August 28, 2017—Mayor Steve Adler said Austin is prepared to help Hurricane Harvey evacuees in the coming days as more residents seek shelter from the storm’s aftermath, which caused severe flooding in Houston as well as Central Texas.

As Austin looks to shelter more out-of-town individuals, Adler said he had the opportunity to speak with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner to discuss how the city can help.

“First, everybody should know that company is coming,” Adler said. “We and other major cities around the state have received a request from the state to shelter thousands of our fellow Texans.”

Adler said he’s also been in touch with other major cities, like San Antonio and Dallas, who will also be sheltering displaced individuals.

“It’s something that we do because it’s the right thing to do, but it is also something that we do to others because tomorrow we’re going to want those others to be prepared to do it for us,” Adler said. “We’re going to do this in a way and with a spirit and with an exuberance and with a helping hand exactly as we would want extended to us and our community and it is inevitable that someday that we’ll be the ones asking for that support.”

With some evacuees already taking shelter at Austin’s Wilhelmina Delco Center, Adler referenced a map with several dots on it. He said each dot represents a family staying at the center, as well as the size of those families.

“I want you to know that everybody in (the city’s) emergency command facility knows that these dots are real people, these are real families,” Adler said. “I’ve been here enough right now that I think I know most of the children that are behind us in these cots. These are folks that are so appreciative of our community stepping forward and helping to keep them safe and warm and fed.”