, please visit www.mgive.org/T. Receipts for donations made by text are available at www.mgive.org/receipt.
UT Austin
Conservators and students at The University of Texas at Austin’s School of Information are available to provide advice and limited disaster recovery assistance to help this weekend’s flood victims salvage damaged family treasures.
Wet papers and photographs, textiles, scrapbooks, books and other sentimental objects should be frozen, if possible, and not thrown out, the conservators say.
Losing such items can be devastating after disasters such as floods. Luckily, many things can be salvaged with proper guidance. Flood victims are urged to contact the iSchool for advice on conservation at 512-903-9564 or response@ischool.utexas.edu.
Faculty members and students also plan to host salvage workshops in areas most affected by flooding during the next few weeks and will schedule those sessions soon. Please contact response@ischool.utexas.edu if you are interested in hosting or attending a salvage session.
For more information, contact: Karen Pavelka, School of Information, 512-903-9564.
Neighborhood debris clean up
Plans are being finalized for a coordinated private property flood debris removal effort. In the interim, affected residents, as much as possible, are asked to separate debris into different piles.
-Branches, leaves, and other vegetative materials that can go into a wood chipper
metal and related materials suitable for recycling.
-Glass (gather glass carefully; before you set it out, double-bag it to avoid accidents).
-Lumber, insulation, bricks, siding, and other debris from buildings.
-Furniture and other large items.
-Appliances (use duct tape to hold refrigerators and freezers closed).
Set the piles as close to the road as possible.
At this time, Household hazardous wastes (HHW) such as paints, pesticides, and batteries should be gathered and staged at a different location on the property and not left at the curb.
Public Infrastructure
Crews with the Hays County Road Department are in the process of removing flood debris from River Road so the roadway can be repaired and reopened to traffic. Some portions of the roadway remain underwater, which has slowed the debris removal process.
All low water crossings over the Blanco River remain closed due to high water.
The Ranch Road 12 Bridge over the Blanco River will remain open only during the daylight hours until TxDOT is able to install temporary guardrails on the bridge. Once installed, the bridge will be open 24-7.