AP: Texas

09/25/2005

Associated Press

Relatives of Hurricane Rita victims who were evacuated from hospitals and nursing homes can use a toll-free line to locate them, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Callers can receive the name and location of the facility their relative was taken to if it is listed in the state health services directory. However, the health status of the patient won't be provided.

When calling, callers need the name, date of birth and sex of the patient, agency officials.

The toll-free line is 877-623-6274. In Austin, callers should dial 512-458-7189.

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On the Net:

Texas Department of State Health Services: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us

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AUSTIN — Hospital medical workers who evacuated from Texas counties devastated by Hurricane Rita were urged to return to work.

The Texas Department of State Health Services made the request for physicians, pharmacists, nurses, allied health professionals and support staff who left Harris, Galveston, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Chambers and Montgomery counties.

Officials were still asking the public not to return immediately to areas hit by the hurricane.

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HOUSTON (AP) — An impromptu pet care area helped Park Plaza Hospital stay open during the height of Hurricane Rita.

Some doctors and other employees who staffed the hospital during the storm had to evacuate from their homes, and they brought family members and pets to work with them.

The 448-bed hospital set up a menagerie in a basement corridor of an adjoining medical-office building to house about 50 birds, dogs and cats, said Greg Drummond, an administrator at the hospital.

"It was a diversion for the kids," Drummond said. "Staffers took them down there every couple hours and they got to hang out with the animals."

The hospital had about 300 to 400 family members of employees from Friday night into Saturday. They were asked to bring their own bedding and food. Color-coded arm bands were used to limit access to certain areas. Staffers with radios controlled traffic in the hallways.

Drummond said the emergency room saw patients including people who needed dialysis or prescription drugs. Some critically ill patients had been flown Thursday night and Friday to hospitals in the Dallas area also owned by the same parent, Tenet Healthcare Corp., but about 200 patients remained.

The hospital expected to return to near-normal conditions on Monday, Drummond said.

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HOUSTON (AP) — Shell Oil Co. and Motiva Enterprises LLC said Sunday that their North Houston and Pasadena distribution terminals were open to provide fuel for service stations in the Houston area, where widespread shortages occurred as residents fled Hurricane Rita.

The companies said the North Houston terminal reopened Saturday and had expected to supply at least 30 tankers or about 270,000 gallons of gasoline to area Shell stations.

The Pasadena terminal opened Saturday night, the companies said.

The companies said they would give priority to supplying fuel to locations used by emergency vehicles and those on main routes for residents returning to evacuated areas, including Interstate 45, Interstate 10 and U.S. Highway 290.

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AUSTIN (AP) — The Texas Department of Public Safety has set up a toll-free number for Hurricane Rita evacuees to call and get information on road conditions: 1-800-452-9292.

Gov. Rick Perry says efforts remain focused on restocking affected areas with fuel, food and water.

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On the Net:

Texas Department of Public Safety: http://www.txdps.state.tx.us

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BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) — Electric utility Entergy on Sunday asked customers in its western service area north of Houston to conserve energy after Hurricane Rita caused extensive damage to power lines and transmission towers.

Entergy asked customers to set air conditioners to 78 degrees or warmer, wash clothes with cold water and keep window blinds and drapes closed to save power.

Entergy acknowledged the request was unusual but said its three remaining generating units would not be enough if high demand and high temperatures continue to tax the system.

Entergy said it may begin rolling outages of 60 minutes at a time to avoid a more extensive blackout that would affect the area for an extended period of time.

As of midday Sunday, the company said more than 620,000 customers remained without power in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. It had 7,000 linemen and others working to restore power to the region.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Suspended Amtrak passenger train service in Texas should resume in the next few days now that Hurricane Rita has passed.

The company said southbound service on the Texas Eagle that runs from Chicago to San Antonio would resume Tuesday.

Amtrak stations that closed between Dallas and St. Louis on the Texas Eagle route also will reopen Tuesday. Northbound Texas Eagle service from San Antonio will begin the next day.

The company also resumed service on its Florida-to-California Sunset Limited line on Sunday.

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PORT ARTHUR, Texas (AP) — Count the mayor of Port Arthur among those left homeless after Hurricane Rita.

"My house caught on fire and they couldn't save it. It went right down to the ground," Oscar Ortiz told NBC's "Today" show on Sunday.

Ortiz was notified by the fire department that the house he shared with his wife, who evacuated to Lufkin, had burned overnight.

"Dear, we just paid it off, but we just lost it," Ortiz said, explaining how he would tell his wife.

Many homes in Port Arthur were damaged or destroyed by high winds and water, but most residents had evacuated, they mayor said.

"It's happened, and now let's move forward and get the city turned around," Ortiz said.