NUEVO LAREDO, Mexico — Mexican authorities opened shelters and warned people to watch out for mudslides Monday as Tropical Storm Hermine approached the northeastern border with Texas, the second major storm to hit the area this season.

Hermine could approach hurricane strength before making landfall early Tuesday in a sparsely populated area about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Matamoros, a city bordering Brownsville, Texas, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Volunteer Mobile Emergency Response Unit

Bottled Water and Nutritious Snack Donations Needed

Caldwell County residents are invited to help the Volunteer Mobile Emergency Response Unit provide care for responders in this area.

We need:

Cases of Bottled Water

Cases of Sports Drink
(Gator Aid, Power Aid)

Sports Drink Powder

Nutritious Snacks
(individually wrapped) such as:
Granola Bars, Raisins,
Fig bars, Oatmeal cookies, Animal crackers

First Aid Supplies (New)

Please bring items to the Caldwell County Annex at

On Saturday, Dec. 20, 2008, Volunteer Mobile Emergency Response Unit (VMERU) delivered electric blankets and electric heaters (and other goodies) to FireFighters and EMS, posted at Crenshaw school on the Bolivar Peninsula.

Items were donated by people and organizations in Central Texas and delivered to the school which is being used as a temporary Fire and EMS station in Hurricaine Ike ravaged Crystal Beach.