HURRICANE AWARENESS

Hurricane Ike Releases

June 8, 2009 - In an effort to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) philosophy of open information, the Joint Field Office of the Hurricane Ike disaster developed the first Texas disaster-specific Web site. The Texas site, www.fema.gov/ike, is designed to support state and local partners and to provide a variety of recovery information to the public and the media.

Satellite Imagery of Hurricane Ike

Hurricane Ike

Recovery Information

CURBSIDE HURRICANE DEBRIS PICKUP HAS ENDED

PROPERTY OWNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REMOVING NEW AND REMAINING HURRICANE DEBRIS AND ANY REMODELING/RECONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.

Debris Removal Updates

Photos of Dickinson

Home Repairs

If your home suffered more than 50% damage you must call the City to schedule an assessment prior to repairing your home. Any roof repair requires a permit and must be signed off by a state certified windstorm inspector.

State of Emergency

A state of emergency existed in the City of Dickinson from Thursday September 11, 2008 at 7:00 a.m. when Mayor Julie Masters ordered the mandatory evacuation of low lying areas of the city until Thursday September 18, 2008 8:30 A.M. when the boil water notice was lifted.

Debris Pick-Up Nearing Completion

The City of Dickinson is in its final stages of Debris pick up for Hurricane Ike. All debris must be placed next to the roadway by October 15th, 2008. The last day of pick is October 26th 2008.

Wednesday October 2, 2008

The final day to sign up for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's Blue Roof program is October 13, 2008. See the Corps' brochure for details.

Crowder-Gulf picked up 294 loads of debris yesterday over 10,650 yards and will remain in the same areas.

Waste Management will be picking up bagged leaves, This will continue until all the bags have been picked up. This process will take some time and your patience will be important during this time.

The City has collected over 90,000 cubic yards of vegetation debris from the city, This does not include building material that has also been removed.

Sunday September 28, 2008 3:00 P.M.

Texas New Mexico Power advised that all service has been restored to the Dickinson Area with the exception of the following services:

Homes in the flooded areas of Dickinson that have been green tagged requiring re-inspection of electrical by the City of Dickinson.

Homes with service problems - any lines damaged between the meter loop and the primary line. After repairs, contact TNMP for reconnection of service.

If you do not fit into one of these two exception and your power is still out, you should contact Texas New Mexico ( 888-866-7456).

Debris Removal:

Crowder-Gulf Debris removal will continue working in the same areas as previously listed.

On September 27, 2008 Crowder-Gulf removed 176 loads of vegetation from the City of Dickinson areas. This is equivalent to 8,000 cubic yards. The City of Dickinson is continually working with Crowder-Gulf for additional debris removal trucks.

Saturday September 27, 2008 3:00 P.M.

As of 10:00 A.M. Texas New Mexico reported that there were 823 customers in the Dickinson area without power. They still believe they will have the City of Dickinson back to normal by Sunday evening, one week ahead of the original estimate.

Debris removal will continue in the same areas as yesterday. (See the Debris Removal page for daily resource allocations and removal loads).

Friday September 26, 2008 1:00 P.M.

The city-wide curfew has been lifted. Extra police patrols will continue in the few remaining areas without electrical power.

Debris removal will continue in the same areas as yesterday. Crowder-Gulf will add 1 more trucks to the effort this afternoon. (See the Debris Removal page for daily resource allocations and removal loads).

As of 10:00 A.M. Texas New Mexico reports that there are 1945 customers without power in the Dickinson area. They anticipate 100% restoration within the City of Dickinson by Sunday.

They are working in the following areas today:

E side of Hughes Rd

Bayou Chantilly

West End of Hughes Rd if meter loops were not damaged will have service

Deats @ Oakridge

Nth of Deats Rd – Pin Oak Area

Greenlee Area

Liggio Street

Winding Way & Park Area

Scenic Drive

Avoid Scams

Crew members from TNMP and other companies are working to restore power as quickly as possible.
TNMP representatives may approach you, but:
- They will not ask for payment of any kind to restore your power.
- They will be wearing TNMP shirts, have TNMP identification and will be driving marked vehicles.
- There is no reason for our representatives to enter your house.
TNMP representatives will not call you and request your credit card number before restoring your power.

FEMA will host two Town Hall Meetings next week for the public to attend. FEMA reps will conduct the meeting, answer questions, and help the public. The meetings will be:

Monday, September 29 at 6:00 pm – Dickinson High School Auditorium,3800 Baker Drive, Dickinson 77539

Thursday, October 2 at 6:00 pm – First United Methodist Church in the Family Life Center, 200 FM 517 West

With regard to restoration of your property, please note that any contractor you wish to utilize for services must be registered with the City in order to perform work within the City. The contractor must come to City Hall and complete the appropriate paperwork. For questions about permits you may need, please contact the Building Inspection Department at 281-337-2489.

A burn ban is in effect within the city. No burn permits will be issued.

Hurricane Relief Effort

Interfaith Caring Ministries has secured a location for our Hurricane Ike Relief Center. It will be located at the old Palais Royal Building in League City. The address is 231 West Main. The hours of operation will be 9 AM until 6PM, Monday through Friday. Donations will only be accepted during these business hours. If you have any questions please call 281-332-3881.

We are in need of the Food Items and New Shoes/Undergarments for kids.

Our current Food needs are:

Rice
Peanut Butter
Jelly
Biscuit Mix
Jello
Coffee
Macaroni and Cheese
Pasta
Pasta Sauce
Canned Milk
Dry Milk
Baby Food
Formula
Can Goods
Bottled Water
Nonperishable Foods

*Volunteers
We are also in need of tables, and temporary walls or screens.

Other Goods Needed:

New Undergarments for KIDS
Shoes for KIDS
Hand Can Openers
Diapers-Sizes 5 & 6
Toothpaste
Toothbrushes
New Disposable Razors
Shaving Cream
Deodorant
Ziploc Bags of all sizes
Kitchen trash bags
Plastic grocery bags
Paper grocery bags
Sheets
Pillows
Towels
Washcloths
Air Mattresses
Soap
Baby Wipes
Detergent
Toilet Paper
Feminine Products

Thursday September 25, 2008 3:00 P.M.

As of 7:00 A.M. on September 25th there have been over 40,000 cubic yards of debris removed from the city. Crowder-Gulf, the city's contractor, is working as fast as they can in the effort to get the city back to normal. (See the Debris Removal page for daily resource allocations and removal loads).

Waste Management is operating on their regular schedule this week. As they have done over the past week, if they are unable to complete the entire City due to volume, Waste Management will continue the pick up the following day(s) until everything has been collected. Additionally, recycling will be picked up on Friday and green waste in clear plastic bags will be picked up on Saturday.

Texas New Mexico Power has restored electricity to an additional 349 customers. They will be working in the following areas:

Deats Rd at Oakridge                       Today

Greenlee Ln at Timber Dr               Today

Bayou Chantilly Subdivision          Today

Plantation Bend Area                      Today

Winding Way Area                           Today

Meadow Glen Area                          This afternoon and tomorrow

Country Club Area                           Today

Scenic Dr Area                                  Tomorrow

Ohio & Hemlock Area                       Today

Hughes Rd E                                      Tomorrow

FEMA will host two Town Hall Meetings next week for the public to attend. FEMA reps will conduct the meeting, answer questions, and help the public. The meetings will be:

Monday, September 29 at 6:00 pm – Dickinson High School Auditorium,3800 Baker Drive, Dickinson 77539

Thursday, October 2 at 6:00 pm – First United Methodist Church in the Family Life Center, 200 FM 517 West

The citywide curfew in Dickinson remains in effect from midnight to 6:00 A.M. until future notice. There are still large areas of the city without power and many roads are barely passable due to debris. Police patrols will be at an increased level until future notice.

Wednesday September 24, 2008 3:00 P.M.

We have just confirmed the dates and locations for two FEMA Town Hall Meetings next week for the public to attend. FEMA reps will conduct the meeting, answer questions, and help the public. The meetings will be:

Monday, September 29 at 6:00 pm – Dickinson High School Auditorium, 3800 Baker Drive, Dickinson 77539

Thursday, October 2 at 6:00 pm – First United Methodist Church in the Family Life Center, 200 FM 517 West

We have seen significant progress in the restoration of power. As of this morning at 10:00 a.m. Texas New Mexico reports that they have restored power to 6106 of the 8908 Dickinson area customers who lost power due to Hurricane Ike. They break their reports down by zip code, so the report includes customers in the unincorporated area of Dickinson and in San Leon. Many of the 2802 customers still without power may well be in the hard hit areas of San Leon.

Storm-related debris removal is continuing throughout the city and progress is being made. You still have time to put your debris out for pick-up. Please sort it into 3 stacks: vegetative, construction materials, and appliances. Do not bag any storm-related debris or it will not be picked up. All debris should be placed at the curb for pick up. It is important not to block the streets – otherwise debris removal will be delayed.

Students returned to all Dickinson I.S.D. Schools today, with the exception of K. E. Little and San Leon Elementary. Students at these two school return tomorrow. The Dickinson High School Gators varsity football team will host Alvin High at Sam Vitanza Stadium this Friday night.

Dickinson ISD has set up a Hurricane Ike Recovery Effort to benefit our students and their families. The district is accepting student clothing, nonperishable food items, school supplies and monetary donations, which can be made payable to the Dickinson ISD Education Foundation. Donations are tax deductible.

For more information, contact 281-229-6080.

Santa Fe I.S.D. will reopen classes on Thursday. Student at R.J. Wollam Elementary will be moved to other campuses due to damage to the school. See that Santa Fe ISD home page for details.

Water from W.C.I.D. #1 is safe to drink and you do not need to boil it. A press release prepared and e-mailed just after the storm was delayed due to the W.C.I.D. #1 e-mail server going down. When the server was restored the e-mail was automatically sent out and some local media outlets have reported that we are under a boil notice. A correction has been sent to the media.

Tuesday September 23, 2008 11:45 A.M.

The Internet is up and running at the Dickinson Public Library. Computers at the Library will be available for registering for FEMA assistance.

Library hours are:

Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Tuesday and Thursday: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Saturday: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

The citywide curfew in Dickinson remains in effect from midnight to 6:00 A.M. until future notice.

Storm-related debris removal will continue this week. Please sort your debris into 3 stacks: vegetative, construction materials, and appliances. Do not bag any storm-related debris or it will not be picked up. All debris should be placed at the curb for pick up. It is important not to block the streets – otherwise debris removal will be delayed.

School starts tomorrow, so please take extra car not to block the roads for school bus access.

Texas New Mexico Power is make every effort to restore power in the city. They are now working on bring power to some of the most difficult areas in the city. These areas had severe damage to the poles and transmission lines. Crews will be working in the following areas today:

North side of Deats Rd all rear easements, lines are located in the rear easements, equipment is having to be manually carried to repair lines
Nicholstone Area
Hughes Rd Area
Hwy 3 in the area of Moore’s Addition
South side of E FM 517 from the freeway east

See attached advisory from Comcast for information on restoration of service and credit for the time when service was out.

Monday September 22, 2008 4:00 P.M.

From Dickinson I.S.D.

School Resumes Wednesday
Dickinson ISD students return to school
Sept. 24; K.E. Little and San Leon pending

(UPDATED MONDAY, SEPT. 22, 2008) Dickinson ISD students will return to school at regular times on Wednesday, Sept. 24. The return of students at K.E. Little Elementary and San Leon Elementary is awaiting a final decision pending the return of water and electricity at the two campuses. As of Monday morning, K.E. Little Elementary and the district's Administration Building were still without power. Water quality at K.E. Little and San Leon is also pending.

District employees returned to the schools Monday and Tuesday will be a teacher workday. The previously scheduled Staff Development Day/Student Holiday for Friday, Sept. 26 has been canceled. Friday will be a regular school day. Office staff are at the campuses ready to enroll students displaced from Hurricane Ike. Students dislocated into the district and needing a temporary or permanent place to go to school are welcome to enroll at any of the DISD campuses. Check with a campus near where you are staying to determine the most appropriate place for enrollment.

The scheduled Dickinson High School Varsity football game for Friday, Sept. 26 against Alvin is on, pending the final approval of a structural engineer's report of Sam Vitanza Stadium. Any updates on the game or rescheduling will be posted on this website.

Parents of students attending K.E. Little or San Leon Elementary are asked to check local media, this website and the main district phone number at 281-229-6000 on Tuesday for further updates on whether these two campuses will be able to resume classes on Wednesday.

Monday September 22, 2008 Noon

The following information applies for the week of September 22:

The citywide curfew in Dickinson has been changed to midnight to 6:00 A.M. until future notice.

· City Hall will be open for business on its regular schedule. The Public Works Department and the Historic Railroad Center do not currently have utilities and will not be open for business until such time as utilities have been restored to these facilities. We regret this inconvenience and hope to have both facilities open in the very near future. For Public Works related issues, please contact City Hall at 281-337-2489 x232.

· Dickinson Public Library will be open this week; however, Internet is intermittent at this time. Call the Library at 281-534-3812 to ask about Internet availability. Hours are: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday and Thursday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, and Saturday 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

· A public computer bank is available at the Verizon operations building located at 1701 League City Parkway (formerly Brittany Bay Blvd ).

A County Point of Distribution has been established in the San Leon/Bacliff area at The Spillway (FM 646/Grand and Bay Shore ). Ice, water and food are available.

· On Tuesday, September 23, the Salvation Army will have ice, water and food available at M. I. Lewis Social Service Center , 2605 44^th Street , across from Liggio’s Goodyear store near Highway 3 and FM 517 in Dickinson .

· American Red Cross will be serving hot meals at Noon on Monday, September 22, at True Cross Catholic Church.

· Trash pickup will be on its regular schedule. Due to the volume of regular household waste that is being set out, it may take Waste Management a couple of days to pick up all trash throughout the City, but your trash will be picked up. It is important that you separate your household trash from your storm-related debris. Waste Management will not pick up storm-related debris.

· Storm-related debris removal will continue this week. Please sort your debris into 3 stacks: vegetative, construction materials, and appliances. Do not bag any storm-related debris or it will not be picked up. All debris should be placed at the curb for pick up. It is important not to block the streets – otherwise debris removal will be delayed.

· With regard to restoration of your property, please note that any contractor you wish to utilize for services must be registered with the City in order to perform work within the City. The contractor must come to City Hall and complete the appropriate paperwork. For questions about permits you may need, please contact the Building Inspection Department at 281-337-2489.

· A burn ban is in effect within the city. No burn permits will be issued.

· Please know that City staff, Galveston County WCID No. 1, the utility companies, and all other parties involved in the recovery process are working diligently to restore the City of Dickinson . Your continued patience is greatly appreciated.

Sunday September 21, 2008 2:00 P.M.

NOTICE: The citywide curfew in Dickinson has been changed to midnight to 6:00 A.M. until future notice.

Sunday September 21, 2008 1:00 P.M.

Electrical service is still less than 70% in the Dickinson area and therefore the citywide curfew is still in effect from 10:00 P.M. until 6:00 A.M.

Debris removal continues throughout the city, but it will be a slow process so we ask that you be patient. Please place your debris at the curb, not in the street. It should be separated into three piles: one pile for vegetations (branches and limbs); one pile for appliances, and one pile for building material and furniture. DO NOT PLACE YOUR DEBRIS IN PLASTIC BAGS. They will not be picked up.

Saturday September 20, 2008

The citywide curfew is still in effect from 10:00 P.M. until 6:00 A.M.

Debris removal continues in the city. Please place your debris at the curb, not in the street. It should be separated into three piles: one pile for vegetations (branches and limbs); one pile for appliances, and one pile for building material and furniture. DO NOT PLACE YOUR DEBRIS IN PLASTIC BAGS. They will not be picked up.

Waste Management is continuing with refuse pick-up and will work on Sunday if necessary.

There are still about 3000 customers without power in the Dickinson area. The power crews are here and have restored the major transmission lines in the city. They are now working on lines that service fewer customers so the number of customers coming on line with each repair will decrease.

Friday September 19, 2008 11:00 A.M.

The citywide curfew is still in effect from 10:00 P.M. until 6:00 A.M.

Debris removal has started in the city. Please place your debris at the curb, not in the street. It should be separated into three piles: one pile for vegetations (branches and limbs); one pile for appliances, and one pile for building material and furniture. DO NOT PLACE YOUR DEBRIS IN PLASTIC BAGS. They will not be picked up.

Waste Management has picked up residential refuse today, but were not able to complete all their routes. They will be back out on Saturday, and Sunday if necessary, to complete the routes.

City Hall will remain open today until 5:30 P.M. and will resume normal hours next week. The library and railroad depot will open Monday if the electrical power is restored.

W.C.I.D. #1 has lifted the Boil Water Notice is hereby lifted. Water samples came back good from the Galveston County Health District. The water is safe to drink. Work continues on our wastewater lift-stations so please flush only when necessary.

The W.C.I.D. #1 office at 1911 FM 517 East in Dickinson is open for business for all administrative services. They can take payments for service in the usual manner. They still have staff completing hurricane related tasks so service on individual accounts may be delayed. No disconnects will be occur until after Monday, September 22, 2008. Citizens may still help us by reporting water leaks they may see.

The Point of Distribution at McAdam's Jr. High is open and distributing ice and water. They will remain there for the remainder of the day, or until supplies run out. The Red Cross will be distributing meals at True Cross Catholic Church, FM517 at Spruce, at noon and 5:00 P.M.

Texas New Mexico reports that as of 9:00 A.M. 3200 customers were without power in the Dickinson area. We cannot tell you if a specific address has power because there are many cases of isolated homes in powered neighborhoods being down.

The majority of the retail businesses and restaurants in town are now open. Gas is also readily available without long waits.

Building Permits

It is important to remember that when addressing repairs at your home or business to obtain a permit from the City. Permits are required for the following:

· Roofing repairs

· Structural improvements

· Repairs to plumbing, electric, sewer, gas, or air-conditioning/heating systems.

Additionally, all contractors are required to be permitted with the City of Dickinson prior to performing work within the city limits. If seeking to hire a contractor, request to see their permit. This includes General Contractors as well as Electricians, Plumbers, and Mechanical contractors.

If you have any questions, please call the Permit Section of the Community Development at 281-337-6259.

Thursday September 18, 2008 3:30 P.M.

The citywide curfew is still in effect from 10:00 P.M. until 6:00 A.M.

Just a reminder, debris should be placed at the curb, not in the street. Please separate the debris into three piles: one pile for vegetations (branches and limbs); one pile for appliances, and one pile for building material and furniture. Pick-up will begin by the end of the week. DO NOT PLACE YOUR DEBRIS IN PLASTIC BAGS. They will not be picked up.

Thursday September 18, 2008 11:30 A.M.

From Dickinson I.S.D.

Dickinson I.S.D. has been "closed for students until further notice". The earliest that students will return will be Wednesday, September 24, 2008--- subject to continuing assessment of operational capabilities; issues such as utilities, transportation, food services, and appropriate staff availability. Several campuses still do not have electrical service as of early Thursday, September 18.

All employees who are able to safely do so are asked to report to Dickinson High School on Monday September 22, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. to assess the district's ability to provide essential services. In the meantime, the district is assessing the availability of supplies and other resources needed for daily operations. If all is ready on Monday, employees will have Tuesday as a workday to prepare for the return of students. If all is not ready on Monday, we will reassess and determine another course of action-including a later start-up date.

Students dislocated into the district, and needing a temporary or permanent place to go to school, will be allowed to enroll as soon as staff is available on campuses. Check with a campus near where you are staying to determine the most appropriate place for enrollment.

The Administrative Team (A-Team) members are asked to meet at the Library at DHS on Monday at 8:15 a.m. to make final preparations for the 9:00 meetings.

Updated information regarding the start of school will be available on all local news media, newspapers, the district website at http://www.dickinsonisd.org/ and on the main district telephone recording at 281-229-6000.

Leland Williams, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Thursday September 18, 2008

See attached notice from Waste Management on residential refuse collection.

Thursday September 18, 2008 8:30 A.M.

The citizens of Dickinson are hereby notified that the Boil Water Notice is hereby lifted. Our sample came back good from the Galveston County Health District. The water is safe to drink. We continue to work on our wastewater lift-stations so please flush only when necessary.

Dickinson Municipal Court

If your payment or ticket was due from Sept 11^th, thru Sept 17^th during the wake of Hurricane Ike you are strongly encouraged to contact the court immediately. You can reach the court at 281-337-6297 or 281-337-6264 if you are unable to call you can mail in your request for a court date or mail in your payment to Dickinson Municipal Court, 2716 FM 517 East, Dickinson Tx 77539.

If you have been ordered to attend court, you are required to contact the court by phone to determine the status of your court date. Failure to contact the court, comply with payment agreement, attend your court date or address your due date ticket can result in a warrant for your arrest.

Wednesday September 17, 2008 3:00 P.M.

Citizens are cautioned to be careful when selecting a contractor to do work or repairs on their house or place of business. All contractors are required to be permitted with the City of Dickinson prior to performing work within the city limits. If seeking to hire a contractor, request to see their permit. If you have any questions call the Permit Section of the Community Development Department at 281-337-6259.

Wednesday September 17, 2008 11:30 A.M.

We are still working feverously to get the city back to normal. The water district is testing the water and we should know if the Boil Order can be lifted by tomorrow morning. The sewage system is not operating at 100%, with several lift stations running on generators. We are not encouraging people to return to the city until the sewage system is back to normal. As of 9:00 a.m. Texas New Mexico is reporting that power has been restored to 4070 customers out of the 8908 customers who lost power in the Dickinson area.

City Hall is open for limited service. Building permits are being issued. Because the phones are not operating properly, the fees must be paid by cash or check.

Tuesday September 16, 2008 4:00 P.M.

The citywide curfew has been changed to 10:00 P.M. until 6:00 A.M.

Tuesday September 16, 2008 11:00 A.M.

Debris Removal

The contractor for debris removal is making preparations to pick-up debris in the city. The debris should be placed at the curb, not in the street. Please separate the debris into three piles, one pile for vegetations (branches and limbs); one pile for appliances, and one pile for building material and furniture. Pick-up will begin by the end of the week.

Galveston County WCID#1

The Water Company

PO Box 307

Dickinson, TX 77539

281-337-1576

September 16, 2008

From W.C.I.D. #1

Press Release 4 – Hurricane Ike Recovery

Due to ongoing issues related to Hurricane Ike, we remain on mandatory water rationing. In summary, this means that all outside water use is prohibited under our policy. We are continuing to work to get power restored to parts of our water and sewer system. Please continue to conserve water. To help reduce the chances of sewer overflows, flush only as often as you must. While our treatment plant is up and running, our lift-stations pump it to the plant from our sewer pipes in the ground. As power is restored this normally automatic system will work again. Our crews are in the field pumping these stations by all means possible. If you see my Water Company employees in the field tell them thanks. Many have been working nearly 24/7 since the storm. You may watch our website for information. Further you may go to the Galveston County Emergency Management website at www.gcoem.org for access to our press releases. Further many of the local TV stations are pulling from their site and re-broadcasting information. Several of the local radio stations are doing the same.

We remain committed to providing you safe and reliable water utilities.

For questions or information, please call us at 281-337-1576.

Respectfully,

David A. Paulissen, General Manager

Galveston County WCID#1

Tuesday September 16, 2008 7:00 A.M.

The water district lost power to a major pumping station and a large leak started at FM517 and Spruce. There was no water pressure in the city. The pump station is back on generator power and water pressure is now increasing. We still need to conserve water and need to boil water before consuming it. Crews are still working on the lift stations for the sewage plant.

We are still discouraging people from returning to the city at this time.

There are currently numerous electrical service trucks in the area. Electrical service is still scarce in the area.

There are a few local businesses opening now. Kroger's, Ziegler's, both Walgreen's, and several restaurants are now open. Most of the gas stations are open, but there are long lines. All store will close early due to the dawn to dusk curfew.

Schools will be closed until future notice.

NOTICE:

There is a burn ban in effect and you cannot burn storm related debris in the City of Dickinson.

MAYOR’S FIRST CALL MESSAGE

9-15-08 2:00 p.m.

This Is Mayor Julie Masters. This message is being distributed at 1:30 pm Monday, September 15^th.

If you have neighbors or family members asking if they can return to town, please make them aware of the following issues, as well.

At this time, 80% of the residences in Dickinson have no electricity. The electric companies are aware of the outages and working diligently to restore power throughout the City.
Water and sewer are still a major concern. Capacity is below 50% so we are continuing to ask that you use water sparingly and to please, please conserve flushes. We have residents in the City who are experiencing sewage backups in their homes. So, please be considerate and conservative with water and sewer usage. Outdoor use of water is strictly prohibited at this time and the Water Company has confirmed that they will pull your meter if you violate this directive. The water must be boiled before you drink it.
If you need water or ice, FEMA is currently distributing ice and water at McAdams Jr. High School on Hill Street between FM 517 and Deats Road.
Residential garbage pickup will resume tomorrow, Tuesday and Friday. There will be no recycling service until further notice. Again, no recycling service from our waste hauler until further notice.
Storm-related debris should be moved to the curb, not in the street. Debris should be stacked and accessible to machinery and manpower. Storm debris will not be picked up by Waste Management but by a separate contractor.
Until further notice, a mandatory curfew remains in effect for the City, from dusk until dawn, Residents are asked to remain in their homes during the curfew for their own safety. Please respect our directive and stay in your homes and off the streets until after dark, police will be issuing citations and making arrest for those violating curfew.
We ask for your patience as our response to Hurricane Ike continues. Dickinson is in good shape compared to some of our neighbors. We ask that you continue to pray for the well-being of fellow Galveston County residents. If you need additional information, please call 281-337-4700, choose Option 1 and ask for the EOC.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hurricane Ike Update 09-15-2008 11:10 a.m.

The city is still lacking sewer service at this time. The sewage plant now has electrical service, but there has been some damage to the lift stations. Repair work is underway. We are still recommending that you do not return to the city at this point in time.

The National Guard has arrived and is in the process of setting up a Point of Distribution on the Hill Street side of McAdams Jr. High School. They will be distributing ice, water, and military meals ready to eat (MREs).

The Red Cross will be distributing meals at Amegy Bank on FM517 at Termini. Verizon will be setting up free phone service at the same location.

Dickinson and Santa Fe Schools are closed until future notice.

Power is being restored to the city, but even if your neighborhood has power many individual homes are still without service.

Hurricane Ike Update 09-14-2008 7:30 a.m.

Good morning.

We are strongly recommending that those who have evacuated the city stay where they are. There are very limited services available in the city. The vast majority of the city is without power. Water service is very limited. We are under a boil notice, meaning that you must boil water before drinking it. The sewage system is not fully functional and there is a need to conserve water. Absolutely no outside watering. There are no medical services available. The closest hospital is at the Houston Medical Center and it is on a limited basis. There are no businesses opens, no fuel available. If you return you need to be prepared to be self sufficient in food and supplies for each person for at least a week.

The city is beginning the process if recovering from Hurricane Ike. There was extensive flooding in Tropical Gardens and in the Country Club area. Some homes along the Dickinson and Gum Bayou as well as the gullies have experienced flooding. Trees are down and the streets are being cleared, but many are still not passable. There was very little major structural damage in the city, but there are a significant number of homes missing shingles.

The city WEB site has been down for some time, but efforts are being made to restore the service.

Schools in the area will be closed until the utilities are restored.

09-13-2008 8:30 A.M.

We are still experiencing tropical storm force winds. These winds should subside within the next two hours. The curfew will be lifted once the winds subside, but please use extreme caution when leaving your home. Early reports show a large amount of debris on the roadway and some downed power lines. Damage assessment teams are just getting out to survey the city.

The city will be under a citywide curfew from dawn to dusk until future notice.

f you have evacuated please do not return to the city at this time. We have no electrical power, limited water, and no open businesses.

09-13-2008 7:00 A.M.

W.C.I.D #1 has issued a boil water notice until future notice. For additional information see the attached information sheet.

09-13-2008 5:05 A.M.

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning effective until 8:00 A.M. for portions of Galveston, Brazoria and Harris Counties. This warning does include the City of Dickinson and surrounding area.

09-13-2008 4:30 A.M.

Hurricane force winds have returned to Dickinson.

09-13-2008 2:20 A.M.

The Eye of Hurricane Ike is now over Dickinson. The storm is NOT over. The eye should pass shortly and hurricane force winds will resume. Please stay in your residence until the entire storm passes.

09-13-2008 01:30 A.M.

We are currently experiencing hurricane force winds. The eye of the storm is still south of us and headed this way. We have not received any reports of major damage to any buildings, but will not be able to get out to access the damage until the winds subside.

Please do not venture out of your home at this time. Conditions are unsafe. Shelter in an interior area of their residence way from from windows.

The citywide curfew is in effect until the storm's winds subside.

WCID#1 has requested that you conserve water.

09-12-2008 8:00 P.M.

Dickinson is now experiencing tropical storm force winds with higher gust. Much of the city is without power. There have been some reports of trees falling and damaging power lines and homes. Street flooding has occurred near Dickinson Bayou. We have a few reports and have observed a few homes with bayou frontage that have water in the home.

Please do not venture out of your home at this time. Conditions are unsafe. Shelter in an interior area of their residence way from from windows.

The citywide curfew is in effect until the storm's winds subside.

09-12-2008 8:00 a.m.

Hurricane Ike is predicted to make a direct hit on Dickinson some time within the next 20 hours. We should begin experiencing gale force winds between 10 and 11 a..m. Tropical force winds are expected starting between 3 and 4 p.m. Hurricane force winds can be expected starting between 9 and 10 p.m. We may experience hurricane force winds for up to 8 to 10 hours.

The citywide curfew will be in effect from 5:00 p.m. today until the hurricane winds subside. Please use extreme caution when leaving your home after the storm.

09-11-2008 9:00 a.m.

The Mayor has issued a curfew order for the City of Dickinson beginning at 5:00pm on Friday September 12, 2008. The curfew will remain in effect until the danger of Hurricane Ike passes.

09-11-2008 7:00 a.m.

Mayor Julie Masters has called for a Mandatory Evacuation of the low lying areas of Dickinson. This includes Tropical Gardens, the County Club area, Bayou Chantilly, and any residences fronting Dickinson Bayou. Storm surge of up to 10 feet have been forecast.

All residents should make preparations for the storm by removing loose items from their yard, such as garbage cans and lawn furniture. Tropical force winds can be expected in the area by Friday morning. Citizens are urged to stay off the streets during the storm and shelter in an interior area of their residence way from from windows.

Once the storm has passed please use extreme caution when leaving your residence. Downed power line may still be live and could be potentially life threatening.

09-10-2008

Galveston County Office of Emergency Management has been activated and is monitoring the storm for any changes. Dickinson Emergency Management Personnel are in contact with the Galveston County E. O. C until further notice.

Worse case scenario, if the storm makes landfall in Matagorda Bay. Outer bands will bring tropical force winds of 50-60 mph and 3-6 inches of rain to our area.

The City of Dickinson is calling for voluntary evacuation of low lying areas only. People living in areas that are normally susceptible to flooding should be making preparations for evacuation at this time. Galveston County and City of Galveston are calling for voluntary evacuation of Bolivar Peninsula and the West End of Galveston Island.

Tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, street flooding, and power outages are possible begin Friday morning.

Please stay tuned to the local news media outlet for storm updates.

Closings

Dickinson City Hall and Dickinson Public Library will be closed Thursday and Friday.

W.C.I.D. offices will be closed all day Friday.

Dickinson I.S.D. will be closed all day Thursday and Friday.

True Cross School will be closed all day Thursday and Friday.

There will be no garbage pick-up until Monday.