By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX – - Calling the loss of the space shuttle Columbia over the skies of East Texas "a great tragedy," Gov. Rick Perry today answered questions about what state officials and state agencies are doing in the aftermath of the disaster.
At a press conference today, Perry re-emphasized to Texas residents in the affected areas not to go near, touch, or remove any debris thought to be part of the spacecraft at the risk of "possible grave risk to human health." He also issued a toll-free number Texans may call to report possible debris findings - 1-800-525-5555.
The governor said he has talked to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge twice today to coordinate state and federal efforts. He said he is in "constant contact" with state and federal officials to assist in any way asked.
The state's Emergency Operations Center (EOC), located in an underground facility at the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) building in Austin, is fully operational and the Texas National Guard is on standby. One unit of the 6th Civil Support Team has been dispatched to Lufkin, where numerous pieces of debris are being reported in nearby Nacogdoches. National Guard Major Gen. Wayne Marty said that unit includes equipment that allows for the diagnosis and testing of possibly hazardous materials.
Perry said 22 Texas National Guardsmen are assisting local officials in Nacogdoches and 36 are assisting Lufkin officials. The Texas National Guard has also dispatched a C-130 aircraft from Carswell AFB as a support plane for National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) officials. Two Black Hawk helicopters have been dispatched from Austin to Lufkin. The state is also currently under an Amber Alert to warn citizens of the possible risks related to contact with debris from the shuttle.
The governor called the debris field "extraordinary" and displayed a map that showed debris has been reported in an area from Dallas and Colin County all the way to Alexandria, La. "Finding all of the debris and identifying it is of the utmost importance," he said. However, he noted that with a craft as large as the shuttle and with as wide an area of disbursement of debris it will be "difficult to collect it all."
Perry said he has heard reports of some pieces of debris being as large as seven to eight feet, but said most is likely to be more in the two-to-three and four-to-six square inch size. Although there have been no reports of negative impact on the environment, Perry said the state is "erring on the side of caution" because of the possible toxicity of some of the propellant used in the shuttle.
While overall Texas operations are being coordinated by the state EOC in Austin, the governor said sub-command posts also have been set up in different affected locations in the state. The role of the Texas National Guard, the DPS and local law enforcement agencies is "to secure the site" where debris is reported, said Perry. NASA officials will be charged with collecting and removing the debris.
The federal government has jurisdiction over most of the activity relative to the tragedy, said the governor. Perry said in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, lessons were learned relative to the coordination of federal, state and local agencies. "It is working as it should be," he said.
Perry said he learned of the tragedy from Cliff Johnson, his executive assistant, who was at his home in Palestine when the incident occurred. Johnson told the governor he saw the shuttle go over and then like others who witnessed the event, described a very loud rumbling that went on for a minute to a minute and a half that sounded like multiple sonic booms. Johnson then described to the governor a very wide and ever-widening vapor trail.
The governor said the people of Texas are praying for and offering their condolences to the "loved and the lost" in the space shuttle tragedy. He noted that three of the astronauts have ties to Texas. Commander Rick Husband is an Amarillo native and a graduate of Texas Tech University. Pilot William McCool graduated from high school in Lubbock and Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla attended The University of Texas at Arlington.
"We remember each of them," said Perry, "and the entire crew of seven." He called them "brave pioneers" and said the nation will be "forever indebted" to them. He said the hope of all Texans is for "peace to the victims" and "comfort to the loved ones left behind."
Texans right now have their hearts and minds on the lives lost and the families who grieve, said Perry, and because the Johnson Space Center is in Houston "it makes this an even more poignant moment for us."
Despite the tragedy, Perry said the space program is important economically to the state and that it must continue. He said he will continue to "vigorously" support the program.