FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                     For more information contact:

August 31, 2008: 3:25 p.m.                   Victoria Office of Emergency Mgmt: 485-3362

Gustav Update # 3

(VICTORIA, TEXAS) As portions of Louisiana and Texas evacuate from Hurricane Gustav's path, the Victoria Office of Emergency Management urges local residents to remain vigilant and insure they continue to be prepared for any storm that enters enters the Gulf of Mexico.  

As individuals evacuating from Louisiana and south-eastern Texas make their way through Victoria, officials urge them to consider that Victoria is a coastal community in the midst of a very active hurricane season.  In the interest of their safety, officials urge displaced persons traveling through the Victoria area to seek refuge at a safer distance from the coast, and to remember that no shelters will be opened within Victoria County.

The San Antonio Reception Center is fully operational and ready to receive evacuees displaced by Hurricane Gustav.  Information about available shelters can be acquired by dialing 3-1-1 once travelers are in the San Antonio area.  Individuals should identify themselves as evacuees of Hurricane Gustav to be connected with the appropriate personnel.  Lastly, both residents and displaced persons alike should refrain from using 9-1-1 for anything but emergency situations.

For more information, contact the Victoria Office of Emergency Management, 485-3362.

-30-