DALLAS — Gator Country Adventure Park owner Gary Saurage says he's prepared for Hurricane Laura - and Big Al and Big Tex are safe, too.
"Big Al and Big Tex are going to stay right where they are, and the reason is, is there's no obstructions around their pond," Saurage told 12News Wednesday. "There's no big trees, there's not anything that would take those fences down. Those fences are double-fenced, they're on 6x6 posts."
Saurage said he's most concerned about the winds that will wreak havoc on the region when the storm hits.
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"Watching this thing grow and grow in the gulf is like being chased by a giant tortoise, it's unreal," he said. "The thing is with this storm, it's different than our last two storms - the last two storms we had to prepare for water. This time we have to prepare for wind, and there's a lot of logistics that go in that."
All of the park's non-native animals have been moved indoors and Saurage said he and the rest of the Gator Country team have been working with officials and meteorologists to make sure the park is taking the proper precautions. All of the employees have left the park and the only people at the park Wednesday night will be Saurage and his wife Shannon.
"It takes a mountain of thought to try to pre-think everything that is going to happen with one of these big storms. Tonight will be a long night," Saurage said. "We've done it before and we made it through Hurricane Ike, I understand [Laura] is going to be stronger than that, but I've got confidence."
Saurage also said that once the winds die down, Gator Country will be a staging area for the Cajun Navy, but for right now, the group will be ready in the Bucc-ee's parking lot in Baytown.
He urged Southeast Texans to stay safe, even after the storms.
"Take your time, be thoughtful about your surroundings and remember nothing can replace a human life."