Potential severe weather has emergency officials on stand-by & cancels some events
Many made their way to the 23rd annual Reggae Festival. Dafne Barrientos and Bryan Neiheiser drove from Houston to attend the event they said they haven’t been to in years. They said the stormy clouds weren’t going to stop them. “A little rain doesn’t hurt anybody, it's good music, good vibes, so it's okay as long as it's not dangerous for everyone,” they said.
Organizers of the event said safety is their first priority, and just like last year they will cancel if they have to. “April in Austin, you never know what you're going to get. If we get heavier rain and or lightning we will adjust accordingly,” said Hugh Forrest of the Austin Reggae Festival.
Many events were canceled or adjusted because of the potential severe weather.
The second day of the "BP MS 150 Bike Ride" canceled their second day. Cyclists were expected to ride from Houston to Austin on Sunday. But, because of safety concerns, they called it off.
As of Saturday night, the “Reggae Festival” adjusted their schedule to a half day with acts going on earlier than scheduled.
The air show at Camp Mabry was canceled on Sunday, and the “Missing in America Project” had been moved inside.
Emergency responders also geared up for the possible severe weather. “We ask everybody just to stay aware of what the weather conditions are,” said Kelly Gall of the Austin Fire Department.
AFD said if possible everyone should just stay home for the next few days. They said their call volume goes up, and they increase their staffing in severe weather events, especially with their boat personnel and water rescue teams. They remind drivers not to go around barricades, they are there for a reason, and it takes just a small amount of water to become deadly. “Vehicles can get swept away with flash floods in as little as two feet of water. Individuals can be swept away in rushing water that is only six inches deep. We ask everybody just to stay aware of what the weather conditions are, and proceed with caution if you do have to go out,” Gall said.
You can click on these links for more resources about safety and cancelations of events.
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/TXHBikeEvents?pg=entry&fr_id=27003