Houston mayor issues mandatory evacuation order; 'You're putting firefighters in danger'
HOUSTON (Fox 32 News) - The city of Houston has issued a mandatory evacuation order for a small area of the city which will remain under water for days.
The mandatory evacuation order applies to the area that is south of I-10, west of Gessner, east of Highway 6, and north of Briar Forest. Within that area, it only applies to homes that are currently inundated. Starting Sunday morning, crews will start going house-to-house in that area to turn off power to any homes that are inundated.
"This is one particular time when you have to put your own personal safety over your property," mayor Sylvester Turner said.
The mayor and other city leaders said that it is too dangerous for firefighters and police officers to keep having to go into these flooded areas to help people. They said the water has a powerful current in some areas, and is hiding dangers like open manhole covers.
"If you stay, you put our first respnoders in danger," said Police Chief Art Acevedo. He said that it's in a first responder's nature to go out and help people in need, but that it's not fair for residents to take advantage of that.