Texas responds to Hurricane Isaac

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Texas is stepping up to the plate by responding to Hurricane Isaac to help its neighboring state and preparing for any changes in the storm's current path. The state activated its emergency response on Monday in case Louisiana needs assistance with evacuees and shelters.

• Photos: New Orleans and Isaac
• Photos: Hurricane Isaac

It is all part of the state's emergency management plan, which Gov. Rick Perry activated on Monday. Multiple state agencies are part of this team on standby for rapid deployment.

Perry has also given Federal Emergency Management Agency approval to deploy Texas Task Force 1, a search and rescue team of 70 people to set up in Louisiana.

Other Texas groups are also doing their part. A Dallas-area shelter and two in East Texas have opened for possible evacuees. American Red Cross volunteers are standing by in DeSoto.

Officials say there are two other shelters ready at churches in Tyler and Texarkana, each able to hold about 150 people. Red Cross in Houston and San Antonio have not opened shelters, because officials are telling evacuees to move inland, away from the coast.

Down in Cameron County, Padre Island and Boca Chica beaches have closed because of dangerous tides and currents.

Four-legged evacuees are also seeking shelter. Nearly 70 dogs and 90 cats arrived from New Orleans to the SPCA in McKinney. Another 75 animals were on the way from Mississippi to a shelter in Dallas Tuesday night. Some workers drove nine hours to transport these animals as the storm approaches.

"This is really the time to come together,” said SPCA's Lucy Ball. “We'd love some people to open their hearts and homes to these animals. They are victims. They are sweet little things trying to get by and we are excited to help them "

Some animal shelters are even extending their hours and cutting the adoption rate, as they begin to fill up.

The hurricane is directly affecting Texans, too. Texas A&M's season opener against Louisiana Tech scheduled for Thursday night in Shreveport is postponed until October 13 because of the storm. It is the second canceled game after South Alabama versus Texas-San Antonio originally scheduled for Thursday in Mobile, Alabama.

Reports say East Texas is taking in plenty of Isaac evacuees. The Red Cross has opened a shelter in Tyler, and hotels in the area are seeing more customers fleeing the storm's path.

In addition, researchers from across the state are taking advantage of the coastal weather. One team all the way from Texas Tech is placing monitors along the Gulf in Louisiana. Their research will track the storm's progression and help officials during future hurricanes.