BECOMES HARD TO GET AS WELL BECAUSE GAS STATIONS NEED POWER.
>> A LOT OF THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT THERE.
A MAN WORRYING ABOUT ALL OF THEM TEXAS GOVERNOR ABBOTT DECLARED A
STATE OF EMERGENCY ACTIVATING 700 MEMBERS OF NATIONAL GUARD.
HE'LL BE GIVING A PRESS CONFERENCE THIS AFTERNOON.
FIRST, HE JOINS US TO TALK ABOUT THE HURRICANE AND THE
PREPARATION. TEXAS GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT.
GOVERNOR, YOU TWEETED OUT THAT YOU HAVE SPOKEN TO PRESIDENT
TRUMP AND FEMA. WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE TO EXPECT
AFTER THE STORM PASSES THROUGH? A WEEK FROM NOW WE'RE WORRIED.
>> WE'RE ALREADY ENGAGED IN WORKING WITH FEMA AND HAVE BEEN
FOR DAYS NOW. THE PRESIDENT AND THE SECRETARY
OF HOMELAND SECURITY ALSO PROMISED THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS. I THINK EVERYBODY IS COMING TO
REALIZE THE MAGNITUDE AND COMPLICATION OF THIS STORM.
THE GREATEST CONCERN THAT WE HAVE IS THE FACT THAT AS OF A
COUPLE OF DAYS AGO AS THE STORM WAS HEADING TOWARDS TEXAS, IT
LOOKED LIKE A TROPICAL STORM AND NOT TOO MANY TEXANS TOOK IT THAT
SERIOUS. OBVIOUSLY IT HAS GROWN FAR MORE
SERIOUS OVER THE PAST 24 TO 48 HOURS.
NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THE HURRICANE SITUATION BUT BECAUSE
OF THE RAINFALL YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, THERE'S GOING TO BE
ENORMOUS FLOODING. SO WE'RE CONCERNED THAT NOT
ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE EVACUATED AND WE'RE STILL URGING PEOPLE IF AT
ALL POSSIBLE IF YOU ARE IN LOW LYING AREAS, IF YOU'RE IN ZONES
WHERE EVACUATION ORDERS URGING AT ALL POSSIBLE, IF YOU'RE IN
LOW LYING AREAS, IF YOU'RE IN ZONES WHERE EVACUATION ORDERS
HAVE BEEN IN PLACE, THERE MAY BE TIME FOR YOU TO GET OUT.
IF YOU DON'T GET OUT YOU COULD BE IN AN AREA WITHOUT POWER,
WITHOUT WATER, WITHOUT NECESSITIES FOR AT LEAST A WEEK,
IF NOT LONGER. SO IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, IF YOU
CAN GET OUT OF HARM'S WAY, PLEASE DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN
OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS TO GET OUT.
THERE ARE LOCATIONS IN SAN ANTONIO, IN AUSTIN, IN DALLAS
THAT CAN HOST YOU THAT CAN TAKE CARE OFFIA.
>> WE SPOKE TO THE MAYOR OF SAN ANTONIO, WHO SAID THEY ARE
PREPARED TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS. THE PRESIDENT TWEETED OUT HE HAS
SPOKEN WITH GOVERNOR ABBOTT OF TEXAS AND ARE HERE TO ASSIST AS
NEEDED. WE SPOKE TO THE MAYOR OF CORPUS
CHRISTI A LITTLE EARLIER. THEY'VE NOT GOT A MANDATORY
EVACUATION THERE. THE MAYOR THOUGHT IT WAS GOING
TO BE LESS SERIOUS THAN HE THOUGHT.
THAT STANDS IN STARK PREDICTION OF ALL THE REPORTING WE'VE BEEN
GIVEN. I KNOW YOU'RE SELF-RELIANT, BUT
SHOULD THAT BE A MANDATORY EVACUATION?
>> THE MAYORS OF THESE AREAS KNOW THEIR AREAS WELL.
EVEN IF IT'S A VOLUNTARY EVACUATION ORDER, I THINK TEXANS
SHOULD HEED THAT. THEY'LL FIND THE NEXT FEW HOURS
THE STORM IS GOING TO BE STRONGER, MORE SERIOUS THAN WHAT
WAS ANTICIPATED. AND LONGER LASTING.
REMEMBER THIS, NOW, THE FLOODING THAT WILL TAKE PLACE WILL NOT BE
JUST ALONG THE COAST, IT WILL BE INLAND, ABOUT 100 MILES.
THAT WATER WILL COME RUSHING DOWN TOWARD THE COAST,
COMPLICATING ROADWAYS FOR A LONG TIME TO COME.
NOW IS THE TIME TO GET OUT WHILE YOU STILL CAN.
>> SO, HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A 12 FOOT STORM SURGE?
EVEN THE SOUND OF THAT, SANDBAGS CAN'T HELP YOU WHEN YOU'RE
TALKING 12 FEET. >> ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
THINGS WE CAN AND HAVE DONE IS TO PREPARE FOR WATER RESCUE
MISSIONS. WE HAVE MULTIPLE TEAMS, WHETHER
IT BE THROUGH THE 700 STATE AND NATIONAL GUARD THAT WE'VE
ACTIVATED, WHETHER IT BE WHAT'S CALLED TEXAS TASK FORCE ONE OR
TWO OR WORKING WITH FEMA, WE HAVE MULTIPLE WATER RESCUE TEAMS
SOUTH OF CORPUS CHRISTI UP TO THE HOUSTON AREA TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO BE IN THE PROCESS OF SAVING LIVES,
WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO.
>> WHEN WE'VE SEEN LIVES LOST IN THESE HURRICANES IN THE PAST, IT
OFTEN HAS TO DO WITH PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO GET
OUT OF TOWN, MOVING, RELOCATING BEFORE A STORM IS REMARKABLE
INCONVENIENT, DIFFICULT TO DO. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO
DON'T HAVE RESOURCES AND DON'T KNOW, AS YOU MENTIONED, WHERE
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GO. DO YOU THINK THERE'S ENOUGH
BUSSING, ENOUGH SHELTERS AROUND THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE PEOPLE WHO
OTHERWISE THINK THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY OR CAPACITY TO GET OUT
OF TOWN? >> SURE.
THERE HAVE BEEN AND ARE MULTIPLE BUSES AND MASS TRANSPORTATION
FACILITIES LEAVING AREAS SUCH AS CORPUS CHRISTI, TAKING PEOPLE TO
PLACES LIKE SAN ANTONIO. IF YOU'RE GOING TO SAN ANTONIO
OR AUSTIN OR THESE OTHER SHELTERS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO
WORRY ABOUT THE COST. YOU HAVE OTHER PEOPLE WHO WILL
BE TAKING CARE OF YOU. YOU NEED TO FIND A PATHWAY OUT.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THAT PATHWAY, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR, THAT SHOULD BE EASY TO FIND.
IF NOTHING ELSE CALL YOUR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY CAN
PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH THEM. TAKE HASTE AND USE ALL SPEED TO
TRY TO FIND A PATHWAY OUT OF THIS STORM.
>> HOW ABOUT RISK OF DEPORTATION?
FOR THOSE UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS THAT COULD BE IN THE
WAY OF THE STORM'S PATH, ARE THEY IN THE CLEAR TO GO TO SOME
OF THESE EVACUATION CENTERS? DO THEY HAVE TO SHOW ID?
>> IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING FROM WHAT I SAW FROM THE BORDER
PATROL INSTRUCTIONS YESTERDAY THAT WILL NOT BE AN ISSUE.
WHAT EVERYONE IS FOCUSED ON RIGHT NOW IS INSURING WE DO ALL
WE CAN TO PROTECT LIFE. WE HAVE A HIGH REGARD FOR LIFE.
WE WANT TO INSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL LIVES.
WE'RE PREPARED TO TAKE ALL MEASURES TO DO SO.
>> SPEAKING OF WHICH, THERE'S A CONE AT THE SOUTHERN END OF THIS
STORM THAT GETS TO BROWNSVILLE AND GETS TO THE MEXICO BORDER
AND THE RIO GRANDE. ARE YOU COORDINATING WITH
MEXICAN OFFICIALS ON THAT SIDE FOR THINGS THAT MAY HAPPEN
AROUND THAT AREA SOME. >> WE ARE COORDINATING WITH
MEXICAN OFFICIALS, BUT ALSO WITH BORDER PATROL OFFICIALS AND ALL
THE OFFICIALS UP AND DOWN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY ALL THE WAY UP
TO NORTH AND NORTHEAST OF THE HOUSTON AREA.
LISTEN, THIS IS GOING TO BE MASSIVE STORM THAT WILL HAVE
RIPPLE EFFECTS UP AND DOWN THE TEXAS COASTLINE.
SO THIS IS GOING TO BE BROAD-BASED COORDINATION BY
OFFICIALS AT ALL LEVELS. >> HOW ABOUT OIL REFINERIES?
CLEARLY THERE'S BIG OIL IN TEXAS.
HOW PREPARED ARE THEY? EVEN IF THEY SHUT DOWN
TEMPORARILY, HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE THEM TO GET BACK AND
OPERATIONAL? WE KNOW THIS COULD AFFECT PRICES
AT THE GAS TANK AROUND THE COUNTRY.
>> SURE. LISTEN, THEY ARE VERY
EXPERIENCED IN DEALING WITH THESE CHALLENGES.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE DEALT WITH THESE
CHALLENGES. THEY GET PREPARED IN ADVANCE AND
MAKE SURE THAT THEY WILL MINIMIZE BOTH THE POTENTIAL
DAMAGE, BUT ALSO EXPEDITE THE PROCESS OF GETTING THE
REFINERIES BACK UP AND RUNNING. IF THERE'S ANYBODY I HAVE
CONFIDENCE IN, IT'S THOSE REFINERIES BECAUSE THEY KNOW HOW
TO OPERATE THIS. THEY WILL GET IT BACK ONLINE AS
QUICKLY