Governor Rick Perry Friday declared Hurricane Dean, which had grown to Category 3 strength, an imminent threat to Texas. The governor's office says the State Operations Center will be fully activated, starting Saturday morning.

“With the potential of another major storm entering the Gulf of Mexico and threatening the Texas coast, now is the time to begin mobilizing our resources and implementing our plan to ensure an orderly response before landfall,” Perry said in a news release. “As we continue to monitor Hurricane Dean, the state is preparing to deploy ample resources, manpower and equipment to meet any potential need to ensure the safety of Texas residents.”

KVUE Storm team meteorologists say Hurricane Dean could reach the texas coast by the middle of next week.

The State Operations Center will be the hub for emergency officials who are tracking the storm will coordinate a statewide response.

Central Texas' local emergency operations center is keeping a close watch to see what happens.

"The hurricane is very far away," said Scott Swearengin, Austin Emergency Operations assistant director. "We're preparing because we want to be prepared if evacuees do come, if the hurricane does strike. It's not a time to panic -- it's just a time to continue our normal preparedness and be ready for that hurricane."

Perry's order activates·250 Texas Military Forces command personnel to support the potential activation and deployment of up to 10,000 soldiers, if necessary, and 790 emergency personnel from across the state.

The governor's office says the Texas fuel industry has begun surging fuel loads to all coastal counties to ensure adequate fuel supply

The Texas Department of Transportation has begun preparing the interstates for the possibility of any extra evacuation lanes and even contraflow.