Sep 13, 2022 Public Safety Commission Special Called Meeting

HE COUNT THE

[00:00:01]

[CALL TO ORDER]

UM, I WILL START BY CALLING THE ROLE, UH, REBECCA BERNHARDT.

THE CHAIR IS HERE.

VICE CHAIR, RAMIREZ HERE.

UM, COMMISSIONER KOFF HERE.

UH, COMMISSIONER WEBER.

NOPE.

UH, COMMISSIONER HOUSE INFL HERE.

UH, COMMISSIONER HALL MARTIN HERE.

UH, COMMISSIONER SIERRA ARLO HERE.

UH, COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ.

I'M HERE.

GREAT.

SO WE HAVE A QUORUM, UM, AND WE WILL START WITH PUBLIC COMMUNICATION IF WE HAVE ANY, WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED.

OKAY.

SO WE WILL MOVE ON FROM PUBLIC COMMUNICATION TO

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES 4:15 pm–4:20pm]

UM, SO WE HAVE TWO SETS OF MINUTES TO APPROVE, UM, TODAY FROM BOTH OUR JULY 5TH AND AUGUST 1ST MEETINGS.

UM, THE COMMISSIONERS SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THE AUGUST 1ST MINUTES, UM, ON SUNDAY.

UM, OH WAIT, MAYBE MONDAY, MONDAY AND MONDAY, MONDAY WITH THE, UH, LINK AND PASSWORD FOR TODAY'S MEETING AND THEN THE, UH, JULY MINUTES JUST A LITTLE BIT AGO.

UM, SO ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS TO THE MINUTES? NO.

ALL RIGHT.

UM, SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO VOTE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

DOES THAT MEAN WE NEED A MOTION IN A SECOND IN THE WHOLE DEAL? YES.

OKAY.

SO I WILL ENTERTAIN, UH, A MOTION TO APPROVE THE JULY 5TH MINUTES, MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

THANK YOU.

IS THERE A SECOND GONZALEZ SECONDS? THANK YOU.

UM, I HAVE TO CALL THE RULE, HUH? OKAY.

UM, REBECCA BERNHARDT SAYS I VICE CHAIR RAMIREZ.

YES.

UM, COMMISSIONER KOFF.

I WAS NOT PRESENT, SO I'LL ABSTAIN.

OKAY.

UH, COMMISSIONER HOUSE INFL.

UH, SAME.

I WAS IN AVAILABLE.

OKAY.

UH, COMMISSIONER HALL, MARTIN, UH, COMMISSIONER HALL.

MARTIN.

ARE, DO YOU HAVE A VOTE ON THE JULY MINUTES? YES.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? UH, I COULDN'T BUT I CAN NOW.

OH, YES.

YES, I'M GOOD.

OKAY.

AND YOU, I APPROVE.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

UH, COMMISSIONER SIERRA ALO? YES.

THANK YOU.

AND, UH, COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ? YES.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN, UH, THE SECOND SET OF MINUTES, UM, AUGUST 1ST, 2022.

UM, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AUGUST 1ST MINUTES? I'LL MOVE.

THANK YOU IN A SECOND.

I'LL SECOND.

THANK YOU, RAMIREZ.

ALL RIGHT.

UM, THE CHAIR VOTES, I, UH, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

VICE CHAIR RAMIREZ.

YES.

ALL RIGHT.

UM, COMMISSIONER KOFF.

UH, I, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, HOUSE INFL.

UH, YES.

UH, COMMISSIONER HALL.

MARTIN? YES.

COMMISSIONER SIERRA AVELO.

YES.

COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ.

YES.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

UM, SO, UH, WE WILL MOVE ON TO

[3. Quarterly Stats Report, Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services Sponsors: Commissioners Hausenfluck and Gonzales, 4:20pm-4:40pm]

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

I THINK WE HAVE OUR PRESENTATION.

ALL RIGHT.

AS WE GET STARTED, THIS IS OUR, UM, THIRD QUARTER FOR FISCAL YEAR 22 REPORT FOR AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.

I'M THERESA GARDNER, THE CHIEF OF STAFF FOR EMS. UM, IF WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, THIS SLIDE IS OUR, UM, JUST A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF HOW WE'RE TRENDING IN OUR, UM, INCIDENTS OVERALL INCIDENTS, WHICH ARE ALL THE CALLS THAT COME INTO OUR EMS CALL CENTER, OUR PATIENT CONTACTS,

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AND OF COURSE OUR TRANSPORTS.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE DIP DOWN A LITTLE BIT, UM, AT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR AND OF COURSE ARE TRENDING UPWARD.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

ONE OF THE COMPLIANCE MEASURES THAT WE HAVE IS OUR PRIORITY ONE COMPLIANCE BY DISTRICT FOR, UM, THIS QUARTER.

UM, OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE ALL OF OUR PRIORITY ONE COMPLIANCE WITHIN 10 MINUTES.

UM, AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE ARE BY DISTRICT.

UM, WITHIN THAT COMPLIANCE, UH, WE RANGE ANYWHERE FROM 68% WITHIN DISTRICT 10.

UM, AND OUR BEST IS AT 88% AT DISTRICT THREE.

OUR NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, THIS GIVES A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT OF WHERE WE ARE JUST IN TERMS OF THAT RESPONSE INTERVAL.

UM, AGAIN, OUR BEST IS AT, UH, DISTRICT NINE WHERE WE HAVE A NINE IN OUR 90TH PERCENTILE.

WE'RE ABOUT NINE MINUTES ON ALL OF THOSE PRIORITY ONE CALLS.

UM, AND THEN AGAIN AT THE, AT A, OUR LONGEST INTERVAL IS 12 MINUTES IN DISTRICT 10.

AND THAT ORANGE BAR IS JUST GIVING YOU AN IDEA OF THE, UH, PERCENTAGE OF WHAT THE PRIORITY ONE CALLS ARE FOR EACH DISTRICT, WHICH YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE, ON THE NEXT SLIDE RIGHT THERE.

WE'VE SHOWN THIS BEFORE.

UM, FOR THE THIRD QUARTER, THIS IS BROKEN DOWN BY EACH, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICT.

AGAIN, ALL OF OUR MEDICAL CALLS ARE BROKEN DOWN BY PRIORITIES.

UH, ONE THROUGH FIVE PRIORITY, ONE AND TWO BEING THE MOST SERIOUS, UM, LIFE THREATENING TYPE CALLS WITH FOUR AND FIVE BEING LESS SEVERE.

UM, AND THIS GIVES YOU A PICTURE OF WHERE OUR MOST FREQUENT CALLS, UM, LAND IN THE PRIORITY.

ONE BEING LESS FREQUENT THAN SOME OF OUR LOWER PRIORITY CALLS.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THIS GETS INTO OUR STAFFING NUMBERS, WHICH, UM, I THINK HAS BEEN, UM, OF MORE INTEREST TO EVERYONE LATELY.

AGAIN, THIS IS GONNA BE THIRD QUARTER, SO IT'S GONNA BE, UM, THROUGH THE END OF JUNE, THIS GIVES YOU THE OVERALL VACANCY RATE OF OUR SWORN STAFF.

UM, WE'RE AUTHORIZED FOR 665 SWORN STAFF.

THAT'S TOTAL FOR ALL OF OUR SECTIONS FOR THE COMM CENTER AND OUR FIELD STAFF.

UM, THAT'S A VACANCY RATE OF ABOUT 22%.

I CAN TELL YOU, UM, WE'LL GET TO ANOTHER SLIDE.

OUR VACANCY RATE HAS IMPROVED A LITTLE SINCE THEN, UM, TO ABOUT 21% AND WE HAVE AN ONCOMING ACADEMY IN OCTOBER AS WELL.

UM, AND THIS, UM, GRAPH ALSO BREAKS DOWN, UM, FOR THE THIRD QUARTER WHERE ALL OF THE VACANCIES WERE, UH, WITHIN THAT RANK.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

WE'VE HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE OUR SEPARATIONS HAVE BEEN, WHETHER THEY'VE BEEN, UM, RETIREMENTS OR RESIGNATIONS WITHIN THE THIRD QUARTER, WE DID HAVE A, A NUMBER OF, UM, RETIREMENTS WE HAD, UM, 17 OR 16, UM, SEPARATIONS WITHIN THAT QUARTER SEVEN WERE RETIREMENTS NINE RESIGNATIONS AND ONE INDEFINITE SUSPENSION.

NEXT SLIDE.

THERE'S ALSO BEEN QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TENURE THAT WE'VE HAD AT SEPARATION WITHIN THAT THIRD QUARTER.

UM, AGAIN, IN THE BREAKDOWN, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE, THE COLOR AND IT'S A LITTLE SMALL.

UM, BUT WITHIN THAT THIRD QUARTER, UH, THE TENURE, THERE WERE SIX THAT WERE MORE THAN 20 YEARS OF TENURE WHEN THEY LEFT.

AND THEN TWO THAT WERE LESS THAN ONE YEAR AND THREE THAT WERE WITHIN THE ONE TO FIVE YEAR RANGE.

OUR NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

WE DID KEEP TRACK OF OUR VACANCY RATES, UH, FOR SWORN AND CIVILIAN EACH MONTH.

UM, SO AT THE END OF THE MONTH, WE'LL HAVE JUST A PICTURE OF WHAT, WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE.

IT DOES VARY, UH, FROM MONTH TO MONTH, UH, WE ENDED THE MONTH OF AUGUST FOR OUR SWORN AT 23.61.

UM, THE HIGHEST WAS IN JULY OF 24, 21.

UM, AND OUR CIVILIAN RATE IS, UH, LESS THAN THAT, OUR EMS TURN OUR NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

OUR EMS TURNOVER RATE, UM, IS CALCULATED.

UM, THEY DO NOT INCLUDE RETIREMENTS WITHIN THIS.

THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE RESIGNED, UM, OR THERE ARE TERMINATIONS WITHIN THIS.

UM, AGAIN, MAY AND JUNE.

UH, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE WITHIN THAT.

UH, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE RETIREMENTS THAT WE SAW WITHIN JUNE AND JULY.

AND THEN OUR NEXT SLIDE, WE DO HAVE, UM, ADDITIONAL ACADEMIES THAT ARE SCHEDULED OUR NEXT ACADEMY.

THAT'S SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 10TH.

OUR HIRING PROCESS IS CLOSED FOR THAT.

WE HAVE 28 THAT ARE CONFIRMED FOR THAT CLASS.

WE HAVE A HIRING PROCESS THAT'S OPEN RIGHT NOW.

UM, LAST CHECK TODAY, WE HAD 195 APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN STARTED FOR THAT WITH 40 THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN SCHEDULED FOR THE INITIAL PHASES OF THE HIRING PROCESS.

SO WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN APPLICATIONS.

UM, AND THEN WE HAVE FOUR THAT ARE SCHEDULED THROUGHOUT

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AND THAT'S THE LAST SLIDE, I BELIEVE.

COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE QUESTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONER HOUSE'S LOOK, YEAH, I'LL ASK A QUESTION ON THE NEW, UH, CONNECT CLASS.

THAT'S COMING UP.

UH, HOW MANY ARE IN A CLASS AND WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON YOUR VACANCY RATE FOR THE NEXT CLASS? YES, THE NEXT CLASS THAT STARTS IN OCTOBER, UM, HAS 28 THAT ARE COMMITTED, UM, INTO IT.

UM, WE ANTICIPATE THAT EACH CLASS THAT COMES IN, WE ANTICIPATE ANYWHERE FROM, YOU KNOW, A FIVE TO 10% EFFECT ON IT, DEPENDING ON, UM, WHAT WE SEE IN OUR RETIREMENTS OR RESIGNATIONS IN BETWEEN THEN, UM, WE ARE AGGRESSIVELY RECRUITING WITH THE NEW CONTRACT THAT'S IN PLACE.

WE HAVE TWO THINGS IN PLAY.

WE DO HAVE A NEW, UH, PAY SCALE IN EFFECT, AND WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO HIRE DIRECTLY INTO A CLINICAL SPECIALIST RANK, WHICH WE ARE WORKING TO START ADVERTISING FOR, UM, HIRING DIRECTLY INTO.

SO IS 28%.

IS WHAT DID THAT, WAS THAT YOUR TARGET OR WAS THAT LOWER THAN Y'ALL WERE HOPING FOR THE 28 NUMBER OF CADETS COMING IN? YES, UM, THAT IS, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE AT LEAST 40 IN EACH CADET CLASS, UM, THAT IS SIMPLY BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE CAN PHYSICALLY PUT INTO A CLASSROOM FOR OUR FACILITIES AND THE NUMBER OF TRAINING, UM, CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE.

UM, SO WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE AT LEAST 40 IN A CLASS.

SO, UM, 28 IS, UM, NOT AS MANY AS WE WOULD LIKE, BUT IT IS CRE INCREASING BASED ON THE NUMBERS THAT WE'VE HAD BEFORE.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PAY SCALE? WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE PAY SCALE? UM, I DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE DETAILS IN, IN, IN FRONT OF ME.

IT'S, IT'S FAIRLY SPECIFIC IN DETAIL, BUT THERE, THERE WAS AN INCREASE TO THE ENTRY LEVEL PAY FOR THE, UM, MEDICS.

ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS, UM, VICE CHAIR, RAMIREZ.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM, I KNOW THAT THE, THE CONTRACT, SO HAS THE CONTRACT BEEN APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL? THE ONE YEAR CONTRACT? IT WAS APPROVED.

IT WENT TO COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 1ST AND WAS VOTED THEN.

SO IT HAS BEEN SIGNED AND GOES INTO EFFECT OCTOBER 1ST, OCTOBER 1ST.

OKAY.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER KOFF? YES.

UH, THANK YOU.

UH, CHIEF GARDNER IN REGARDS TO TYPES OF CALLS, UH, ARE YOU TRACKING YOUR AGENCY TRACKING THE FENTANYL RELATED CALLS? AND IF SO, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING? THE TREND? WE, WE DO TRACK THAT WE HAVE A, UM, WE HAVE THE ABILITY THROUGH AN OD MAPPING TO TRACK THAT.

AND I HAVE NOT LOOKED AT THAT RECENTLY.

IT IS SOMETHING WE CAN BRING BACK TO THE COMMISSION IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE, UH, SOMETHING ON A REGULAR BASIS TO THAT.

UM, I CAN'T TELL YOU WHETHER IT'S, WE'VE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OR DECREASE IN THAT LATELY.

I THINK IT HAS BEEN RELATIVELY, UM, STATIC.

UNFORTUNATELY.

THANK YOU.

I THINK IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE STATISTICS FOR THE NEXT QUARTERLY REPORT.

SURE.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

GREAT.

THANK YOU.

UM, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.

UM, WELL THEN, UH, WE WILL MOVE ON TO

[4. Discussion and possible action on the Austin Police Department’s use of the LRAD during the 2020 protests and currently, including potential injuries to police officers and the public Sponsors: Commissioners Bernhardt, and Webber, 4:40pm - 5:10pm]

DEPARTMENT'S USE OF THE LRAD, UM, DURING THE 2020 PROTESTS AND CURRENTLY, UM, INCLUDING POTENTIAL INJURIES TO POLICE OFFICERS AND THE PUBLIC.

UM, SHALL WE START, UH, WITH ASSISTANT CHIEF GREENWALT YES.

MA'AM CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

RIGHT.

I SUBMITTED A POWERPOINT TO SEE AS, AS SOON AS I SEE IT POP UP, I WILL HAPPILY BEGIN.

BEAUTIFUL.

SO THAT'S JUST A TITLE SLIDE.

YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE.

WE HAVE, UM, JUST A SHORT PRESENTATION AND A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I CAN ANSWER.

I KNOW THERE ARE SOME SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMISSION WAS INQUIRING ABOUT AND, AND MAYBE SOME CITIZENS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT.

SO WE WANTED TO ADDRESS THOSE, UH, THE BEST THAT WE COULD, UH, ONE OF THE REQUESTS WAS TO ACCOUNT FOR HOW MANY

[00:15:01]

AND WHEN WE BOUGHT 'EM WHAT THE MODEL NUMBERS WERE AND HOW MUCH WE PAID FOR THEM.

SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, IN 2011, WE BOUGHT OUR FIRST ONE, UH, FOR APPROXIMATELY 16,004 YEARS LATER, ANOTHER ONE FOR 15,000, AND THEN 2016, WE HAVE TWO FOR ALMOST $50,000.

ALL FOUR LRADS ARE CURRENTLY FUNCTIONAL AND IN SERVICE AT THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND THEY REQUIRE NO ANNUAL UPKEEP OR MAINTENANCE COST, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE LINE ITEM QUESTIONS THAT WE GOT FROM, UH, THE COMMISSION.

YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO JUST, UM, BACKGROUND FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH 'EM, THEY, THE LRADS ARE SHORT, ARE THEY'RE PORTABLE.

THEY CAN BE FIXED TO A BUILDING OR MOUNTED ON A TRIPOD OR MOUNTED TO A VEHICLE THEY'RE MANUFACTURED BY THE LRAD CORPORATION IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

AND THEY'RE ALSO ON THE, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND FEMA APPROVED EQUIPMENT LIST, UH, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENTS, UH, THROUGH EMERGENCIES OR THROUGH VARIOUS GRANTS AS, AS PART OF THEIR APPROVED AND SAFE EQUIPMENT LIST.

YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE DIRECTLY FROM THE MANUFACTURER.

UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CONCERN THAT THE LRAD IS A SONIC WEAPON IS ADDRESSED QUITE UPFRONT.

IT'S NOT A SONIC WEAPON, IT'S A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE LONG RANGE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM USED TO CLEARLY BROADCAST CRITICAL INFORMATION INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS.

THE LRAD BROADCAST ARE FAR SUPERIOR TO BULLHORNS ALLOWING LAW ENFORCEMENT TO COMMUNICATE CLEARLY TO INDIVIDUALS OR LARGE CROWDS FROM SAFE DISTANCES IN OUTDOOR VENUES.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO JUST PAUSE FOR A MOMENT AT THIS POINT AND JUST KIND OF EXPLAIN WHY WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN HEAR US.

IF WE HAVE A CROWD OF FIVE OR 500, HUNDRED OR 5,000 OR, OR 10,000 PEOPLE, AND THERE ARE CHANCE AND PEOPLE MAY BE YELLING OR SCREAMING, OR THERE'S OTHER BULLHORNS OR SIRENS OR ANY SORT OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION.

THERE'S TWO REASONS WHY WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IN THAT CROWD CAN HEAR THE INSTRUCTIONS.

WE'RE GIVING THEM FIRST TO ONE.

AND FOREMOST IS FOR SAFETY.

IF THEY'RE BLOCKING A PUBLIC ROADWAY AND THERE'S VEHICLES COMING, OR THEY'RE, UM, PROGRESSING ONTO AN INTERSTATE WHERE THERE'S CARS TRAVELING OR DOING ANYTHING ELSE THAT MIGHT BE CONCERNING TO THEIR SAFETY, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS TO AVOID ANY SORT OF INJURY.

UH, BUT ALSO IF THERE'S ANY, UM, LEGAL ACTION THAT HAS TO BE TAKEN IN REGARDS TO AN UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY OR ANYBODY THAT'S VIOLATING ANY LAWS, WE LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE A CLEAR WARNING, TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE CONDUCT THEY'RE ENGAGING IN IS IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTARILY COMPLY BEFORE WE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION.

AND IF WE'RE USING A BULLHORN, THEN WE CAN'T, UM, WITH ANY DEGREE OF CERTAINTY STATE THAT EVERYBODY IN THE CROWD HAS HEARD US AND UNDERSTOOD US.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO IS POSITION OFFICERS AT VARIOUS POINTS AND USE, UH, FEEDBACK LOOP TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE IN THE BACK OF THE CROWD CAN HEAR AND UNDERSTAND THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT ARE GIVEN.

WE'VE TRIED IT IN THE PAST WITH DIFFERENT BULL BULLHORNS AND MEGAPHONES THAT WERE AVAILABLE TO US.

AND, AND THEY JUST DIDN'T WORK.

THE IN CAR PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS JUST DON'T WORK.

THE ONLY THING THAT'S WORKED FOR THIS PURPOSE HAS BEEN THE LRAD SYSTEM.

YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO OUR POLICY, UM, IS GONNA SLIGHTLY MIRROR, UM, THAT OF THE STATEMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER THAT IT, THE LRAD SHALL NOT BE USED AS A SO WEAPON OR A METHOD OF PAIN COMPLIANCE.

THE LRAD SHALL ONLY BE USED AS A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT SYSTEM TO BROADCAST AUDIBLE NOTIFICATIONS AND WARNINGS OVER DISTANCE.

THE LRAD WILL ONLY BE USED AT DECIMAL LEVELS AND FREQUENCIES THAT ARE SAFE FOR THE INTENDED PURPOSE, AND THAT ARE NOT REASONABLY LIKELY OR INTENDED TO CAUSE INJURY.

EXCELLENT.

SO WHEN WE USE LRAD FOR THE PURPOSES OF OUR SPECIAL RESPONSE TEAM, OR, UH, SRT FOR SHORT, WHICH IS OUR CROWD MANAGEMENT TEAM, WE BRING IT OUT SO THAT WE CAN CONVEY CLEAR MESSAGING TO LARGE CROWDS, AND THAT THAT'S GONNA BE WHEN IT DIRECTLY RELATES TO PUBLIC SAFETY OF THE CROWD.

AND THIS WILL INCLUDE WARNINGS INVOLVING UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY.

THE DECISION TO UTILIZE THE LRAD IS MADE BY LEADERSHIP.

UM, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT ANY OFFICER CAN JUST DECIDE TO GO AND DO.

IT HAS TO BE FROM THE POSITION OF SOMEBODY IN A SUPERVISORY CAPACITY.

AND THEY'RE ONLY A SMALL HANDFUL OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY TRAINED TO EVEN USE THE UNIT.

SO WE HAVE THE SAME GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE OPERATING THE UNIT OVER AND OVER.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO UNDERSTAND, UM, IN MOST SITUATIONS THE LD DEVICE IS GONNA BE DEPLOYED BEHIND THE OFFICERS.

SO THE OFFICERS WHO ARE PERFORMING THE CROWD CONTROL FUNCTION ARE ACTUALLY STANDING IN BETWEEN THE LD AND THE PUBLIC.

SO IF THERE'S ANY, UH, PROBLEM WITH THE VOLUME OR DISBEL LEVEL, THE OFFICERS ARE GONNA KNOW IT FIRST, AND THEY'RE GONNA GIVE THAT

[00:20:01]

AND THAT WILL BE, UH, WELL BEFORE THERE'S ANY PROBLEM TO THE PUBLIC DURING THE 2020 PROTESTS, WHERE THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE CAUSE INJURIES WITH THE LRAD.

UM, YOU KNOW, THIS THING WAS ON TOP OF THE POLICE HEADQUARTERS, WHICH IS FIVE STORIES HIGH.

UM, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A MINIMUM OF 50 FEET AWAY FROM THE GROUND AND THEN ADDITIONAL FEET TO ACCOUNT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT ON THE STEPS AND OUT INTO THE STREET.

SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE, UM, REALLY LOOKING AT MORE LIKE 70 PLUS FEET AWAY FROM THE DEVICE BEFORE THE FIRST PERSON WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR IT.

YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, UM, SO PEOPLE CAN KIND OF UNDERSTAND HOW THIS MIGHT COMPARE TO OTHER, OTHER THINGS.

WE'RE MORE FAMILIAR WITH, UM, NORMAL, CONVERSATIONAL SPEECH AT 60 DECIBELS, A SCHOOL CAFETERIA WITH LOTS OF PEOPLE TALKING 85 DECIBELS.

THE LRAD FROM APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET, WHICH WAS THE MINIMUM DISTANCE THAT WE USED IN 2020 IS AT 109 DECIBELS.

THE HANDHELD BULLHORNS OR MEGAPHONES ARE GONNA BE BETWEEN A HUNDRED AND 120 FROM SIX FEET.

IF YOU UTILIZE THE LD FROM APPROXIMATELY 13 FEET, IT WILL BE AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME DECIBEL LEVEL AS THE MEGAPHONE FROM SIX FEET FIREWORKS, UM, JUMPS UP TO 140 TO 165.

THE, THE INJURIES THAT HAPPENED TO THE OFFICERS, UM, IN 2020 WERE A DIRECT RESULT OF PEOPLE USING BULLHORNS AND MEGAPHONES INCHES, OR JUST A FOOT OR TWO AWAY FROM OUR HEADS AND EARS AND SCREAMING AS LOUD AS THEY COULD WITH AN INTENT TO ANNOY AND HARASS US AND INJURE US.

AND THEY WERE ALSO FIREWORKS THAT WERE DEPLOYED AT OUR DIRECTION THAT ARE INTENDED TO EXPLODE HUNDREDS OF FEET IN THE AIR THAT WERE EXPLODING INCHES AWAY FROM OUR EARS.

THAT IS WHERE THE INJURIES IN 2020 CAME FROM THE INJURIES IN 2020 DUE TO HEARING DID NOT COME FROM THE LRAD SYSTEM THAT WAS MOUNTED ON TOP OF THE POLICE HEADQUARTERS.

YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

THERE WAS TWO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT CAME IN AFTER I SUBMITTED MY POWERPOINT.

UM, ONE WAS CAN THE LD BE TIMESTAMPED FOR DECIBEL USAGE? THE SYSTEM ITSELF DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THAT, BUT WE NEVER USE THE LD SYSTEM WHEN OUR BODY WORN CAMERAS AND INCAR CAMERAS ARE NOT BEING USED.

SO THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE A RECORDING OF WHERE WE ARE WHEN IT'S BEING USED, HOW IT'S BEING USED AND WHAT LEVEL.

SO IF THERE'S EVER A SPECIFIC CONCERN OR COMPLAINT THAT COMES IN, WE'LL BE ABLE TO RECREATE AND SHOW A VIDEO OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT THAT TIME.

AND THE NEXT QUESTION IS, UH, CAN THE USE OF A HALF MILER MEGAPHONE BE USED AS OPPOSED TO THE LRAD? WE HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF TIME TO REALLY SCRUB THE, THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT'S BEING TERMED AS A HALF MILER, BUT INITIAL RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET OF WHAT THESE TYPES OF MEGAPHONES CAN DO IS NOT LOOK PROMISING.

AND NOW, JUST TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST, IF WE DETERMINE THAT A HALF MILER CAN BE USED IN REPLACE OF AN LRAD, WE'RE GONNA USE A $700 PIECE OF EQUIPMENT AS OPPOSED TO A $15,000 PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.

UM, BUT BASED ON THE INITIAL DATA THAT WE GET FROM THE SPECIFICATIONS PAGES ON THE DIFFERENT BRANDS THAT ARE OUT THERE, IT LOOKS TO BE COMPARABLE TO, IF NOT SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN JUST A, AN EXPENSIVE BULLHORN OR MEGA PHONE THAT YOU MIGHT GET FROM AMAZON OR WALMART.

SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE LOOKING AT THAT.

UM, IF WE, IF WE DETERMINE THAT THERE'S ANY NEW INFORMATION OR RE REVEALING INFORMATION ON THAT, WE'LL DEFINITELY LOOP BACK WITH YOU ON THAT.

THAT IS ALL THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE.

AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS MIGHT HAVE.

ALL RIGHT.

UM, DO WE HAVE MR. WELCH? OKAY.

WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SEE MR. WELCH, BUT HE'S GONNA BE ABLE TO, UM, SPEAK TO US MR. WELCH.

UM, YOU CAN START YOUR REMARKS.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR ME.

I SEE HIS MIC TOGGLING ON AND OFF.

[00:25:04]

UM, THE LITTLE LIKE MUTE BUTTON GOING ON AND OFF NEXT TO HIS PARTICIPANT, THE ATTENDEE LIST.

HE IS UNMUTED RIGHT NOW.

DIAL MR. WELCH.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO DIAL IN AND, AND USE THE PHONE NUMBER HE HUNG UP? SO I'M ASSUMING THAT'S A YES.

OKAY.

WE'LL JUST WAIT A LITTLE BIT.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WHILE WE WAIT? SURE.

THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

OKAY.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR ASSISTANT CHIEF? GREENWALT ON MR. CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE SURE CAN.

GO AHEAD.

OH, I'M SO SORRY ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY THERE.

APOLOGIES.

UM, YEAH.

SO WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY IS I, FIRST OF ALL, WANTED TO THANK, UH, COMMANDER GREENWALD FOR ADDRESSING THE QUESTIONS I BROUGHT TO THE, UH, TO THE COMMITTEE LAST MONTH.

UM, I HAVE AN ADDITIONAL DIRECT QUESTION FROM WHAT WE JUST HEARD, WHICH IS THAT I'M LOOKING AT THE USER MANUAL RIGHT NOW FOR A GENESIS INC.

LRAD FOUR 50 XL.

AND THIS USER MANUAL SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT IT DISTANCES OF AS LITTLE AS 40 METERS, WHICH IS 120 FEET, NOT 50 FEET.

THE LRAD CAN GET TO DECIBEL LEVELS.

WELL, OVER 115 AND THE MANUAL STRAIGHT UP SAYS THAT IT IS FORBIDDEN TO USE IT PERIOD FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME AT DISTANCES, LESS THAN THAT.

SO BY THE USE MANUAL'S OWN STUFF, I HAVE TO DEBATE THE CONCLUSION THAT THE HEARING DAMAGE WAS DEFINITELY NOT CAUSED BY THE L THAT WOULD HAVE TO GET A COPY OF THAT USER MANUAL AND DO SOME MORE RESEARCH BEFORE I COULD ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.

BUT WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT WE USED THE LRE CONSISTENTLY THROUGH THE TWO, 2020 PROTESTS AND RIOTS, AND NONE OF THE OFFICERS THAT WERE OUT THERE COMPLAINED OF THE HEARING DAMAGE THEY GOT DURING THE ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT WERE MADE PUBLICLY TO THE CROWD.

WHAT THEY DID COMPLAIN ABOUT WAS THE FIREWORKS GOING OFF IN THEIR EAR AND THE BULLHORNS IN THEIR EAR.

THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AND IMMEDIATE IMPACT IN THE PAIN, IN THEIR EAR, BASED ON THE FIREWORKS AND THE BULLHORNS.

AND OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL DAYS AND WEEKS, THERE WAS NO COMPLAINT OF PAIN FROM THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM THAT WAS HAPPENING FROM THE LRE SYSTEM.

UM, WELL, IT SEEMS THERE WAS A LOT OF CHAOS GOING ON.

IT SEEMS LIKE IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN HARD TO KNOW WHAT THE SOURCE OF LOUD NOISE WAS.

LRADS CAN RAPIDLY INCREASE IN VOLUME FROM JUST A FEW FEET DISTANCE.

AND THERE'S REALLY NOT BEEN A LOT OF STUDIES DONE ON THE LONG TERM HEARING EFFECTS OF LRADS.

I WOULD THINK OF FOR OFFICERS OWN SAFETY, WE'D WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT MAYBE INADVERTENTLY EXPOSING THEM TO SOMETHING DANGEROUS.

SO THE, THE 2020 HEARING DAMAGE WAS REPORTED BY EACH OFFICER AS AN ACUTE IMMEDIATE IMPACT OF PAIN IN THEIR EARS THAT IMMEDIATELY RESULTED IN A LOSS OF HEARING.

AND IT WAS AS A, AS OF A DIRECT RESULT OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN FRONT OF THEM, NOBODY EXPERIENCED OR COMPLAINED ABOUT A ONGOING DECREASE IN HEARING, BASED ON SOME UNKNOWN

[00:30:01]

IT HURTS.

AND NOW I HAVE AN IMMEDIATE COMPLAINT OF PAIN AND I HAVE AN IMMEDIATE HEARING LOSS, OR WHEN A BULLHORN WAS PUT IN OUR FACE AND PEOPLE WERE SCREAMING THROUGH THE BULLHORN INCHES AWAY FROM OUR EARS.

THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE COMPLAINT OF PAIN AND IMMEDIATE NOTICE OF HEARING LOSS THAT OCCURRED BECAUSE OF IT.

UM, WELL, THE GENESIS L AD FOUR 50 XO MANUAL, WHICH I'M READING FROM RIGHT NOW SPECIFICALLY SAYS SHORT EXPOSURE TO SP LEVELS ABOVE ONE 15 DB MAY CAUSE TEMPORARY HEARING LOSS.

THEREFORE THE OPERATOR OF THE LRAD MUST EMPLOY AND FOLLOW SPECIFIC RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, WHICH TAKE THIS RISK INTO ACCOUNT.

I LOOK FORWARD TO LOOKING AT THAT OWNER'S MANUAL AND DOING SOME RESEARCH ON IT.

MR. WELCH, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A COPY OF THAT TO THE, THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION? ABSOLUTELY.

THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

AND, UM, ONE OTHER I WILL.

AND JUST ONE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO FLAG THAT I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO BRING UP LAST MONTH, WHICH IS WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HEARING LOSS IN THIS CASE.

AS I SAID, THERE'S UNFORTUNATELY NOT BEEN ENOUGH STUDIES YET DONE ON THE LONG TERM HEARING RISK OF THESE DEVICES, BUT I WILL SAY THAT WHETHER OR NOT THE EVIDENCE IS THERE LAST YEAR, UM, THE CITY OF NEW YORK, UM, SPECIFICALLY BANNED N Y P D FROM USING THE ALERT TONE ON THESE SOUND CANNONS AND THE CITY WAS FORCED TO PAY OUT THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGES AND LEGAL FEES.

SO CONSIDERING WE'VE ALREADY HAD TO PAY OUT OVER $12 MILLION IN LAWSUIT SETTLEMENTS RECENTLY, I QUESTIONED THE WISDOM OF AUTHORIZING A DEVICE THAT WHETHER OR NOT IT IS DANGEROUS, THERE IS PRECEDENT OF IT COSTING OTHER CITIES, A LOT OF MONEY IN LAWSUITS.

IF APD DOESN'T USE THE SOUND TONE OR THE SIREN TONE OF THE LRE DEVICE, WE SIMPLY USE IT AS A PA SYSTEM THAT WE KNOW CAN REACH THE P UH, MESSAGE IS INTENDED TO GO TO, IS, IS THAT FUNCTION ACTUALLY DISABLED ON THE LDS OR IS IT UP TO OFFICER DISCRETION? IT'S NOT DISABLED.

IT'S NOT USED, NOBODY USES IT AT APD.

UM, WELL THEN WHAT ABOUT HUMAN ERROR? THERE WAS AN INCIDENT IN 2018 WHERE WHEN, UM, TYRA HER WAS BEING CONFRONTED BY SWAT OFFICERS AND L RAD WAS FIRST NOT TURNED ON WHEN THE OFFICERS THOUGHT THEY TURNED IT ON AND THEN THE DEVICE WAS AIMED AT THE WRONG HOUSE.

SO I HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT USER ERROR, IF IT'S NOT LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO USE IT INCORRECTLY, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE CASE THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.

I CAN TELL YOU, IS THAT OUR S R T OPERATORS ARE TRAINED AND HAVE NOT MADE ANY ERRORS WITH ACCIDENTALLY TURNING ON THE TONE OR THE CYBER FUNCTION? WELL, THAT'S NOT ACCORDING TO REPORTING FROM THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE HERE, WHICH, UH, PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE ON JULY 29TH, WHICH I'M HAPPY TO SHARE.

WE, YOU HAPPY TO LOOK INTO IT.

UM, JUST, JUST A SECOND VICE CHAIR, RAMIREZ, MR. WELCH, IF YOU COULD ADJUST COMPLETE YOUR, UM, PRESENTATION AND THEN WE CAN HAVE QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS.

UM, YEAH, THAT'S, UM, I THINK THAT BASICALLY RAISES, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO THE POINTS I MADE LAST TIME, I THINK THAT GETS A LOT OF THE NEW POINTS I WANTED TO GET IN.

AND I WOULD ALSO, UM, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT A P D IS DOING, LOOKING INTO MY SUGGESTION OF HALF MYERS.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO CONTINUE THAT WORK.

AND I WOULD, UM, I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN THE DATA PRESENTING, UH, HOW THEY CONCLUDED THAT THAT WOULD NOT ACHIEVE THE CROWD CONTROL.

THEY DESIRE IN A MUCH SAFER MANNER.

I, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT INFORMATION SO WE COULD CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION.

SO THAT'S ALL, ALL I HAD, UH, TO ASK.

UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS AND HAPPY TO PROVIDE ANY MORE DATA.

THANK YOU.

UH, VICE CHAIR, RAMIREZ.

I JUST HA I, UH, I WAS JUST HOPING FOR A REMINDER ABOUT WHERE EXACTLY THE LRADS ARE LOCATED.

UM, I KNOW THAT YOU SAY THAT THEY'RE ON TOP OF APD HEADQUARTERS, BUT WHERE ARE THEY? ARE THEY IN FIXED POSITIONS ON VEHICLES OR ARE THEY STORED IN A TRUNK AND PULLED OUT FOR USE? CAN YOU CLARIFY? CAUSE I DON'T THINK I REMEMBER.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO DURING 2020, THEY WERE PUT ON TOP OF APD HEADQUARTERS ON A TRIPOD.

THEY WERE NOT PERMANENTLY AFFIXED THERE.

THAT'S JUST WHERE WE PUT IT TO BE SAFE AND TO BE EFFECTIVE.

SO EACH INDIVIDUAL, UH, EVENT WILL GENERATE ITS OWN SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES.

IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE ON TOP OF THE HEADQUARTERS IN THE FUTURE.

IT MIGHT BE ON A TRIPOD BEHIND THE LINE OF OFFICERS.

IT MIGHT BE AFFIX TO THE FRONT OF A PATROL CAR.

THERE'S DIFFERENT PLACES WHERE IT MAY BE JUST DEPENDING ON THE SPECIFICS OF THAT PARTICULAR EVENT.

OKAY.

THEY'RE MOVED AROUND AS NEEDED.

OKAY.

[00:35:01]

UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ACTUALLY FOR EITHER CHIEF GREENWALT OR MR. WELCH, UM, ARE THERE ANY NON-POLICE NON, UH, MILITARY USES FOR AN LRAD? UM, I WOULD'VE TO DO MORE RESEARCH ON THAT, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS MOSTLY, NO, THEY WERE LITERALLY CREATED FOR LONG DISTANCE SHIP TO SHIP COMMUNICATION WHERE A LOT OF THE, UH, VOLUME ISSUES WERE CONCERNED ABOUT ARE MUCH LESS RELEVANT BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING MASSIVE DISTANCES.

UM, SO I'D HAVE TO DO SOME MORE RESEARCH.

I'D BE HAPPY TO DO SO AND PROVIDE IT TO THE COMMITTEE, BUT I'VE NOT HEARD OF THEM BEING USED OUTSIDE OF SHIP COMMUNICATION OR LAW ENFORCEMENT SITUATIONS.

THANK YOU.

UM, COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.

WELL, IF NOT, UM, WE WILL KEEP MOVING ALONG, UM, AND,

[5. Discussion and potential assignment of a member of the Public Safety Commission to a working group of the Austin Parks and Recreation Board to address crime in Austin’s parks. Sponsors: Commissioners Bernhardt and Ramirez, 5:10pm - 5:20pm]

UM, SO THE, UM, AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, UM, HAS ASKED US, UM, IF WE WOULD, UH, TALK AMONGST OURSELVES AND, UM, DECIDE IF ONE OF OUR MEMBERS WAS INTERESTED IN JOINING THIS WORKING GROUP.

I THINK THE, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD IS CONCERNED ABOUT CRIME IN THE PARKS, AND THEY WOULD LIKE SOME INPUT FROM ONE OF OUR MEMBERS.

UM, SO I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMISSION IF, UH, THERE'S ANYONE WHO'S PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN JOINING THIS WORKING GROUP.

UM, THEY, THEY CAN HAVE A SLOT, UH, COMMISSIONER HOUSE INFL.

UM, I'LL JOIN IT IF, UH, IF NOBODY ELSE WANTS TO DO IT.

UM, IS, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO IS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED I'LL SEE YOU LATER? UM, I AM NOT NECESSARILY INTERESTED, BUT COMMISSIONER HOUSE, IF YOU WILL.

UM, I DID MEET WITH THE PARKS AND, UH, REC COMMISSIONER, A COUPLE OF THE PARKS AND REC COMMISSIONERS.

UM, AND I HAVE SIGNED INFORMATION TO YOU.

OKAY.

UM, SO, UM, WE SHOULD HAVE A FORMAL VOTE AND, AND APPOINT, UM, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER HOUSE INCLUDE TO THE WORKING GROUP.

UM, UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION? UM, I'LL MOVE RAMIREZ TO VOTE ON HOUSE LOOKS VERY THANKFUL, UH, VOLUNTEER.

.

THANK YOU.

I'LL SECOND.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

UM, UH, CHAIR BERNHARDT IS IN FAVOR, VICE CHAIR.

RAMIREZ.

YES.

UH, COMMISSIONER KOFF.

YES.

UH, COMMISSIONER HOUSE INFLOW, YES.

OR ABSTAIN OR WHATEVER'S APPROPRIATE.

I THINK YOU CAN VOTE FOR YOURSELF.

YOU CAN VOTE FOR YOURSELF.

UM, COMMISSIONER HALL.

MARTIN.

YES.

UH, COMMISSIONER SIERRA ARLO.

YES.

COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ.

YES.

ALL RIGHT.

UM, AND

[6. Wildfire Readiness Update Resolution#20160512-016 Sponsors: Commissioners Bernhardt and Ramirez, 5:20pm—5:50pm]

WOO GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS.

UM, THANK Y'ALL FOR HAVING US HERE FOR OUR QUARTERLY UPDATE.

WE WANT, WE ARE HAPPY LIKE MANY OF Y'ALL THAT, THAT RECENT RAIN HAS REDUCED OUR WILDFIRE RISK AS OF LATE IN THESE PAST COUPLE WEEKS.

AND WE ARE NOW AT A NATIONAL FIRE DANGER, UH, RATING OF LOW AS ANYONE WHO HAS LIVED IN AUSTIN FOR MORE THAN A YEAR.

WE KNOW THAT CAN CHANGE AND A HEARTBEAT.

SO WE ALWAYS KNOW THAT PREPARATION FOR WILDFIRE AND MITIGATING THAT RISK IS A COMMUNITY WIDE EFFORT, THAT WE ARE VERY THANKFUL THAT THE, WE HAVE MANY PARTICIPANTS ON THESE EFFORTS TO SPEAK ON THESE SPECIFIC ITEMS. HERE IS OUR WILDFIRE MITIGATION OFFICER THAT MANY OF Y'ALL KNOW, JUSTICE JONES.

THANK YOU, CHIEF.

AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR GIVING US OPPORTUNITY TO UPDATE YOU ON THE GREAT WORK THAT THE

[00:40:01]

UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE AREAS WE'RE GONNA TOUCH ON TONIGHT, UH, WE'RE GONNA COVER THE NUMBER OF LOCAL LEVEL COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLANS, BOTH COMPLETED AND IMPLEMENTED THE NUMBER OF LOCAL LEVEL COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN STARTED, BUT ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS.

THE PERCENTAGE OF HIGH RISK, WILD AND URBAN INTERFACE AREAS IN WHICH IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL LOCAL LEVEL CWPP PLANNING IS STILL GOING ONGOING.

UM, THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS AND HOME ASSESSMENTS, WE PROVIDED THE NUMBER IN SIZE AND TYPE OF LOCATION OF FUELS, MITIGATION ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED AND THE NUMBER OF TRAINING HOURS THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AND CONDUCTED, UH, SINCE OUR LAST REPORTING PERIOD, IF YOU CAN SKIP, UH, FORWARD TO THE, UM, THIRD SLIDE, PLEASE.

GREAT.

SO OUR FIRST, UH, METRICS THAT WE WANTED TO TOUCH ON IS THE NUMBER OF LOCAL LEVEL, UH, CWPP COMPLETED AND IMPLEMENTED, UM, WHICH ARE 20 PLANS ACROSS, UM, OUR HIGH RISK AREAS.

UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE OUR FIRST EAST AUSTIN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FIREWISE COMMUNITY, UH, THE COMMUNITY OF SHANAY.

AND, UH, WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE THEM ON BOARD OF PART OF OUR, UH, FIREWISE ALLIANCE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

NEXT IS THE NUMBER OF LOCAL COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLANS THAT WE COMMUNITIES HAVE STARTED, BUT NOT YET, UM, COMPLETED, UM, LOCAL LEVEL COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLANS OR INITIATIVE THAT AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT AND PARTNERS IN THE CITY AND COUNTY SUPPORT COMMUNITIES IMPLEMENTING.

AND WE'RE, UM, REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES INCREASING OVER TIME AND THE WORK THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE DOING TO EMPOWER AND PREPARE THEMSELVES.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

NEXT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF HIGH RISK, WILD LAND, URBAN INTERFACE AREAS IN WHICH IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL LOCAL CWPP PLANNING AREAS IS STILL ONGOING.

SO THAT'S A 49% OF OUR HIGH RISK AREAS THAT WE STILL HAVE, UM, ROOM TO GROW AND EXPANDING OUR LOCAL LEVEL COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLANS.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS AND HOME ASSESSMENTS PROVIDED IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, UH, WE'VE CONDUCTED 25 PRESENTATIONS AT HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS AND OTHER EVENTS, INCLUDING OUR, UM, VIRTUAL ANNUAL WILDFIRE SYMPOSIUM, WHICH WE HOPE TO HOLD IN PERSON THIS YEAR, UH, DEPENDING ON TRIMS IN, IN COVID, UH, THAT WAS WELL ATTENDED LAST YEAR.

AND WE HAD SPEAKERS FROM ACROSS THE NATION, UH, ADDRESS OUR COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS EFFORTS AND, AND SHARE THEIR STORIES WITH COMMUNITIES AT RISK.

WE ALSO CONDUCTED 43 HOME ASSESSMENTS FOR INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS, HELP THEM UNDERSTAND HOW TO REDUCE THEIR RISK.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THE NUMBER SIZE TYPE AND LOCATION OF FUEL MITIGATION ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.

UM, AS YOU KNOW, WITH AN ONGOING FIRE SEASON, UM, IT'S, UH, CHALLENGING TO CONDUCT PRESCRIBED BURNING ONE OF OUR BEST TOOLS FOR TREATING A LARGE NUMBER OF ACRES.

SO WE HAD TO BE VERY JUDICIOUS IN OUR APPLICATION OF FIRE THIS YEAR, BUT WE DID CONDUCT TWO PRESCRIBED BREAK FOR 8.9 ACRES PROTECTING OVER 123 HOMES OR A VALUE OF OVER 250 MILLION.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

UH, FINALLY, THE NUMBER OF TRAINING HOURS RECEIVED AND CONDUCTED IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS, UH, WE CONDUCTED OVER 182 TRAINING HOURS AND RECEIVED OVER 6,000, UM, UH, 32 TRAINING HOURS OVER THE BLAST REPORTING PERIOD.

THIS INCLUDES OUR ONGOING RESPONDING TO THE INTERFACE TRAINING WHERE WE'RE EQUIPPING AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL AND EXPANDING THIS PROGRAM TO COUNTY PERSONNEL TO EFFECTIVELY RESPOND TO THAT INITIAL FIRE START AND PROVIDE PROTECTION FOR THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY.

UM, SO THAT'S VASTLY ACCELERATING OUR PREPAREDNESS EFFORTS AT AN OPERATIONAL LEVEL.

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, UM, GOING BACK TO OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS, UH, WE INITIATED A BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN AND INSTALLED, UM, BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH SPEAKING BILLBOARDS, UM, PREDOMINANTLY ACROSS EAST AUSTIN, UM, TO HELP ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND THE ONGOING FIRE SEASON AND THEIR ROLE, AND BEING A FIRE ADAPTED COMMUNITY, WE SAW A 550% INCREASE IN REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE THE PUBLIC.

SO IT WAS A GOOD INDICATOR THAT, UH, THOSE BILLBOARDS WILL HELPFUL IN REACHING SOME OF OUR AT RISK POPULATIONS.

UM, FINAL SLIDE PLEASE.

AND SO THAT, UM, MYSELF AND CHIEF DEL AZA WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS OR PUBLIC QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS.

UM, I,

[00:45:01]

UM, I, I JUST CONTINUE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, THE EAST SIDE.

I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE THAT THERE'S ONE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S BECOME A FIREWISE COMMUNITY.

UM, I, BUT I NOTICED, UM, IN TERMS OF HOME ASSESSMENTS, UM, THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM WERE ON THE WEST SIDE, UM, AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF THEM IN THE NORTHWEST.

UM, AND, UH, I JUST KNOW FROM EXPERIENCES A LEGAL AID LAWYER, THAT WHEN THERE ARE DISASTERS, UM, LOW INCOME FOLKS ARE REALLY POORLY SERVED BY FEMA, UM, AND SOMETIMES HAVE TO HAVE THEIR LEGAL AID LAWYERS, SUE FEMA TO EVEN GET THEIR HOUSES REBUILT.

UM, SO IT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD IF WE COULD JUST PREVENT, YOU KNOW, THEIR HOUSES FROM BURNING UP.

UM, ANYWAY, SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT SORT OF THE, THE TARGETING OF, YOU KNOW, LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES THAT ARE AT RISK.

YES, MA'AM ARE, ARE OUTREACH EFFORTS TRYING TO GENERATE, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS REQUESTING THOSE HOME HOME ASSESSMENTS ARE UNIVERSAL THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE AREA.

UH, THE, THE, IN THE INTERACTIONS WE DID HAVE FROM THE AD CAMPAIGN AND THE BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN IN THE EAST HOUSE AND PROVIDED US OPPORTUNITIES TO REACH OUT TO INDIVIDUALS THERE AREN'T AS MANY ORGANIZED NEIGHBORHOODS ON THE EAST SIDE.

SO THAT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE.

WE HAVE BEEN GOING WITH A WORD OF MOUTH AND THE READY SET GO TO, TO ADDRESS THAT AREA, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING GOOD PENETRATION ON SITUATIONAL AWARENESS FOR WHEN THOSE HAZARDS ARE INCREASING.

THE, THE ONE CARD THAT WE HAVE THAT'S ASSISTING IS THE FIRE TYPE THAT WE HAVE ON THE EASTERN CRESCENT IS A RA RAPIDLY GROWING AND MOVING GRASS FIRE.

SO IT'S A LOWER INTENSITY THAT WE'RE SEEING LESS OF A PENETRATION INTO HOUSEHOLDS.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT GOES THROUGH SHOOTS THROUGH THE WESTERN CRESCENT.

THOSE, THOSE, UH, RESIDENTS ARE VERY AWARE OF THE DANGERS THAT ARE COMING FROM THOSE STREETS.

CAN YOU TALK MORE ABOUT OUR EFFORTS ON THE EASTERN CRESCENT SPECIFICALLY? MM-HMM CERTAINLY, AND, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS FROM A STRATEGIC STANDPOINT AS WELL.

WE'RE DUE FOR UPDATING OUR CITY COUNTY COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN.

AND ONE ASPECT THAT EVERYBODY IN THE WILDFIRE COALITION IS AGREE ON IS THAT OUR CWPP IS GONNA HAVE A STRONG EQUITY COMPONENT TO IT.

AND I DON'T THINK ANOTHER COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN IN THE COUNTRY HAS TAKING THAT APPROACH.

SO THAT'S OUR, UH, STRATEGIC APPROACH.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, CHIEF DE RAZA IS RIGHT.

IT'S A MATTER OF PERCEPTION.

PEOPLE SEE TREES AND THEY EQUATE THAT WITH WILDFIRE RISK.

UH, AND SO WE'VE, UH, RE UM, COMPLETED OUR WILDFIRE RISK DATA TO REFLECT THE RISK OF GRASS FIRES IN EAST AUSTIN.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE STATE WILDFIRE RISK ASSESSMENT PORTAL, WHICH IS A, IT'S A GOOD TOOL, IT FOCUSES ON FIRE INTENSITY.

AND SO IF YOU SEE THAT MAP, IT ONLY LOOKS LIKE WEST AUSTIN IS AT RISK.

OUR MAP DOES A MUCH MORE ACCURATE JOB OF REFLECTING THAT WILDFIRE RISK BACK TO OUR COMMUNITIES, AND HOPEFULLY, UM, THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND, AND GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT AND DIRECTING PEOPLE TO OUR RISK MAP, THEY CAN START TO SELF-SELECT AND REQUEST THAT TYPE OF ASSISTANCE.

BUT I THINK WORKING WITH OUR OFFICE OF EQUITY, UM, HAS ALSO BEEN A, A BIG HELP FOR US AND UNDERSTANDING HOW TO APPROACH, UM, REACHING THESE UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS.

UH, SO THIS IS GONNA BE AN ONGOING FOCUS FOR OUR DIVISION AND OUR DEPARTMENT MOVING INTO THE FUTURE.

UM, BUT AS A CITY AND COUNTY, WE ALSO WANT TO SOLIDIFY THIS IN OUR PLANNING EFFORTS AS WELL.

AND, AND I'LL JUST ONE FINAL ECHO ON THAT IS THAT THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT METHODS AND COMMUNICATION PATHWAYS TO GET THIS INFORMATION OUT.

ONE OF THE CRITICAL PARTS THAT WE'VE BEEN, UH, TRYING TO EMPHASIZE AND UTILIZE AND HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL ON IS OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

WE'VE BEEN PROVIDING OUR WILDFIRE RISK, UH, NEWSLETTERS TO THEM, AND THEY'VE BEEN USING THEIR COMMUNICATION PATHWAYS TO ECHO AND AMPLIFY THAT MESSAGE OUT TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE TO THE CLOSE COMMUNICATED AND COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THAT WE HAVE, UM, ARE Y'ALL, UM, FAMILIAR WITH JUSTICE 40.

UM, SO I LIKE THE NAME THOUGH.

WELL, IT'S A, IT'S A CONCEPT THAT WAS, UH, PART OF THE BUILD BACK BETTER BILL THAT GOT MM-HMM SORT OF TRANSFORMED INTO PART OF THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT THAT JUST WAS PASSED BY CONGRESS.

UM, SO THE IDEA WAS THAT THE, THE PART OF THE PACKAGE THAT WAS GONNA BE ABOUT, UM, UM, IMPACTING CLIMATE CHANGE, UM, OF WHICH OUR WILDFIRE RISK IS, YOU KNOW, MM-HMM, PART AND PARCEL, UM, THAT 40% OF THE INVESTMENTS WE'RE GONNA GO TO, UH, LOW INCOME VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES THAT HAD DISPROPORTIONATELY BEEN IMPACTED BY, UH, POLLUTION, UM, AND

[00:50:01]

YEAH.

ANYWAY, UM, SO THERE ARE GOING TO BE LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF GRANTS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THAT.

AND, UM, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR GRANTS THAT WOULD ACTUALLY TARGET DOING PARTICULAR THINGS ON THE EAST SIDE RELATED TO FIRE PREVENTION AND OUTREACH, UM, THAT ARE CONNECTED TO JUSTICE FORRY MM-HMM , UM, I'M SURE THAT THE FOLKS THAT DO GRANTS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN ARE AWARE THAT THIS MONEY IS COMING BECAUSE IT'S LIKE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.