Local officials are advising residents to take precautions during the course of hurricane season from June 1–Nov. 30, despite Tomball and Magnolia's distance inland from the coast.
Miranda Garvey, Community Emergency Response Team coordinator for the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management, said Tomball and Magnolia are considered pass-through communities and do not meet the criteria for mandatory evacuations during major storms. However, both communities are often affected during an evacuation.
"We ask folks from the coast to pass through our community and go north to the Dallas area [during an evacuation]," Garvey said. "When folks pass through, they take all of our stuff with them—gas, water and food. Even though we're staying here, sometimes it's tough."
In preparation for hurricanes and tropical storms, residents should have enough nonperishable food items and bottled water—at least one gallon per person each day—on hand to last at least 72 hours without electricity, Garvey said. Experts are predicting a lower risk of large storms in the Gulf of Mexico this year, but residents should still take precautions since weather conditions can deteriorate quickly, she said.
