Hurricane Harvey continues to ravage the Texas coast. As we shared yesterday, this gives us an eerie sense of deja vu recalling the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. And while we are no stranger to Texas weather, this storm is bringing with it unprecedented amounts of rainfall and flooding. In particular, there will be a residual travel impact due to the weather that could affect travelers far beyond the state of Texas. Some will also be in need of disaster resources or looking for ways to assist.
Weekly travelers may find themselves affected this week by the storms as they continue to hover over Texas. Major airlines have put travel waivers in place for those who may have flights to/from or connecting through affected cities. Those cities include those along the Texas coast, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin.
United and Southwest are likely to have the greatest downstream travel impact from the disruption to Houston-area operations. Many travelers are also having issues getting back to the affected areas if they were away. If you have planned travel to the affected areas in the coming week, please reconsider whether it is essential.
The best way to help victims of Hurricane Harvey is through donations to organized aid groups.
Blood donations are urgently needed. Text DONATE4LIFE to 444-999 or call (877) 571-1000 for the nearest Carter BloodCare location near you.
Pets are being displaced and need supplies. Check with your local animal shelter or rescue group to see what their supply needs may be.
Organizers in Texas have stressed that they do NOT have the storage for perishable goods at this time. As well, experienced disaster recovery teams will have specific supply needs to fill for household goods and other necessities after rescue efforts have concluded. Do not gather food or supplies without checking in with an organized recovery group first. While donations are always well-intentioned, many items cannot be utilized unless they are brand-new (or in some cases, very gently used). There are also very specific packaging instructions that help expedite transport and distribution of goods. Not following those instructions can slow down volunteer groups and actually delay getting necessary items to the needy parties. While a disaster may seem like a great time to dump your unwanted cast-offs, resist the urge unless an item is specifically requested.
We will continue to watch the situation – and stand ready to help those in need.
Agree about assistance. As a Katrina survivor, I know that people are well intentioned by donating old clothes and canned food but donating “stuff” requires an army of volunteers to sort and get deployed to the right people. The days and weeks that followed we were transient carrying the bare minimum and the gift cards to grocery stores, discount retailers, fast food chains and just plain old visa gift cards were really a lifesaver. We were able to buy what we needed when we needed it verses carting around a bunch of useless stuff and/or making our way to a distribution point where these donated items were being passed. Immediate needs of shelter are top of mind right now, but the other needs will linger for days, weeks and months while the clean up continues.