Thread by @mutualaidhou

hi! if you’re from out of state + are tuned in to see how you can help with the #texasblackout, please understand:

houston is NOT like most major walkable, transit-friendly metro cities (chicago/nyc/etc) - due to urban sprawl, a car is the best + sometimes only way to get around

https://twitter.com/abc13houston/status/1361309264791408647

- that means that those without a car are immobilized - we don’t have buses running, snow plows, or salted roads
- beyond that, the streets and highways are frozen (see above)
- most texans do not have snow tires/chains, and are inexperienced driving on ice

- if we don’t have any of the above or 4 wheel drive, it is v dangerous to be on the roads, especially as it gets dark
- many of us are un or underprepared - this level of cold is truly unprecedented
- most food stores and restaurants are closed right now, even if we could drive

- many of us, including the organizers @ MAH, do not have water, power, or data right now
- for some, the power has been out anywhere from 24 to 40 hours
- our buildings aren’t built for this cold, and internal temps are even hitting at or below freezing

- stores are out of heaters, + hotels/motels are either booked or raising their rates
- families are sitting in their cars to get warm and carbon monoxide poisonings are on the rise
- water might be back on, but many counties have boil water notices now

in houston, we’re expecting freezing rain overnight. for those of us with power + water, it could mean that we lose it due to frozen power lines + pipes

the roads will continue to be frozen, and electricity companies are unsure of when things will be back online. things are grim

if you’ve done community work before, you know how hard it is to organize. if you’ve done so during the pandemic, you know how much harder it is to keep people safe.

this is our first time in a state-wide freeze, so please be patient with us as we figure out our next steps 🤍

HUGE shoutout to @cs_rescue and @HocHtx who have been able to mobilize before + during this storm to keep elderly and houseless friends warm

please also consider making donations to incarcerated folks’ commissaries @TxJailProject - here’s an idea of what they’re going through:

https://twitter.com/ScottHech/status/1361710556412018690

if you’re from the north, check in on your friends down here + make sure they know how to stay warm while conserving energy, not to run engines indoors, sand walkways, etc

if they need help, we can RT + possibly connect folks to others, but due to safety can’t make guarantees

do this too:

https://twitter.com/mutualaidhou/status/1361854406375923712

we’ll continue sharing resources, requests for help, and info as we go

stay safe, stay warm - if u still have power/water rn, make preparations
collect water for flushing, cook food (pasta, rice) in advance

we love u, houston
- signed, a tired local organizer typing in the dark