LUBBOCK, Texas — With severe flooding threatening Southeast Texas, several agencies are going out to help, including some of our game wardens.
“It’s great to be able to help. For sure,” said Lieutenant Aaron Sims, Game Warden Public Information Officer.
Sims said they staged themselves before the storm for a reason. “Instead of getting a call from Lubbock or Amarillo like, ‘Hey! We need you here in two hours.’ It’s better to pre-position those state assets, that way they’re plugged into the command center down there and then they can respond to a quicker manner,” he said.
There’s an increased risk of flooding within the next 48 hours in Southeast Texas. The game wardens from our region are staged near Bastrop, in case there’s major river flooding and flash flooding.
“Anytime you get those rivers, they start getting real up to their flood levels and the soil’s so saturated, you start adding inches and inches of rain. It could become a potential issue,” said Sims.
He said the game wardens are ready with four shallow draft rescue boats and a UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System, aka “Drone).
“It’s a team effort in Texas, right?” said Sims, “We work with other agenices, DPS, other sheriff’s offices, police departments, fire departments, and so, no one can do it by themselves. When we have that team effort going, it’s very effective.”
They’re expecting these conditions to last into the weekend.
