07/07/2025
From the local commissioner on volunteer needs…
-Monya
On behalf of Chief Holt and the rest of our Center Point volunteer firefighters, we once again thank everyone for the outpouring of support and public desire to help in our response to this tragic event. We were blessed to be able to rescue three survivors Friday afternoon during the worst of the flood and wish all of the survivors a full recovery and happy reunion with their loved ones. Our heartfelt prayers continue go out to the families and friends of the missing individuals and our condolences and prayers go out to the families of those who lost their lives to the July 4th flood.
Today we had an overwhelming turn out of volunteers assisting us in our search, rescue and recovery operations. Chief Holt estimated that we deployed between 1200 – 1500 volunteers to search the floodplain from Wharton Road northwest of Brinks Crossing to the Homilius Road Crossing today. Between yesterday and today, our search teams combed the floodplain multiple times and we successfully located and recovered quite a few victims.
Tomorrow morning (Monday, July 7th) and again Tuesday morning, we will once again send out experienced teams for search, rescue and recovery. However, we will be shifting our operations to a more precise search using trained search dogs and horses as well as only experienced SAR responders. We will begin targeting debris piles identified by the SAR trained animals and then using chainsaws and various excavators carefully removing branches and debris to reveal what might be hidden underneath. There are too many debris piles, so it is critical that we use only volunteers who are trained and experienced in SAR. So unless you have that experience, please do not come out tomorrow. We are no longer in need of a large general turn out to help with the search. Anyone who does have the necessary experience, please show up at our Center Point station by 7:30 am for assignments. We ask that to avoid traffic congestion at our station, if possible, park your vehicles as Lions Park or even the Center Point School. We had severe congestion at the station today.
Some of the items that were swept out of the station were returned today and we are grateful for that. If anyone in the vicinity finds any firefighting gear, please bring it by the station and we will see if it can be returned to service. Our wildland firefighting and structure fire bunker gear are very expensive to replace, so we are hopeful that more of it will turn up.
Offers of support continue to flow in. Anyone having heavy equipment to offer should contact Commissioner Jeff Holt ([email protected]) who is prioritizing and coordinating heavy equipment cleanup activities and resources for the entire county.
We already have folks lined up to provide food tomorrow (Monday the 7th) and we have plenty of bottled water. Please do not bring any other food or water food donations.
We now have too many donated items that we can’t use and that are impeding the functioning of our station. So we have asked some of our local Center Point leaders to help fill the community’s needs by being the focal point for distribution of donated food, drinking water, cleaning supplies and any other items made available through the extreme generosity of our local community. The new drop off (or pick up) location will be the CPISD little gymnasium across from the school on China Street. Contact Britny Cranford at (830) 377-6845 for more information.
Here is an updated list of what we do need (note that it is much shorter thanks to your generous donations):
· Heavy duty metal freezer shelves,
· Electrolyte mix (Liquid I.V.),
· Gatorade,
· Cleaning rags,
· Financial assistance is now our main need.
Checks can be sent to CPVFD at PO Box 494, Center Point, TX 78010
We have a Venmo account set up, but already there are a number of fraudulent imitations so perhaps the checks are the best means to ensure your money gets where you intend it.
Also, a final reminder that we have cancelled our July 12th BBQ fundraiser. I understand that the parade is also cancelled. Perhaps we can shift it all to October for a Homecoming celebration?
In closing, the CPVFD thanks everyone who has lent a hand, delivered food, water or the various supplies we asked for. We are so grateful!
