Help the Victims of Hurricane Harvey in Houston & Surrounding Areas

The members and staff of RCPA are looking for ways to reach out to the unfortunate victims of Hurricane Harvey. Below are some facts about this devastating event:

(Courtesy of the New York Times)

• The National Weather Service said Tuesday that Harvey has now set a record for total rainfall from a single tropical cyclone in the continental United States, with two weather stations in Texas reporting total rainfall over 48 inches.

• Local officials said there were 13 deaths in Texas so far that were storm-related or suspected to be storm-related. Officials in Houston confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that Sgt. Steve Perez, 60, died while driving to duty on Sunday.
• The Houston Police Department has rescued more than 3,500 people from flooding since the storm began, Chief Art Acevedo said on Tuesday, up from about 2,000 a day earlier. The city fire chief, Samuel Peña, said his department had performed more than 400 rescues. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office did not have an updated figure on Tuesday, but said it was considerably higher than the roughly 2,200 rescues it reported on Monday.

• President Trump is visiting Texas, having arrived in Corpus Christi before traveling to Austin, the state capital.

The American Red Cross is encouraging people to donate money on its website or to text 90999 to donate $10. The organization is also asking for volunteers. Other organizations include the Salvation Army, Samaritan’s Purse, and Heart to Heart International.

Please feel free to share this information as widely as possible. Thank you for being a part of these relief efforts.