[Winter Weather News Conference]
[00:00:03]
WELL, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AGAIN.
TONIGHT WE WILL BE UPDATING YOU ON PROGRESS THAT WE MADE TODAY, OUR PLANS FOR OVER THE WEEKEND, AND ACTIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN THAT WILL AID IN OUR CITY'S RECOVERY FOR THOSE RESIDENTS THAT ARE STILL WITHOUT POWER, PLEASE KNOW THAT CREWS ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO REMEDY THAT, AND AUSTIN ENERGY WILL BE PROVIDING AN UPDATE FOR YOU SHORTLY.
TODAY, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY BOTH SIGNED D DISASTER DECLARATIONS, WHICH HELPS FORM ADDITIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND DRAW DOWN STATE AND FEDERAL AID.
AND ITS IMPORTANT STEP IN RAISING AWARENESS AND REQUESTING AND OBTAINING FEDERAL RESOURCES.
ALSO, OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WILL WORK RETROACTIVELY WITH HOMEOWNERS, BUSINESS OWNERS AND CONTRACTORS TO PERMIT AND INSPECT EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO ENSURE WORK WAS COMPLETED SAFELY.
THAT MEANS THAT WORK CAN BE IMMEDIATE, BEGIN IMMEDIATELY ON REPAIRS.
INTERIM DIRECTOR JOSE RORIK OF THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE DETAILS ON THAT INITIATIVE IN A MOMENT.
WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF US AS WE CONTINUE TO RECOVER AND ASSIST RESIDENTS AFFECTED BY THE STORM, AND THAT WORK ALSO INCLUDES ASSESSING OUR RESPONSE TO THIS WEEK'S STORM AND IDENTIFYING WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN DO THINGS BETTER IN THE FUTURE.
JOINING THIS, THIS ME, THIS EVENING FROM AUSTIN ENERGY IS, UH, GENERAL MANAGER JACKIE SERGEANT VICE PRESIDENT FIELD OPERATIONS ELTON RICHARDS, ALSO EMS CHIEF.
ROB LUZ IS HERE WITH IMPORTANT SAFETY MESSAGES.
AND AGAIN, WE HAVE DIRECTOR KEN SNIPES WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY AND INTERIM DIRECTOR JAMES SNOW AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS LARGELY AN OPERATIONAL UPDATE, BUT WE WANT TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY INFORMED ABOUT WORK THAT IS HAPPENING AND THAT WILL BE HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND.
I'LL FIRST TURN IT OVER TO GENERAL MANAGER, JACKIE.
I'M JACKIE, SERGEANT AUSTIN, ENERGY GENERAL MANAGER.
TODAY WE CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS ON RESTORATION.
SINCE THIS MORNING, WE HAVE RESTORED 13,021 CUSTOMERS FOR A TOTAL OF 195,180 RESTORATIONS.
SINCE THE START OF THIS EVENT, CURRENTLY THERE ARE ABOUT 1700 OUTAGES AFFECTING 109,000 CUSTOMERS WHILE WEATHER CONDITIONS HAVE IMPROVED AND TREE LIMBS BREAKING HAS DECREASED, CREWS ARE CONTINUING TO SEE COMPLEXITY, WHICH MAKES RESTORATION TIMES MORE CHALLENGING.
IN SOME CASES, YOUR HOMES OR BUSINESSES MAY NOT BE READY TO RECEIVE POWER.
YOU MAY HAVE TO CALL FOR AN ELECTRICIAN FOR MAKING REPAIRS.
WE'VE PREPARED THIS CHART FOR YOU THAT TALKS ABOUT THE PORTIONS OF THE SYSTEM THAT AUSTIN ENERGY OWNS, AND THOSE ARE THOSE IN ORANGE.
THE PARTS ON YOUR HOME THAT IN THAT YOU HAVE ARE NUMBER 2, 7 65 AND THREE.
IN THE EVENT THAT THERE HAS BEEN DAMAGE TO PORTIONS THAT BELONG TO YOU, YOU WILL NEED TO CONTRACT WITH AN ELECTRICIAN TO MAKE REPAIRS TO THOSE.
AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE MAST OR THE PART THAT ON TOP WHERE OUR ELECTRICAL SERVICE CONNECTS TO YOUR EQUIPMENT.
AND THEN THE RISER POLE THAT GOES DOWN TO THE METER CAN, THE METER CAN ITSELF.
AND IN THE CASE THAT YOU MAY HAVE, UH, BATTERIES AND INVERTER OR SOLAR PANELS, THAT WOULD BE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL.
AND WE WILL MAKE THIS GRAPHIC AVAILABLE TO THE MEDIA.
I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MUTUAL AID AND SINCE THIS MORNING WE HAVE RECEIVED SIX MORE CREWS FROM, UH, CITY PUBLIC SERVICE ENERGY OR CPS ENERGY IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT AND THANK ALL THE MUTUAL AID TEAMS THAT ARE HERE SUPPORTING US TO RESTORE POWER FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I ALSO WANNA THANK OUR CREWS THAT CONTINUE TO WORK AROUND THE CLOCK TO RESTORE EVERY CUSTOMER.
EVERYONE AT AUSTIN ENERGY IS SUPPORTING THESE EFFORTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN CUSTOMER CARE, THEY TEXTED ABOUT 75,000 CUSTOMERS WHO ARE SIGNED UP FOR OUTAGE ALERT, WHOSE POWER HAS NOT YET BEEN RESTORED.
THEY FILLED IN MORE THAN 8,400, UH, CALLS EARLIER TODAY.
AND AN EMAIL HAS GONE OUT TO OUR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE PROVIDED US WITH THEIR EMAIL ADDRESSES.
THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE AUSTIN ENERGY TEAM AND THANK YOU, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED PATIENCE AS WE WORK HARD TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE'S POWER IS RESTORED.
AND WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO ELTON RICHARDS TO TALK ABOUT OUR RESTORATION EFFORTS, THE PROCESS, THE CREWS THAT WE USE, AND HOW THAT WORKS.
[00:05:01]
WHAT'S UP GUYS? GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.UH, FULL DISCLOSURE, THIS IS A CLEAN SHIRT.
I'VE JUST GOT 20 OF THEM, THIS SAME COLOR, SO I JUST WOULDN'T LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT.
UH, SO I DON'T HAVE A SCRIPT, BUT DO I DO HAVE SOME TALKING POINTS? CAUSE DON IT'S GONNA BE LIKE SHINY OBJECT AND I'LL BE OFF ON SOMETHING ELSE.
SO THE HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW, YESTERDAY WHEN I, I SPOKE TO YOU, I, I TOLD YOU THAT TODAY WOULD BE A GOOD DAY, AND IT WAS, WE HAD 64 CIRCUITS YESTERDAY.
WE'RE DOWN TO 39, ALMOST KEPT THAT IN HALF.
WE'RE DOWN TO 109, SO THAT'S 40 SOMETHING THOUSAND CUSTOMERS.
SO IT WAS A REALLY, REALLY GOOD DAY.
SO THE RESTORATION EFFORTS, UH, AND BEFORE I GO THERE, I WOULD LIKE TO, TO DISCLOSE SOMETHING.
I WAS IN ALL FOUR QUADRANTS OF THE CITY.
NOW I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW MY HEARTFELT PRAYERS GO OUT TO EVERYONE THAT WAS AFFECTED BY THE STORM BECAUSE IT WASN'T JUST AN ELECTRICAL STORM.
I SAW TREES ON PEOPLE'S VEHICLES.
THE, THE CAR THAT THEY USED TO DRIVE BACK AND FORTH TO WORK AND GROCERIES, CRUSHED FENCES, CRUSHED CORNERS OF HOUSES DOWN THE ROOF, CRUSHED IT, IT W IT JUST, MY HEART BREAKS WITH THE DAMAGE THAT WAS DONE, NOT EVEN COUNTING THE ELECTRICAL SIDE.
SO PLEASE, UH, I'M JUST HEARTFELT PRAYERS FOR THAT.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO THANK THE CITIZENS AND CUSTOMERS OF AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, ALL MY CREWS, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
THEY'RE GETTING TIRED, BUT THEY'RE STILL GOING.
THE MUTUAL AID GUYS ARE HERE, THEY'RE CRUSHING IT.
BUT, UH, I WAS TELLING JACKIE AND TAMMY COOPER IN THE BACK, UH, NOT ONE JOB SITE THAT I GO OUT TO TODAY THAT SOMEBODY DIDN'T ROLL THE WINDOW DOWN AND SAY, THANKS GUYS, APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
WHEN I GOT COFFEE FROM A GUY THIS MORNING, THE BARISTA BEHIND SAID, I LOST POWER, BUT I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
SO FOR THE COMMUNITY, IT JUST, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR SUPPORTING MY GUYS.
SO THE TYPES OF CREWS THAT WE'VE GOT OUT THERE IS, WE'VE GOT A SINGLE PERSON, WHICH IS WHAT WE CALL A TROUBLESHOOT, AND THEY CAN GO OUT INDIVIDUALLY, THEY CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THE ITEM AND THEY CAN CLOSE LIKE A FUSE OR SOMETHING IN, BUT THEY CAN'T DO A MASSIVE JOB BECAUSE OF THE SIZE.
THEN WE HAVE RESTORATION CREWS, WHICH CAN BE ANYWHERE BETWEEN THREE TO SIX, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE SIZE OF THE DAMAGE IS.
THESE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA REPLACE THE RISERS, PUT NEW CABLE BACK UP, CHANGE POLES OUT.
THEN WE'VE GOT OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT WE CALL A PATROLLER THAT'S QUALIFIED.
SO THEY CAN GO OUT, WALK THE CIRCUIT DOWN, WHICH IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT YESTERDAY, AND THEY ANNOTATE ALL THE DAMAGE THAT'S DONE SO THEY CAN FEED IT BACK TO THE CRUISE SO THEY LOAD THE PROPER MATERIAL UP.
I KNOW ONE OF THE POINTS OF CONTENTION HAS BEEN THE, UH, ESTIMATED TIME OF RESTORATION.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE WATCHED TWITTER, BUT I GUESS I GOT ON TWITTER SAYING I WASN'T COMFORTABLE GIVING AN ETR.
AND I, I GUESS THAT WAS A BIG THING.
THE CRUISE TODAY WALKED OUT A JOB THAT'S IN A WOODED AREA, SO THERE'S NO WAY TO SEE IT.
THERE'S FIVE SPANS OF WIRE DOWN, WHICH ARE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 150 TO 300 FEET OF WIRE, A POSSIBLE BROKEN POLE AND A COMMUNICATION TOWER LAYING ON TOP OF IT.
NOW, IF I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS THERE, I'D SAY ETR TOMORROW AT NOON.
AS SOON AS I FOUND OUT OUT, THAT'S ANOTHER TWO DAYS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY UNTIL MY CREWS SEE EVERYTHING THAT'S OUT THERE, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO TELL YOU WHEN IT'S GONNA BE DONE.
I WOULD RATHER WAIT AND GIVE YOU SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN BELIEVE THAN TO JUST THROW SOMETHING OUT SO YOU GET SOME WISHLIST.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE E T R PIECE OF IT.
THE SUCCESS OF TODAY WERE THE WEATHER WAS AWESOME.
THE, THE GUYS IN, THEY, THEY WERE ABLE TO GET OUT.
THEY WERE ABLE TO ACCESS ALL THE ROADS.
I WILL TELL YOU, IT IS STILL EXTREMELY MUDDY OUT THERE.
THE WATER TABLE IS SATURATED, SO SOME OF THE TRUCKS WERE GETTING STUCK PULLING THEM OUT, BUT THAT'S FINE.
BUT THAT ALSO ADDS A CHALLENGE ON THE ROOT SYSTEMS ARE STILL VERY WEAK ON THESE TREES, EVEN THOUGH THE ICE IS GONE, SOME OF THE LIMBS WERE DAMAGED, SOME OF THE ROOT SYSTEMS ARE DAMAGED, SO YOU'RE STILL GONNA SEE SOME TREES COME DOWN.
REMAINING CHALLENGES IS JUST ACCESSING EVERYTHING AND GETTING EYES ON.
AS JACKIE STATED, WE'VE GOT OVER 150 EMPLOYEES FOR MUTUAL AID RIGHT NOW THAT WILLINGLY CAME UP HERE TO HELP US OUT.
I GOT 50 MORE COMING IN TOMORROW, AND I CAN TELL YOU THEY'VE BEEN KNOCKING IT OUT OF THE PARK FOR US.
SO THEY'RE DOING GREAT, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAD THE SUCCESS WE HAD TODAY.
UH, THE CHALLENGES ARE GONNA BE CONTINUING THE, THE LARGE BANDS, THE POLES DOWN, WHICH TAKE WHILE TO CHANGE OUT, AND THEN JUST A WALK DOWN.
SO TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WAY THAT THIS WORKS IS THEY STARTED A SUBSTATION, WHICH HAS A BREAKER AND THAT FEEDS THE LINE.
WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THEY'RE GOING DOWN TO AN OPENING, OPENING IT UP SO IT'S EVERYTHING DOWNSTREAM IS DE-ENERGIZED, LIVENING THAT SECTION UP AND THEN CLEANING THE NEXT SECTION UP.
AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE HITTING SWITCHES ALL THE WAY DOWN.
THERE ARE SOME SIDE PIECES OF THAT, THAT IF THERE'S DAMAGE, WE'D LIKE A COUPLE HUNDRED CUSTOMERS ON IT, THEY'RE CUTTING IT INTO CLEAR AND COMING BACK FOR THAT.
THE REASON WHY WE'RE, WE'RE STILL TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THE LARGE CUSTOMERS.
WE STILL GOT A LOT OF CUSTOMERS OUT THAT WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON.
SO WE'RE WORKING INTO TONIGHT.
AGAIN, MY CREWS ARE KNOCKING IT OUTTA THE PARK.
I COULDN'T ASK FOR BETTER CREWS.
UH, THANKS FOR YOUR GUYS' SUPPORT AND, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO, TO WORK THE NUMBERS DOWN FOR YOU, BUT DEFINITELY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS.
[00:10:02]
HI, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.UH, I WANNA THANK, UH, CITY MANAGER SPENCER CRO FOR THE LEADERSHIP DURING THIS EMERGENCY.
I AM THE INTERIM AND DIRECTOR FOR THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW WE GO ABOUT THESE REPAIRS IN THE HOMES AND HOW WE GET THE POWER RESTORED.
SO I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND WE HAVE ADJUSTED THE WAY WE ACTUALLY DEAL WITH PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS TO ACTUALLY SERVE THE COMMUNITY THE BETTER WAY.
UH, COMMUNITY SAFETY IS OUR MAIN PRIORITY.
WORK CAN BEGIN IMMEDIATELY ON EMERGENCY REPAIRS IN HOMES AND BUSINESSES.
AND THIS INCLUDE THE REMOVAL OF THE FALLEN TREES AND LIMBS THAT ARE NOT ON POWER LINES.
YOU HAVE TO BE SAFE OR IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT WILL WORK WITH HOMEOWNERS, BUSINESS OWNERS AND CONTRACTORS TO RETROACTIVELY PERMIT AND INSPECT EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO ENSURE THE WORK WAS COMPLETED SAFELY.
ALL EMERGENCY WORK WILL BE PRIORITIZED.
THERE IS A DEDICATED WEBPAGE FOR EMERGENCY REPAIRS AND PERMITTING AVAILABLE AT AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV/EMERGENCY-PERMITS.
THIS PAGE PROVIDES INFORMATION ON WHICH WORK TYPES REQUIRE PERMITS, WHICH ONES DO NOT REQUIRE PERMITS, AND HOW TO PROCEED WITH PERMITTING FOR AN EMERGENCY REPAIR, AND HOW TO CONNECT WITH A DSD REPRESENTATIVE FOR HELP OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROCESS.
YOU CAN REACH US FOR ASSISTANCE FOR EMERGENCY PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS BY CALLING 3 1 1, OR YOU CAN ALSO CALL NINE, UH, FIVE ONE TWELVE NINE SEVEN FOUR FIFTEEN HUNDRED MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 7:45 AM TO 5:45 PM RESIDENTS CAN ALSO CONTACT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES USING THE CHAT FEATURE IN OUR WEBSITE.
AND FOR IN-PERSON SUPPORT, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU GO TO OUR SITE AT THE PERMANENT DEVELOPMENT CENTER LOCATED AND AT 63 10 WILHELMINA DELCO DRIVE.
UH, ROB LUZ, E EMS, CHIEF AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, EM S THE EMS DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO SEE AN INCREASE IN CALLS OVERALL WITH ABOUT A 25% INCREASE, UH, FROM A NORMAL DAY.
MOST CONCERNING FOR US, HOWEVER, IS THE INCREASE IN CAR CALLS RELATED TO CARBON MONOXIDE EXPOSURE.
SINCE THIS MORNING, THE NUMBER OF CARBON MONOXIDE RESPONSES THAT WE'VE HAD HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED THIS MORNING.
DURING OUR EARLIER PRESS CONFERENCE, TWO ADDITIONAL PA PATIENTS WERE AIRLIFTED TO SAN ANTONIO IN SERIOUS CONDITION DUE TO CARBON MONOXIDE FROM A GENERATOR THAT WAS IN THEIR GARAGE.
THIS IS AN ADDITION TO THE, UH, FAMILY THAT WAS TRANSPORTED LAST NIGHT TO SAN ANTONIO.
I IMPLORE YOU AND I CANNOT EMPHASIZE ENOUGH, CARBON MONOXIDE IS A KILLER.
YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN EXPOSED UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE IF YOUR POWER IS OUT.
DO NOT USE GENERATORS OR GRILLS IN ENCLOSED SPACES, EVEN IF YOU HAVE A WINDOW OPEN OR IF IT'S IN THE GARAGE AND THE DOORS OPEN.
GENERATORS MUST BE LOCATED AT LEAST 20 FEET FROM YOUR HOME OUTSIDE WITH THE EXHAUST FACING AWAY FROM THE STRUCTURE.
IN ADDITION TO OUR RESPONSES RELATED TO CARBON MONOXIDE, WE ARE ALSO SEEING A FIVEFOLD INCREASE IN OUR RESPONSE TO TRAFFIC COLLISIONS.
WE RESPONDED ABOUT 50 COLLISIONS WITHIN THE PAST 12 HOURS, AND IN COMPARISON, ON THE SAME DAY A WEEK AGO, WE RESPONDED TO NINE COLLISIONS IN THAT SAME TIMEFRAME.
THE MAJORITY OF THOSE COLLISIONS ARE HAPPENING AT UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTIONS WHERE SIGNALS ARE OUT.
THESE LIGHTS ARE EVEN HARDER TO SEE AS WE ENTER THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS.
IF YOU'RE ON THE ROAD, PLEASE PAY CLOSE ATTENTION.
IF YOU COME ACROSS A LIGHT THAT IS NOT WORKING, PLEASE TREAT IT AS A FOUR-WAY STOP.
FINALLY, AS A REMINDER TO THE RESIDENTS, IF YOU HAVE A MEDICAL CONDITION THAT REQUIRES AT-HOME MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, YOU CAN CONTACT EMS VIA THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM.
IF YOUR EQUIPMENT IS FAILING, IF YOU LACK POWER FOR AN OXYGEN GENERATOR OR OTHER DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, PLEASE CONTACT US.
OUR COM COLLABORATIVE CARE COMMUNICATION CENTER LINE IS OPEN TO 24 7 TO ADDRESS THE MEDICAL NEEDS.
WITH THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MY NAME IS DIRECTOR KEN SNIPES.
AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY ON TUESDAY OF THIS PAST WEEK, UH, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, UH, SUSPENDED SERVICES A BIT EARLY DUE TO DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
UM, COLLECTION SERVICES RESUMED ON THURSDAY.
UH, TODAY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE UP MOST OF OUR ROUTES.
WE WILL COMPLETE THE WEEK'S ROUTES, UH, TOMORROW.
UH, SO WE'LL BE FULLY CAUGHT UP, UH, UH, TOMORROW.
UM, COLLECTION SERVICES WILL BE ON A NORMAL SCHEDULE STARTING ON MONDAY AS IT RELATES TO DEBRIS MANAGEMENT.
RIGHT NOW THE CITY HAS ABOUT A TOTAL OF 29 COLLECTION CREWS OUT, UH, MANAGING DEBRIS.
OVER THIS WEEKEND, WE'LL BE WORKING TO ADD MORE CREWS, UH, THROUGH A COUPLE OF CONTRACTS THAT WE'VE, UH, COOPERATIVE CONTRACTS THAT WE'VE CREATED.
WE'LL HAVE, UH, THREE CONTRACTORS COMING ON WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
EACH ONE OF THOSE CONTRACTORS WILL BRING IN, BRING IN ABOUT ADDITIONAL 10 CREWS.
UH, AND SO WE'LL HAVE ALL, ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE STARTING ON MONDAY, UH, WORKING TO CONTINUE THE WORK OF, UH, PICKING UP ALL THE DEBRIS, GETTING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITIES AND, UH, MAKING IT SAFE FOR EVERYONE TO, UH, TRAVERSE THE COMMUNITY, UH,
[00:15:01]
THROUGH DEBRIS MANAGEMENT.I'M JAMES SNOW ENGINE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS ON BEHALF OF PUBLIC WORKS.
I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THE COLLECTIVE EFFORT OVER THE LAST THREE DAYS, AND I PERSONALLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR FIELD AND STAFFS FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK DURING THIS RESPONSE.
CURRENTLY, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS 29 CREWS DEPLOYED FOR CLEARING DEBRIS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
NINE FROM AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, 15 FROM PUBLIC WORKS, FOUR FROM WATERSHED, AND ONE FROM PARKS.
THESE CREWS WILL WORK THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND.
THIS MORNING, TEXAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND TEXAS FORESTRY REACHED OUT TO THE CITY AND WILL RESPOND AND IS RESPONDING AND PROVIDING FIVE ADDITIONAL CREWS TO WORK THROUGH THE WEEKEND TO HELP WELL, OUR EFFORT, I WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE.
CURRENTLY, PUBLIC WORKS IS RECONFIGURING OUR, OUR OPERATIONS GROUP TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CREWS WE'LL BE ABLE TO DEPLOY.
STARTING MONDAY TO 41, TEXAS FORESTRY WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THREE ADDITIONAL CREWS, WHICH WILL BRING THE TOTAL OF 44 CREWS THAT WILL BE DEDICATED TO THIS EFFORT.
THESE CREWS WILL BE FOCUSED ON CLEARING THE RIGHT OF WAY OF DEBRIS AND PLACING THE DEBRIS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
SO AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY CAN PICK UP THE DEBRIS AS PART OF OUR COORDINATED EFFORT.
AS OF THIS AFTERNOON, CREWS HAVE RESPONDED TO OVER 600 DEBRIS REQUESTS AND CURRENTLY HAVE, ARE WORKING A BACKLOG OF OVER 500.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE, BUT OUR PRIORITY WORK IS FOLLOWS SAFETY AND OF THE CITIZENS AND MOBILITY FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSES.
SECOND, THIRD, GROUPING OF DEBRIS REQUEST TO MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCY.
AND FOURTH INDIVIDUAL NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS.
PLEASE NOTE THAT PUBLIC WORKS CANNOT REMOVE TREES THAT ARE NOT ON THE PUBLIC PROPERTY.
RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE LIMBS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE PUBLIC AREA.
AS THIS CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD, PLEASE LEAVE IT TO OUR PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE WORKING AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
IF CITIZENS NEED TO REPORT DOWN TREES IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, PLEASE CALL 3 1 1 SO IT CAN GET IN THE QUEUE SO PUBLIC WORKS CAN ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE SOME TIME FOR, I DON'T HAVE ANY, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MS. SERGEANT.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN SAYING THAT YOU ALL DIDN'T ANTICIPATE THE STORM TO BE AS BAD AS IT TURNED OUT TO BE AT ANY MOMENT.
DID YOU THINK THAT POSSIBLY WAS A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE A PLAN IN CASE, YOU KNOW, TO PLAN FOR THE WORST CASE SCENARIO BEING THAT WE KNOW WAS REVENGE OR OFTENTIMES UNPREDICTABLE? SO WE DO, UH, EXTENSIVE PLANNING EFFORTS AND WE DID PLAN FOR THIS EVENT, AND WE HAD CREWS THAT WE HAD, UM, BROUGHT IN, UM, FROM AUSTIN ENERGY, BOTH OUR EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACT CREWS.
WE HAD HAD ALL OF THOSE IDENTIFIED AND LISTED AND IN QUEUE AND AVAILABLE TO US.
AND SO BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAD, THE NUMBER OF CREWS THAT WE HAD, THE NUMBER OF CONTRACTORS THAT WE HAD AVAILABLE, WE FELT THAT WE WERE POSITIONED, UH, FOR THIS EVENT, WHICH TYPICALLY WORKS, HAS WORKED VERY WELL.
AND MR. RICHARDS CAN EXPOUND ON THAT FURTHER, IF YOU LIKE.
UM, NOT UNDERSTANDING THE EXTENT THAT IT WOULD BE ACROSS THE INCI ENTIRE SERVICE TERRITORY.
AND IT WOULD BE THE AMOUNT OF FREEZING PRECIPITATION THAT, AS I TALKED ABOUT THIS MORNING, ADDS SO MUCH ADDITIONAL WEIGHT, UM, TO THE TREES AND, AND IT CONTINUED, UM, THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE DID NOT REALIZE AND, AND WEREN'T FULLY PREPARED, UM, TO ADDRESS.
THEN AS SOON AS, AS IT BECAME OBVIOUS, UM, WHEN OUTAGES STARTED OCCURRING ON WEDNESDAY MORNING AND REACHED OUT TO OUR PARTNERS AND STARTED, UH, GETTING THOSE RESOURCES FOR WHAT WE CALL MUTUAL ASSISTANCE.
YOU MENTIONED THAT PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO CALL AN ELECTRICIAN IF THERE'S DAMAGED PORTIONS ON THEIR HOME.
HOW OBVIOUS IS THAT THOUGH, AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF AUSTIN ENERGY GOT OUT THERE AND IT TURNED OUT THERE WAS A PIECE OF THE RESIDENCE PROPERTY THAT WAS THE ISSUE INSTALL CENTER? DO YOU JUST HAVE TO LEAVE AFTER THAT? YES.
AUSTIN ENERGY CANNOT WORK ON THE RESIDENCE'S, UM, PROPERTY OR THEIR EQUIPMENT.
UM, THAT'S WHY THERE'S THE SPECIFIC DEMARCATIONS.
UM, ALSO, UH, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY DOES VEGETATION MANAGEMENT UNDERNEATH THEIR MAIN POWER LINES.
THEY DO NOT DO THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT UNDER THE SERVICE DROP OR AROUND THE SERVICE DROP THAT GOES FROM OUR, UH, EQUIPMENT TO THE HOMEOWNER'S EQUIPMENT THAT IS THE HOMEOWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY.
I'M LOOKING FOR ANYBODY WHO CAN ANSWER THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, FIRST THING THIS MORNING WE HAD ABOUT 122,000 CUSTOMERS STILL WITHOUT POWER, NINE HOURS LATER, AND THAT NUMBER IS ONLY DOWN
[00:20:01]
TO 110,000.UH, AT THAT RATE, WE'D STILL BE LOOKING AT A FEW MORE DAYS BEFORE EVERYONE GETS BACK, POWER BACK ON.
I MEAN, IS THERE ANYTHING PUT IN PLACE WITH A PACE IS GONNA GET PUT PUT UP, OR CAN WE EXPECT A PICKUP IN THE RESTORATION? THE WHOLE PROCESS.
SO AS WE CONTINUE TO, UH, RESTORE SERVICES, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE ADDITIONAL OUTAGES COME IN AS, UM, MR. RICHARDS TALKED ABOUT THE TREES ARE COMPROMISED.
AND SO THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE THAT IMPACT, UM, OUR OUR CUSTOMERS AND CREATE MORE OUTAGES.
AND SO IT'S STILL, YOU KNOW, TWO STEP, MAYBE NOW IT'S THREE STEPS FORWARD AND TWO STEPS BACK BEFORE IT WAS TWO STEPS FORWARD AND THREE OR FOUR STEPS BACK.
UM, SO THINGS ARE IMPROVING AND AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE THE BREAKS IN THE WEATHER, THE IMPROVEMENT IN, IN THE DAYTIME TEMPERATURES, THAT IS GOING TO HELP US AND HELP OUR RESTORATION EFFORTS.
WE'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE IN NURSING HOMES AND ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES SAYING THEY STILL DON'T HAVE POWER.
IS THAT CONSIDERED A CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE? WHERE DO THOSE LIE ON THE PRIORITY LIST? SO IT'S, IT'S NOT WHAT WE WOULD REFER TO AS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND SO AS THEY'RE CLASSIFIED IN THE SYSTEM, THERE'S DIFFERENT LEVELS OF CRITICAL LOADS.
AND SO THEY WOULD FALL WITHIN, UH, ONE OF THOSE, UM, CLASSIFICATIONS AS LONG AS THEY HAVE REGISTERED WITH US THAT THEY ARE, THAT, THAT TYPE OF LOAD.
AND THERE'S A PROCESS, UH, FOR CUSTOMERS TO DO THAT.
AND SO, UM, AS WE WORK TO RESTORE POWER, WE'RE FOCUSED, OUR PRIORITIES ARE ON THOSE CRITICAL LOADS, AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE LARGEST, UH, UH, NUMBER, THOSE OUTAGES THAT ARE AFFECTING THE LARGEST NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS.
AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE BEEN OUT FOR THE LONGEST PERIODS OF TIME.
SO WOULD THOSE FACILITIES ONLY BE CONSIDERED CRITICAL, LIKE YOU SAID, IF THEY'RE REGISTERED THROUGH A PROCESS THROUGH AUSTIN ENERGY? THAT'S CORRECT, YEAH.
WHAT CAN RESIDENTS EXPECT IN TERMS OF UPDATES ON POWER RESTORATION TIMELINE, UM, AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT TODAY? WHAT'S THE NEXT REASON? SO WE'LL CONTINUE WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, OUR TEAM HAS BEEN RESPONSIVE TO ALL MEDIA REQUESTS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, EITHER FOR IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS OR FOR, UM, INFORMATION.
UM, WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
UM, YOU'LL CONTINUE TO SEE THE INFORMATION THAT FLOWS THROUGH ON OUR OUTAGE, UH, MAP AND THE NUMBERS.
I EXPECT THAT YOU'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS GO DOWN.
AND I WOULD ASK, UM, MR. RICHARDS TO TALK ABOUT HOW AS WE WORK INTO THIS, WE'RE GONNA SEE THAT WE'RE GONNA GET THESE BIGGER OUTAGES AND THEN THERE'S GONNA BE THESE SMALLER OUTAGES THAT ARE GONNA NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AND THOSE BECOME SOMETIMES MORE CHALLENGING.
UH, I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE YOUNG LADY.
WELL, SHE STEPPED OUT ABOUT THE PREPARED FOR THIS AND BEING READY FOR IT.
UH, OUR TIMELINE WAS WE OPENED TUESDAY NIGHT AT 2000.
BEFORE THE STORM EVEN CAME IN, WE'D ALREADY HAD TWO COMMAND CALLS FOR INCIDENT COMMAND TO SET EVERYTHING UP.
WE STOOD UP AT, AT 2000 ON TUESDAY NIGHT AT MIDNIGHT ON TUESDAY NIGHT, WE HAD A A, AN INCIDENT COMMAND CALL.
OUR CUSTOMER COUNT WAS ZERO, NO OUTAGES.
WE HAD ANOTHER CALL AT ZERO 400.
THAT'S WHEN THE WEATHER CHANGED FROM A QUARTER AN INCH UP TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH OR UH, AN INCH OF ICE.
WE HAD 28,000 CUSTOMERS OUT AND WE STILL HAD ALL OUR CREWS ON SYSTEM AT THAT TIME.
WE HAD ALREADY STARTED TALKING ABOUT MUTUAL AID AT EIGHT O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, MORNING.
WE HAD ALREADY HAD REQUESTS OUT FOR MUTUAL AID.
SO I, I JUST WANT THE CUSTOMERS TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T GET BLINDSIDED.
WE DO PREPARE FOR YOU GUYS AND WE DID, WE DID THE BEST THAT WE COULD ON THIS ONE AND WE GOT THE CREWS HERE AS FAST AS WE COULD.
BUT AGAIN, FOR THEM TO DEPART EARLIER, THE, THE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR THEM TO LEAVE, THEY HAVE TO OFF ARRIVE HERE SAFELY TOO.
SO WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR SAFETY.
AND NOW WE'VE GOT THE FULL CRUISE ON, UH, FOR THE GENTLEMAN THAT ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT THE, THE COUNT COMING DOWN, UH, REMEMBER YESTERDAY I SAID THERE'S NOT LIKE AN AVERAGE THAT YOU CAN THROW IN THERE AND, AND I'LL, I'LL KIND OF EXPLAIN IT.
YOU KNOW WHAT I TALKED ABOUT THAT CIRCUIT FROM THE SUBSTATION ALL THE WAY TO THE END.
LET'S SAY YOU'VE GOT 3,500 CUSTOMERS ON THAT COMPLETE CIRCUIT, THAT MAIN PIECE OF IT, IF YOU LOOK AT LIKE A POWER STRIP, THAT'S THE MAIN POWER STRIP AND THEN YOU GOT EXTENSIONS GOING OFF OF IT.
ONCE THAT MAIN ONE COMES ON AND WE LIVEN IT, ONE OF THOSE SIDE STRIPS MIGHT STILL BE OUT.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE GONNA UNPLUG THOSE 500 AND PICK UP THE 3000 AND THEN WE'RE GONNA COME BACK AND REFOR RESTORE THOSE 500.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS BEFORE WE GO BACK FOR THAT 500, WE'VE GOT 20 OTHER 3000 THAT WE'RE GONNA GO FOR.
SO IF YOU JUST HAPPEN TO GET CALLED IN THAT CLUSTER, YOU KNOW, I, I APOLOGIZE, BUT IT, IT'S, IT IS JUST THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESS.
UH, WE'LL, WE'LL GET IT AS FAST AS WE CAN, BUT JUST LIKE
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YESTERDAY WHEN I SAID YOU'D SEE AS SHARP DOWN TAKE, TODAY'S GONNA BE A GREAT DAY.UH, WHEN THEY, THESE CIRCUITS WALK DOWN AND THEY START LIVEN THEM, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO GO DOWN.
AS JACKIE STATED THAT THE INTEGRITY OF THE TREES IS BAD OUT THERE.
UH, SO I THINK WE'LL SEE SOME OUTAGES, BUT I THINK THE, THE LARGE SCALE COMPRESSION IS GONNA CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
THEY'RE STILL OUT THERE POUNDING STREET RIGHT NOW.
MIDNIGHT TONIGHT, THEY'RE GONNA BE POUNDING THE STREET THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
THEY'RE GONNA BE POUNDING THE STREET.
SO YOU'LL SEE THE OUTAGE JUST GO DOWN AS WE GO THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
WE GET THOSE EXTRA CREWS IN TOMORROW.
THAT GIVES US EVEN MORE TO GET ON THERE AND THE MORE WE CAN GET ON THOSE LARGE SECTIONS, THEN WE HAVE EXTRA PIECES TO SEND OFF TO THOSE LITTLE 500 SECTIONS, WHICH IS WHAT WE WANT.
UH, I HOPE THAT ANSWERS QUESTION BECAUSE THERE BEEN SO MANY COLLISIONS AT THESE ON INTERSECTIONS.
IS THERE, I KNOW AD ISN'T HERE, BUT ARE THERE ANY SAFETY PLANS TO TRY TO PREVENT THAT? YEAH, TREAT IT AS A FOUR WAY STOP.
UH, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T MEAN TO BE FACETIOUS ON IT.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE AROUND HERE DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO USE THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE.
UH, SO YOU KNOW, THE STREET LIGHTS AREN'T, I WOULD RATHER HAVE A CUSTOMER OUT THERE WITH POWER ON THAT NEEDS HEAT THAN A STREETLIGHT.
CAUSE SOMEBODY CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW TO STOP UNLESS SOMEBODY ELSE GO THROUGH.
WE DO WORK WITH AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AS WE PICK 'EM UP AND WE WILL TRY TO GET 'EM AS FAST AS WE CAN, BUT I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE FAMILY WITHOUT HEAT.
IN THE MEANTIME, IS THERE ANY PLAN TO GET OFFICERS OUT THERE? AH, THAT'S NOT ME.
UM, LIKE ELTON HAD SAID, THE MAIN THING IS FOR PEOPLE TO TREAT THAT HASN'T ALWAYS STOPPED.
THAT'S THE SAFEST THING YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW.
THE CITY IS SHORT ON OFFICERS.
THEY ARE RESPONDING AND, AND ARE INVOLVED IN THIS RESPONSE.
UM, BEING ABLE TO HANDLE ALL THOSE SIGNALS, UM, WE JUST, WE DON'T HAVE THAT CAPACITY FOR IT.
BUT I HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF INSTANCES OUT THERE WHERE FOLKS ARE VERY TAKING THEIR TIME AND LOOKING.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE MAIN THING TO SAY IS TO, AS WE'RE BRINGING THESE SIGNALS BACK ONLINE, IS JUST TAKE A LITTLE ADDED EXTRA CAUTION JUST AS YOU GET THROUGH THOSE SIGNALS JUST TO STAY A LITTLE BIT SAFER.
UM, IS THERE ANY ESTIMATE RIGHT NOW OF HOW MANY PEOPLE MEASURES THE STORM WITHIN CARTER HOSPITALIZED AND WHETHER THERE HAVE BEEN ANY FATALITIES? UH, WE'RE STILL WORKING TO COLLECT ALL THE FINAL INFORMATION WHEN, WHEN THIS IS COMPLETED, WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT.
UM, AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, I'M AWARE OF ONE TRAFFIC FATALITY FROM THE FIRST NIGHT, BUT IT, UH, TAKES SOME TIME FOR US TO PULL ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
AND IN RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION, UH, JUST NOW ABOUT THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS, I WOULD ALSO, UM, REMIND FOLKS THAT DESPITE THE WEATHER THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW, IT MAY FEEL LIKE IT WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING BACK TO NORMAL AND IN A LOT OF WAYS, BUT IT'S STILL VERY DANGEROUS OUTSIDE AND IT'S DANGEROUS IN SO MANY WAYS.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT IT'S A LITTLE BIT WARMER AND THAT ROADS ARE STARTING TO BE CLEARED BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE POWER LINES THAT ARE DOWN.
WE STILL HAVE TREES THAT, THAT MAY CONTINUE TO FALL.
WE STILL HAVE TRAFFIC LIGHTS THAT ARE OUT.
PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE THEIR TIME AND, AND PACE THEMSELVES.