The Woodlands Township fire chief: 'The hard work of recovery begins'

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas – The preliminary numbers are in.

The Woodlands Township Fire Chief Alan B. Benson said 224 residents were rescued or evacuated over a three-day period from Sunday Aug. 27 to Tuesday Aug. 29.

During that same period, the county, minus the City of Conroe, received 1,165 emergency calls to 911. An additional 1,328 were calls for service to the non-emergency number, totaling 2,493 calls.

Benson said more than 140 homes were damaged by Harvey; 139 of those from flooding - but that does not include properties in and around the Timarron area in Creekside Park Village.

"We expect the numbers will climb," Benson said. "We are continuing to assess damage. That's a task (The Woodlands) parks and recreation department are conducting. They have approximately 70 people going out to survey the entire community to get accurate damage numbers."

The vast majority of roads throughout The Woodlands are open, said The Woodlands Township Chairman Gordy Bunch, and bridges impacted by flooding will be inspected by TXDOT for long-term safety.

Meanwhile, residents continue to donate items to various organizations all around Montgomery County. In fact, people have been so generous that many organizations are having to specify what is needed.

Interfaith of The Woodlands does not need any more clothing donations. What they do need is cleaning materials, including 5-gallon buckets with lids, wet mops, push brooms, work gloves, respirator masks and heavy duty trash bags.

The Lone Star Convention Center in Conroe, which is currently a shelter for evacuees, would appreciate items to keep kids busy – coloring books, crafting supplies, basketballs and such.

"Now the hard work of recovery begins," Benson said. "This is when it gets frustrating for people. It's a lot of hard work. It takes community effort … but I know we will do well."