Texas Governor Rick Perry isn't wasting any time waiting to see where Gustav will head and what sort of punch he will pack.

On Thursday Perry issued a disaster declaration for 61-Texas counties in anticipation of tropical storm Gustav becoming a full-fledged hurricane.

Texas National Guard troops stationed in Austin spent much of the day Thursday practicing water rescues and other life-saving maneuvers.  They are the men and women who will be called upon to save lives if the storm brings disaster to parts of the Texas coast.  They will also help out their counterparts in Louisiana if storm damage takes a toll there.

"You're actually able to help somebody get out there, get them food, get them water and actually put them in a safe place, it's very rewarding for us," said Lieutenant Ellis Taylor of the Texas National Guard.

A chief with the Guard says local troops may be heading to Houston to stage at some point Friday afternoon, that of course depending on Gustav.

The American Red Cross of Central Texas is also getting a head start on storm preparations.  The local agency says it's looking into creating 75 temporary shelters for evacuees, a number which could rise to 25,000