“Don’t Play Games”: Briones, Wu, and Fletcher Share Disaster Recovery Tips at Bayland CC in Beryl’s Aftermath

As roughly 200 people gathered in Sharpstown’s Bayland Community Center to cool off on Wednesday, local officials gave updates on Houston and Harris County's disaster recovery efforts after Hurricane Beryl.

Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones, out of breath from helping distribute food in the sweltering heat outside, joined State Representative Gene Wu, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, and Houston Food Bank president Brian Green. Mayor John Whitmire, though scheduled to speak, was unable to attend, locked in a three-and-a-half-hour City Council meeting.

“Just Survive”

Representative Wu urged residents to get out of the heat: “Go somewhere—don’t play games—don’t take a risk—just survive.” By the time people realize that they’re suffering from heat illness, “it may already be too late,” he warned.

Commissioner Briones invited people to Harris County Precinct 4’s five—now six—cooling centers, including Bayland: “Everybody is welcome, no questions asked.” Burnett-Bayland Community Center got power back on Wednesday and opened as a cooling center on Thursday.

Wu also encouraged neighbors to band together: “If you have power, call every friend you know. Call every family member you know. Make sure that...they know that they can come to you. Tell ‘em, ‘Don’t be a martyr.’”

Document Your Damage

The government—and your insurance company—will want records of what you’ve lost. Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher encouraged community members to document all damage to their property: “Take photos of any damage, make a list of losses, save all repair receipts ahead of any inspections. If you have insurance, be sure to photograph the make, model, and serial number of appliances.”

She also encouraged people to report losses through Texas' iSTAT tool at damage.tdem.texas.gov. If enough people report their damage, it “unlocks additional federal resources,” she said.

Now that President Biden has declared a federal disaster in Texas due to Hurricane Beryl, residents can learn more about resources—such as FEMA disaster assistance and Small Business Administration loans—at disasterassistance.gov, said Fletcher.

Don’t Forget: Downed Traffic Signals Become Four-Way Stops

Traffic signals across Houston—including Beechnut & Fondren and Beechnut & Bissonnet—were still dead on Wednesday morning and afternoon. Apparently, some drivers did not know what to do. (The Sharpener’s editor witnessed a near-accident at Beechnut & Gessner on Tuesday evening.)

Wu and Fletcher reminded Houstonians that any downed traffic signal—whether the lights are blinking red or are completely off—becomes a four-way stop.

Volunteers Requested for Food Distribution Friday Morning

When asked why HCP4 wasn’t providing overnight shelters, Briones said, “That would be my dream. We’re working to see if we can get access to the cots to make it as comfortable as possible for the families…and staffing is a challenge.”

She asked community members to volunteer at community centers and distribution sites like Bayland, and to donate to the nonprofit Precinct4Forward.

Precinct 4 has released a registration form for people interested in volunteering to help with a food distribution at Bayland on Friday, 7/12. The shift—7:00 AM to 1:00 PM—will involve standing and walking outside. Drinks and sunscreen will be provided.

Officials Call for Long-term Resiliency Efforts

Not everyone will agree with Commissioner Briones about the cause of this storm: “Climate change—we are seeing the catastrophic effects.” But most people can agree with her that the Houston area needs to be more “resilient” against future disasters in the area. The question is, how?

Briones mentioned the $250 million EPA grant that the Texas Solar for All Coalition, led by Harris County, received in April 2024. The Solar for All program aims to install “rooftop and community solar” in Harris County and beyond, including in “low-income and disadvantaged communities,” according to the April press release. More solar could mean more residents keep power even when the grid goes down, although solar panels aren’t immune to hurricane-force winds either.

Briones also said that Harris County is applying for grants to get solar power and backup generators for community centers. Bayland Community Center was able to open early as a cooling center because it has a backup generator, but many public facilities in the Houston area do not.

Representative Wu and Congresswoman Fletcher also mentioned the possibility of accessing the state of Texas' rainy day fund for improvements in the Houston area.