Fannin County Official Emergency Management Media Release

Saturday morning at approximately 10:30 a.m., Fannin County officials and the American Red Cross received three buses filled with evacuees from the Superdome in New Orleans traveling by convoy and escorted by DPS.  Some of the evacuees have been on the road since Thursday in search of proper shelter.

When the convoy arrived in Bonham, a medical advisor entered each bus and quickly assessed which individuals had immediate medical needs, while making sure everyone else received proper attention.  There were approximately 7 adults and one child who were taken to the VA and Northeast Medical Center for immediate attention.

A second advisor then entered each bus and welcomed them to Fannin County and described in detail what county officials would need in order to keep up with each evacuee and this information also aids family members that have been trying to locate relatives.  The evacuees understood exactly what needed to be done and all were receptive during the in briefing process. 

After the evacuees unloaded, they were escorted to a large team of nurses and medical officials to be screened for any diseases and to evaluate their condition.  Once they were released from the medical triage, they were placed in a line for search and seizure.  No evacuees were carrying any type of contraband other than small pocketknives.  None of the evacuees resisted surrendering anything they had.  Each item that was removed, tagged, secured and will be returned to the evacuees when they leave the shelter for a different destination.

In all, approximately 120 men, woman and children were processed into the Armory Saturday afternoon.

Phone calls are already being received from families who are trying to locate their family members.  One man calling from Atlanta Georgia called the Fannin County Public Information Officer’s cell phone trying to find his brother who was separated from him in the New Orleans disaster. 

All of the evacuees were exhausted, hungry and simply just wanted to take a bath.  Immediately after checking in, they were then escorted to the shower facilities and given a set of clean clothes to change into.  The evacuees expressed their thanks over and over to anyone who was helping.

Fannin County Judge Derrell Hall said, “On behalf of Fannin County, I would like to thank the citizens of our community that have already responded and will respond in the coming weeks.  I would like to personally thank Clint Wagstaff, Emergency Management Coordinator and Timothy La Vergne, Captain BPD and Sharon Watson, American Red Cross and staff for an outstanding job they have done pulling this all together and making it work so smoothly.  I would also like to thank the City of Bonham, Fannin County Sheriff’s Department, Bonham Independent School District and staff, both State Prison facilities located in Bonham, Northeast Medical Center, several employees from the Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center, the County Precincts, Fannin County Amateur Radio Club, Fannin County Resources, Dr. James Froelich, Dr. Jim Tarpley, Dr. Barbara Meyers, all civic groups, and a special thank you to the volunteers who have reached out and shown their kindness to mankind.  A huge Thank You goes to Pastor J. Morgan Malone and all the churches that have been involved. And also a very BIG Thank You to Wal-Mart for everything they are doing to support our community during this crisis.”

Thank you Fannin County citizens, businesses and churches

for all your help and assistance at this time of crisis. 

We are fortunate to live in such a great County.

To volunteer, donate or help in any way, please contact Sharon Watson, American Red Cross at 903-465-1330 or Clint Wagstaff, Fannin County Emergency Management Coordinator at the South Annex Building in Bonham.

Money Donations:

American Red Cross
2527 Highway 691
Denison, Texas 75020

MUST WRITE ON CHECK
FANNIN COUNTY RELIEF

Additional Money Donations and all other items:

First Baptist Church
710 N. Center Street
Bonham, Texas 75418
Pastor J. Morgan Malone
(903)-583-8519
(903)-640-6793

Northside Church of Christ
2020 N. Center
Bonham, Texas 75418
Minister Carl Dye
(903) 583-3484

 Area churches are asked to contact Pastor J. Morgan Malone at 903-583-8519 or 903-640-6793 to organize any food or clothing donations.

The County Public Information Officer (PIO) and the Red Cross will give updates and briefings as the situation develops. 

For additional information the public may call Tammy Rich, Fannin County Public Information Officer (PIO) or Polly Gilbert, Fannin County Clerk at (903) 583-7486.

Evacuees unloading from the bus that traveled from New Orleans.

Beginning of the medical screenings.

Search and seizure

Snacks and water were offered as soon as they were unloaded.

Clint Wagstaff, Emergency Management Coordinator takes the time to talk to each individual.

Blood was being drawn by the medical team.

All of the evacuees were grateful to be in a safe place.

Volunteers assist carrying sacks of the only things they have left after the hurricane.

Some of the evacuees have been traveling since Thursday.

Lined up awaiting further instructions.

The medical staff reached out with open hearts to each evacuee.

Eric Coleman, New Orleans evacuee.

This gentleman agreed to be interviewed by Channel 12, describing the devastation left behind.

One of three buses that arrived in Bonham

 

Bulletin: Statement on Federal Emergency Assistance for Texas By The White House, President Bush Sep 2, 2005

Statement on Federal Emergency Assistance for Texas

The President today verbally declared an emergency exists in the State of Texas and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts to assist evacuees from the area struck by Hurricane Katrina and to provide emergency assistance to those areas beginning on August 29, 2005, and continuing.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to the State and all 254 counties of the State of Texas.

Specifically, assistance is available to State and eligible local governments for emergency protective measures that are undertaken to save lives and protect public health and safety.

Emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 100 percent Federal funding.

Representing FEMA, Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Department of Homeland Security, named Gary Jones as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FEMA (202) 646-4600.

President George W. Bush and Michael Chertoff, Secretary of Homeland Security, talk with the media Friday, Sept. 2, 2005, on the South Lawn of the White House. The President briefed the press on hurricane disaster relief before departing for a tour of the Gulf Coast area hit by Hurricane Katrina. White House photo by Paul Morse

President George W. Bush and Secretary Michael Chertoff of the Department of Homeland Security, brief the media Friday, Sept. 2, 2005, on disaster relief in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The President left the White House afterwards to fly to the stricken area. White House photo by Paul Morse

President George W. Bush spends a moment with a victim of Hurricane Katrina during his walking tour Friday, Sept. 2, 2005, of Biloxi, Miss. "You know, there's a lot of sadness, of course," said the President of the devastated area. "But there's also a spirit here in Mississippi that is uplifting." White House photo by Eric Draper

President George W. Bush embraces victims of Hurricane Katrina Friday, Sept. 2, 2005, during his tour of the Biloxi, Miss., area. " The President told residents that he had come down to look at the damage first hand and to tell the "good people of this part of the world that the federal government is going to help." White House photo by Eric Draper