Photos courtesy of Chris Jasso
July 12, 2024 – Cuero – In the wake of Hurricane Beryl, which made landfall in Matagorda County, Texas, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) crews have been working tirelessly to restore normalcy. One such dedicated crew member is Chris Jasso, who shared his experience of the challenging yet rewarding week.
Photo courtesy of Chris Jasso
Chris and his team have been waking up at 3 am, getting to the shop by 4:30 am, and hitting the road by 5 am to reach Bay City by 7 am. After coordinating with other counties in an hour-long meeting, they head out to their assigned areas in the county to clean up debris, fallen limbs, and trees. In just one day, they covered 30 different spots and hauled 19 loads of debris to a collection area.
Photo courtesy of Chris Jasso
Working all day in the humidity and heat, they finish around 4 pm, head home, and get back around 7 pm. Despite the long, exhausting days, the gratitude from the local community makes it all worthwhile says Chris. People wave as they pass by, give thumbs up, and mouth ‘thank you’, making the exhaustion well worth it.
Photo courtesy of Chris Jasso
While most of the area now has power, there are still places without. Linemen are all around, working to restore power, replace poles, and get lines off the roads. Being part of this massive group helping out gives a sense of pride and fulfillment.
Chris acknowledges that while they were on the side of the county that wasn’t too badly affected, the west side of the county faced more destruction. Other TxDOT crews were working there, facing even more challenging conditions.
Photos courtesy of Chris Jasso
The photos courtesy of Chris Jasso provides a glimpse into the hard work and dedication of the TxDOT crews. Their efforts underscore the resilience of our community in the face of adversity.
True hero’s.