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[Austin Winter Weather Preparedness News Conference]
ALL RIGHT.WELL, UH, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR JOINING US TODAY.
UH, WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS EFFORTS BY BOTH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY AS WE PREPARE FOR THE WINTER SEASON.
AND WE SHARE THE KIND OF INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO SHARE WITH ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WE WANT EVERYONE TO BE READY FOR ANY EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS AND STORMS THAT WE KNOW WE COULD FACE AT SOME POINT IN THE SEASON.
IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR WHERE WE START THINKING ABOUT THIS IN EARNEST, AND WE WANT EVERYONE TO BE THINKING ABOUT IT AT THE SAME TIME.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE PROMISED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO IS THAT WE WOULD WORK TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHAT WE'RE THINKING AND HOW WE'RE GOING ABOUT BEING PREPARED FOR EXTREME WEATHER.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO GATHER SO, SO MANY PEOPLE HERE TODAY, AND YOU, YOU SEE ALL THESE PEOPLE UP HERE BECAUSE WE AND MANY MORE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HERE AT THE PALMER EVENT CENTER ALL MORNING PARTICIPATING IN A TRAINING EXERCISE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND READY TO RESPOND IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.
AND A MAJOR FACTOR IN OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND SHOULD BAD WEATHER COME OUR WAY IS BEING PREPARED AND THINKING THROUGH THE VARIOUS PROCESSES WE ARE PREPARING NOW, SO THAT WE ARE READY LATER AND WE NEED EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY TO DO THE SAME.
NOW, LEMME PAUSE JUST A SECOND AND SAY, WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO BE PREPARED, BUT LIKE ANY EMERGENCY THAT COMES WITH WEATHER, WE CAN'T ALWAYS ANTICIPATE EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND THERE ARE GOING TO BE THINGS THAT ARE UNANTICIPATED AND WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT.
BUT BEING PREPARED FOR THOSE THINGS THAT CAN BE ANTICIPATED, BEING PREPARED SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE COMMUNICATION THAT WILL HELP US EVEN IN THOSE MOMENTS WHERE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT, WE WEREN'T PREPARED FOR, WEREN'T ANTICIPATING WAS A SURPRISE.
WE AS A CITY ARE PREPARING BY A COUPLE OF THINGS, MAKING SURE THAT OUR UTILITIES ARE READY FOR SEVERE WEATHER, AND IN THE EVENT OF OUTAGES, THAT WE'RE READY TO RESTORE SERVICE AS SOON AS WE POSSIBLY CAN BY PROVIDING WARMING CENTERS AND SHELTERS FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT, BY DELIVERING VITAL INFORMATION TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS QUICKLY AND AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLE TO HELP OFF KNIGHTS STAY SAFE AND TO STAY INFORMED AND BY KEEPING ROADS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE, AND CONTINUE TO DELIVER THE CRITICAL CITY SERVICES THAT OUR COMMUNITY DEPENDS UPON, DESPITE THE CHALLENGES THAT THE WEATHER MAY BRING, WE ALSO NEED EVERYONE INDIVIDUALLY AND AS FAMILIES, FRIEND GROUPS, NEIGHBORS, ALL TO BE PREPARED.
NOW IS THE TIME TO START THINKING INDIVIDUALLY AS A FAMILY WITH YOUR FRIEND GROUPS, WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS, ABOUT HOW YOU WANT TO PREPARE IN CASE WE HAVE REALLY INCLEMENT WEATHER.
NOW, WHEN THIS WAS PUT TOGETHER, MY TALKING POINTS WERE PUT TOGETHER, THE NEXT PHRASE WAS, RIGHT NOW THE WEATHER IS JUST ABOUT PERFECT
WELL, FRANKLY, I KIND OF GLAD THE RAIN'S HERE, SO I WANNA CONTINUE RIGHT NOW.
THE WEATHER IS JUST ABOUT PERFECT, BUT IT REALLY IS, WE'RE WE'RE, IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE, FRANKLY, UH, WITH THIS MILD WEATHER, UH, THAT WE'RE HAVING THAT, AND WE EXPECT IT, BY THE WAY, TO CONTINUE THROUGH DECEMBER, WHAT WE MIGHT FORESEE.
BUT IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH MEMORY TO REMEMBER WHAT IT CAN BE LIKE.
IF WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT CENTRAL TEXAS, YOU KNOW THAT PREDICTING THE WEATHER IS A SUCKER BET.
THINGS CAN CHANGE QUICKLY AND WE WANT EVERYONE TO BE READY.
AN IMPORTANT THING THAT YOU CAN DO TO PREPARE, AND I REALLY URGE ALL OF THE MEDIA TO HELP US PUSH THIS AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT WILL SEE THIS ON THE MEDIA.
YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS AT WARN W-A-R-N-I KNOW MY ACCENT SCREWS THAT UP.
YOU CAN ALSO DOWNLOAD THE FREE READY CENTRAL TEXAS APP ON YOUR PHONE, AND THAT WILL PROVIDE UPDATES AND NEWS, EMERGENCY PLAN CHECKLISTS, AND MORE RESOURCES ON HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE WINTER WEATHER.
WARN CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG AND READY, THE READY CENTRAL TEXAS APP.
WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS ON HAND WHO ARE GONNA SHARE SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION WITH EVERYBODY, AND I'M
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GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE AND PARTNER IN, IN THIS, UH, THE COUNTY JUDGE.YOU KNOW, IT'S WINTER WEATHER 'CAUSE I'VE GOTTEN OUT MY WINTER WEATHER JACKET FOR THE YEAR, UM, WHEREAS WE GOT A PREDICTION FROM THE WEATHER SERVICE THAT IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT DRIER, A LITTLE BIT WARMER MAYBE THIS WINTER.
UM, BUT THEN I WAS TALKING TO PATRICK OR PATRICK GO
WE GOT KIND OF THE SAME THING IN 2020 BEFORE WE HAD YEAR IN 2021.
SO DON'T GET TOO COMFORTABLE WITH ANY OF THESE PREDICTIONS.
UM, WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FROM OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO PARTNERING WITH US HERE TODAY? THANK THE STATE OF TEXAS.
ALSO FOR THE STAFF THAT'S HERE TODAY.
UM, AND FOR IN GENERAL, ALWAYS PARTNERING VERY WELL WHEN WE HAVE WINTER WEATHER DISASTERS.
UH, THE PREP WORK, THE RESPONSE TO HELP KEEP US ALL SAFE, WARM, AND MOVING DURING AND AFTER STORMS IS INCREDIBLE.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT SAVES A LOT OF LIVES AND HELPS US KEEP MOVING AS A COMMUNITY.
I WANNA EMPHASIZE THOUGH, THAT THE PUBLIC SHOULD EXPECT AND PREPARE FOR SEVERE WINTER WEATHER EVENTS THIS YEAR.
NO MATTER WHAT THE PREDICTIONS SAY, HISTORY HAS SHOWN THAT WE'LL USUALLY EXPERIENCE ONE EVERY SEASON.
AND WE NEED THE PUBLIC TO DO YOUR PART TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE PREPARED AND READY.
SO START OUT BY LOOKING AT YOUR HOUSE, LOOKING AT YOUR APARTMENT, SEEING WHAT YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOURSELF WARM, TO TRAVEL SAFELY, TO PREPARE FOR POWER OR OUTAGES, SHOULD THEY OCCUR.
AND TO WORK AND PLAY OUTSIDE IN THE COLD.
LITTLE BIT OF ATTENTION NOW WILL SAVE A LOT OF HEADACHES LATER ON WHEN MAKING PREPARATIONS.
KEEP IN MIND THOSE FOUR PS, PEOPLE, PETS, PLANTS, AND PIPES.
AND REMEMBER THAT EVERYONE IS AT RISK FROM THE DANGERS OF EXTREME COLD, BUT NEWBORNS, THE ELDERLY PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES, OUTDOOR WORKERS, AND THE UNHOUSED, OR MORE VULNERABLE THAN MOST EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE AN EMERGENCY PLAN.
HAVING A PLAN IS CRUCIAL TO HELPING YOU STAY SAFE, STAY HEALTHY, AND ENSURING THE COMFORT OF YOUR FAMILY AND RESPONDING QUICKLY TO EMERGENCIES AND DISRUPTIONS.
FOLLOWING THESE PRIORITIES ALLOWS YOU TO REST ASSURED THAT ONCE THE SEVERE WEATHER ARRIVES, THAT YOU'LL BE PREPARED.
TRAVIS COUNTY STAFF FROM OUR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, TRANSPORTATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, AND THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT ARE ON THE GROUND READY TO HELP IN ANY OF ONE OF THESE EMERGENCIES.
OUR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WILL BE AT THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER ALONG WITH THE CITY.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT NAMES FOR OUR TWO GROUPS, UH, COORDINATING ALL THESE ACTIVITIES WHENEVER THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER IS GOING.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WHILE THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS AWESOME, AND IT'S WHERE I LIVE, THERE ARE ALSO 21 OTHER CITIES, TOWNS, AND VILLAGES THAT ARE PARTIALLY OR ENTIRELY WITHIN TRAVIS COUNTY AND OUR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATES WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE NO UNMET NEEDS AS WELL.
OUR TNR DEPARTMENT, THE TRANSPORTATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES ROAD CREWS WILL BE READY TO ASSIST, TO HELP KEEP THE COUNTY ROADWAYS CLEAR AND OPEN, AND TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY AS NEEDED.
THE FURTHERMORE, OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES STAFF WILL BE READY TO SUPPORT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WITH STAFF FOR SHELTERS AND WARMING CENTERS AS THOSE ARE NEEDED AND OPEN UP ACROSS THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
SHOULD WE HAVE A WINTER WEATHER EMERGENCY, OUR HEALTH.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, ALL SIX TRAVIS COUNTY COMMUNITY CENTERS ARE THINGS THAT CAN BE OPEN IN SEVERE COLD WEATHER, ALONG WITH TO SUPPLEMENT WHAT THE CITY IS ALSO DOING.
UM, JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE, THE MEDIA, ALSO ALL THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, AND ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS FOR WORKING TOGETHER.
SO WELL, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, UH, WELL PREPARED FOR AND SAFE WINTER SEASON WITH EVERYBODY.
AND I AM PASSING THIS ON TO BILL.
I'M BILL WILSON, THE INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
AS THE MAYOR AND JUDD SAID, NOW IS THE TIME TO PREPARE FOR WINTER WEATHER AS CSO STANDS READY TO COORDINATE THE CITY'S RESPONSE TO A MAJOR WEATHER EVENTS THANKS TO RELATIONSHIP BUILDING WITH OUR PARTNERS TODAY IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, LIKE WE DID WITH OUR TABLETOP EXERCISE.
OUR CLIMATE IS CHANGING IN CENTRAL TEXAS, AND IT'S MORE PRONE TO WEATHER EVENTS THAN WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST, WHICH MEANS NOW WE NEED TO CHANGE AS WELL.
PLEASE BEGIN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING OUT YOUR EMERGENCY SUPPLIES LIST, OR IF YOU ALREADY HAVE ONE, CHECK ON THE CONTENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE HAVE NOT ALREADY EXPIRED.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE UP TO SEVEN DAYS OF FOOD AND WATER AND NON-PERISHABLE, UH, SUPPLIES FOR EACH MEMBER OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD.
ALSO, BE SURE THAT YOU INCLUDE PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS IN YOUR SUPPLIES LIST, AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT SUPPLIES FOR YOUR PETS AS WELL.
YOU SHOULD ALSO HAVE A WINTER WEATHER KIT FOR IN, FOR ANY VEHICLE THAT YOU OWN IN CASE YOU GET STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
UH, BUILDING A KIT IS ONLY PART OF THE FOUR STEPS FOR PREPAREDNESS, WHICH ARE MAKE A PLAN, BUILD
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A KIT, KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS, AND STAY INFORMED.TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO PREPARE FOR WINTER WEATHER, VISIT READY CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG.
THIS WEBSITE HAS TIPS TO PREPARE FOR ALL TYPES OF WEATHER CHECKLIST, EMERGENCY SUPPLIES, AND LINKS TO OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES LIKE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PREPAREDNESS GUIDE.
WHEN WEATHER, WHEN WINTER WEATHER HITS, PLEASE AVOID UNNECESSARY TRAVEL.
TRY TO DO IT EITHER BEFORE THE EVENT HITS OR WAIT UNTIL AFTER IT IS CLEARED OUT AND ROADS ARE SAFE AGAIN DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS IN THE COLDER MONTHS, PUBLIC FACILITIES LIKE OUR AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY BRANCHES AND OUR AUSTIN PARKS AND REC CENTERS ARE GONNA BE AVAILABLE AS WARMING CENTERS.
UH, THE WARMING CENTERS SERVE AS TEMPORARY REPRIEVE TO ANYONE THAT IS OUTSIDE EXPERIENCING COLD AND JUST NEEDS A BREAK FROM THAT WEATHER.
WE DO HAVE AN INTERACTIVE WARMING CENTER MAP THAT CAN BE FOUND ON AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV/ALERTS.
AND LASTLY, UH, OUR OVERNIGHT COLD WEATHER SHELTERS WILL BEGIN ACTIVATION WHEN OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES ARE GOING TO HIT 35 DEGREES OR LOWER ON THESE NIGHT'S.
INFORMATION ON WHERE TO REGISTER FOR OVERNIGHT SHELTER WILL BE POSTED ON THE CITY ALERTS WEBPAGE AT WWW.AUSTINTEXAS.GOV/ALERTS DISTRIBUTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND ALSO SHARED ON THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE WITH PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS.
AGAIN, PLEASE VISIT READY CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG TO GET PREPARED TODAY.
AND NOW I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO, UH, ERIC CARTER WITH TRAVIS COUNTY OEM.
I'M THE CHIEF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.
AS EVERYONE HERE HAS SAID, WE NEED THE PUBLIC TO BE READY WHEN WE, UH, WHEN SEVERE WEATHER HITS OUR AREA.
IN ADDITION TO SIGNING UP FOR WARREN CENTRAL TEXAS, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO PAY ATTENTION TO LOCAL NEWS ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR WEATHER FORECAST.
I ALSO ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO FOLLOW ALL OF THE TRAVIS COUNTY SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS FOR UPDATES, UH, FROM WINTER WEATHER TO THE ONGOING SCORCHING HEAT.
OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS WILL HAVE TIPS ON HOW TO PREPARE FOR ANY EVENT.
UH, TRAVIS COUNTY HAS ACCOUNTS ON FACEBOOK X, INSTAGRAM, AND NEXT DOOR.
UH, FOR THOSE RESIDENTS IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF TRAVIS COUNTY, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ALSO START PREPARING YOUR PROPERTIES.
UH, LAST SEASON DURING THE JANUARY FREEZE, WE SAW SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TREE, UH, BRANCHES FALLING DUE TO ICE.
IF YOU CAN SAFELY TRIM AND MAINTAIN YOUR TREES BEFORE THE FIRST FREEZE, IT CAN HELP PREVENT LOSS OF POWER OR DAMAGE TO ROOF AND VEHICLES DUE TO FALLING BRANCHES.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, AS JUDGE BROWN NOTED, THE TRAVIS COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WILL REMAIN IN CONSTANT CONTACT, CONTACT AND COMMUNICATION WITH OTHER SMALLER CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES, UH, WITHIN TRAVIS COUNTY.
BY WORKING TOGETHER AND PREPARING PROPERLY, WE CAN LESSEN ANY DAMAGE RESULTING FROM SEVERE WINTER WEATHER.
SO THANK YOU, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER.
I'M THE GENERAL MANAGER FOR AUSTIN ENERGY, AND I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW AUSTIN ENERGY PREPARES FOR EXTREME WEATHER AND WINTER.
AND I'LL SAY THIS, WE ARE READY, WE'RE PREPARED.
WE SPEND ALL YEAR ROUND PREPARING FOR EXTREME WEATHER, INCLUDING IN THE WINTER, UH, AT OUR POWER PLANTS AND SUBSTATIONS.
THE FOCUS IS ON WEATHERIZING, INSULATING AND INSPECTING EQUIPMENT, AND WE PERFORM MORE FREQUENT INSECT INSPECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE WINTER MONTHS.
OUR PERSONNEL ARE TRAINED FOR WINTER WEATHER EMERGENCIES AND CRITICAL SUPPLIES ARE IN STOCK.
WE CONDUCT TRAININGS AND EXERCISES WITH OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM.
OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT CREWS CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON TREE TRIMMING AROUND OUR POLES AND EQUIPMENT.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER, AS THE MAYOR WAS MENTIONING, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
YOU REMEMBER BACK IN 21, WE HAD A LOSS OF A STATEWIDE POWER GENERATION CAUSED, UH, OUTAGES THROUGHOUT TEXAS.
IN FEBRUARY 23, WE HAD MARA, THE ICE STORM, WHICH LAID WASTE TO MILLIONS OF TREES.
SO HOW CAN YOU, THE COMMUNITY, HOW CAN OUR CUSTOMERS PREPARE? WE, WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS ALREADY, BUT MAKE SURE AUSTIN ENERGY HAS YOUR CORRECT CONTACT INFORMATION FOR OUTAGE TEXT ALERTS, AND KNOW HOW TO REPORT AN OUTAGE.
LOG INTO OUR, YOUR ACCOUNT@COAUTILITIES.COM TO UPDATE YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER OR CALL (512) 494-9400.
TO DO SO, YOU CAN ALSO TEXT REG REG TO 2 8 7 8 4 6.
THAT'S REG AS IN REGISTER, REG TO 2 8 7 8 4 6.
ALSO, PLAN AHEAD WITH INFORMATION RESOURCES@AUSTINENERGY.COM SLASH OUTAGES.
AND THAT WEBSITE CREATE, UH, HAS A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PREPARE FOR WINTER, HOW TO SAFELY OPERATE A PORTABLE GENERATOR, HOW TO STORE A BAG OF SALT FOR ICE, UH, ICE
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ON THE DRIVEWAY, PREPARING FOR AN EVACUATION AND OTHER INFORMATION ONLINE.YOU, YOU CAN ALSO FIND CURRENT LOCAL GRID INFORMATION AND RESOURCES@AUSTINENERGY.COM SLASH ALERTS.
THAT'S AUSTIN ENERGY.COM/ALERTS.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE, YES, RUN, RUN THROUGH ALL THOSE NUMBERS.
SO THAT EVERYBODY HAS 'EM, AND, AND, OKAY.
AGAIN, I REALLY ENCOURAGE THE MEDIA TO HELP US GET THIS INFORMATION OUT.
FOR EXAMPLE, UPDATING CELL PHONE NUMBERS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO THAT AUSTIN ENERGY, SO YOU CAN REPORT TO AUSTIN ENERGY AND AUSTIN ENERGY CAN GET BACK.
SO IF YOU GO BACK, UH, SURE, ABSOLUTELY, MAYOR.
SO THERE'S A FEW DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN DO THIS.
YOU CAN LOG ONTO YOUR ACCOUNT@COAUTILITIES.COM TO UPDATE YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER, OR YOU CAN CALL 5 1 2 4 9 4 9400.
YOU CAN ALSO TEXT TO REG TO, NOT 2 8 7 8 4 6.
SO THAT'S REG AS IN REGISTER TO 2 8 7 8 4 6.
AND ALSO, WHILE I'M SAYING THAT, AGAIN, IF YOU WANNA, UH, FIND OUT ABOUT CURRENT LOCAL GRID INFORMATION, GO TO AUSTIN ENERGY.COM/ALERTS.
AND NEXT UP IS ANA WITH AUSTIN WATER.
I'M ANA BRIAN BOHA, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN WATER.
AUSTIN WATER REMAINS VIGILANT AND READY FOR EXTREME WINTER WEATHER.
MAINTAINING AND REPAIRING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE OCCURS YEAR ROUND SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE RELIABLE SERVICE TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
PLANNING FOR EXTREME TEMPERATURES AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR CUSTOMERS KNOW HOW TO DO THE SAME IS ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES.
WE'VE WINTERIZED OUR INFRASTRUCTURE BY INSULATING OR WARMING KEY COMPONENTS THROUGHOUT THE WATER SYSTEM.
WE CONTINUE TO TEST AND MAINTAIN POWER GENERATORS IN CASE WE NEED BACKUP POWER.
AND TODAY WE HAVE BACKUP GENERATORS AVAILABLE AT ALL OF OUR CRITICAL WATER FACILITIES AND OUR LIFT STATIONS AND PUMP STATIONS.
OUR CREWS AND OUR INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM ARE ALSO READY.
THEY PROACTIVELY TRAIN AND ANTICIPATE PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THEY PRACTICE CRISIS RESPONSE SEVERAL TIMES EVERY YEAR.
OUR FIELD CREWS HAVE THE SAFETY GEAR THAT THEY NEED, SUCH AS HATS, CLEATS, GLOVES, SO THAT THEY CAN SAFELY WORK UNDER ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
WE ALSO PRE-STAGE FOOD, COTS, WATER, AND OTHER SHELTER IN PLACE SUPPLIES SO THAT THEY CAN WORK 24 7 DURING ITS EXTREME CONDITIONS.
SHARING INFORMATION WITH OUR CUSTOMERS ABOUT WAYS THAT THEY CAN PREPARE FOR COLD WA WA WEATHER IS JUST AS IMPORTANT.
SO WE'RE ADDING WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS TIPS ON OUR WEBSITE, AUSTIN WATER.ORG TO HELP THE COMMUNITY PROTECT THEIR HOME'S.
AND REMEMBER THAT PIPES ARE ONE OF THOSE FOUR PS OF PREPAREDNESS THAT WERE MENTIONED EARLIER ON OUR WEBSITE, YOU CAN FIND USEFUL INFORMATION AND VIDEOS ABOUT WHEN TO DRIP A FAUCET OR HOW TO SHUT OFF YOUR HOME'S WATER MAIN VALVE.
THESE SIMPLE BUT IMPORTANT TIPS CAN HELP PREVENT PIPES FROM FREEZING AND BREAKING.
AGAIN, EVERYONE CAN FIND WEATHERIZATION TIPS ON OUR WEBSITE, AUSTIN WATER.ORG ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, AND THROUGH OUR PRESENCE AT COMMUNITY EVENTS.
IN FACT, WE'D LIKE TO INVITE EVERYONE TO STOP BY A CITY OF AUSTIN UTILITY CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER NEXT WEEK TO PICK UP SOME FREE SUPPLIES.
WE'LL BE GIVING OUT FREE WATER VALVE SHUTOFF KEYS, HOSE BIB COVERS, AND HANDY WINTER TIPS AS LONG AS SUPPLIES.
LAST, MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10TH AT THE NORTH PAYMENT CENTER.
AND WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11TH AT THE SOUTH PAYMENT CENTER.
WE'D LIKE TO THANK OUR CUSTOMERS, THE COMMUNITY, AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR HELPING US TO PREPARE FOR WINTER WEATHER.
AND NOW I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO CHIEF ROBERT LURES WITH EMS. THANK YOU.
I'M THE CHIEF OF AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, EMS. UH, AND JUST LIKE MANY OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS REPRESENTED HERE DURING WINTER WEATHER EMERGENCIES, OUR NORMAL RESPONSIBILITIES CHANGE A LITTLE BIT.
WE'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM PREVIOUS EVENTS AND MADE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR OPERATIONS.
IN ADDITION TO RESPONDING TO 9 1 1 CALLS, WE ALSO CHANGE OUR OPERATING GUIDELINES, ESPECIALLY IN THE CASE OF EXTREME CALL VOLUME, DANGEROUS ROAD CONDITIONS, BUT PARTICULARLY AS WE IDENTIFY INCREASE IN VOLUME OF CALLS THAT ARE NOT RELATED TO ACUTE MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.
WE MAY HANDLE THOSE CALLS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY, BUT REST ASSURED THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR ALL OF THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN, AND THAT WE'LL BE CONTINUOUSLY AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES DURING ANY WEATHER EMERGENCY.
AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED BEFORE, THE BEST THING THAT YOU CAN DO IS TO PROTECT YOURSELF, TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY AS YOU PREPARE FOR THIS WINTER WEATHER
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THAT IS COMING.LEARN THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS RELATED TO COLD RELATED ILLNESS AND HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF.
HYPOTHERMIA CAN SET IN WITHIN MINUTES.
SO IF YOU MUST GO OUTSIDE, PLEASE BE SURE TO DRESS IN MULTIPLE LAYERS OF WARM CLOTHING.
PROTECT YOUR HEAD, HANDS, FACE, NECK AND EARS.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE POWER, KEEP WARM USING MULTIPLE LAYERS OF WARM CLOTHING BLANKETS.
STAY IN ONE ROOM WITH ALL MEMBERS OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD AND KEEP DOORS AND WINDOWS CLOSED.
PLEASE BE SURE TO KEEP ENOUGH OF YOUR PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS TO LAST SEVEN DAYS.
AND IF YOU RELY ON OXYGEN, MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH EXTRA TANKS TO LAST SEVEN DAYS IN CASE OF POWER LOSS.
AND KEEP EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION FOR YOUR OXYGEN SUPPLIER IN CASE YOU RUN OUT.
IF YOU RELY ON EXTERNALLY POWERED MEDICAL DEVICES LIKE A VENTILATOR OR VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICE, KEEP ALL BATTERIES CHARGED AND PLAN WITH YOUR CARE TEAM IN CASE YOU LOSE POWER.
NEVER ATTEMPT TO HEAT YOUR HOME USING YOUR STOVE, OVEN, GAS, CHARCOAL GRILLS, OR FIRES OUTSIDE OF THE FIREPLACE.
AS THIS CAN LEAD TO CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING.
MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A WORKING CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR AND NEVER REPEAT.
NEVER USE A GENERATOR, INDOORS, OR ENCLOSED SPACES.
MAKE SURE THAT ALL GENERATORS ARE AT LEAST 10 FEET AWAY FROM YOUR HOME.
FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, AT EMS, WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR PREPARATIONS.
WE'VE PREPARED OUR ENTIRE FLEET TO BE READY FOR THESE RESPONSES.
WE HAVE EMERGENCY STAFFING PLANS IN PLACE.
WE'VE DE DEVELOPED PLANS FOR A LOSS OF POWER AND WATER, AND WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH TPW TO ENSURE THAT OUR EMS STATIONS ARE TIER ONE FOR SNOW AND ICE CLEARING.
AS I MENTIONED THOUGH, IN ADDITION TO OUR TRADITIONAL RESPONSE, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR, WE ALSO PROVIDE FOR THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE ACCESS TO OTHER RESOURCES.
OUR TRIAGE LINE THAT MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH, THAT WE USE SO EXTENSIVELY DURING WINTER STORM.
MARA WILL BE ACTIVE AT ALL TIMES.
WE'LL INCREASE OUR STAFFING TO BE ABLE TO DIVERT LOW ACUITY CALLS TO OTHER RESOURCES.
WE'LL HAVE STAFF THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST ANYONE THAT IS MEDICALLY VULNERABLE OR DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO WHATEVER TYPICAL MEDICAL DEVICES OR MEDICAL SUPPLIES THAT THEY MAY NEED.
WE HAVE PLANS IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO TRANSPORT INDIVIDUALS WITH NON-ACUTE EMERGENCIES TO ALTERNATIVE DESTINATIONS.
AND IN THE DAYS LEADING UP TO THIS WEATHER, OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDICS WILL DO IN-PERSON OUTREACH, OUTREACHED IN COORDINATION WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS AND THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE TO ENSURE THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE ADEQUATELY PROVIDED THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL DURING THE STORM.
INCLUDES DISTRIBUTING FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, GIVING SHELTER AND WARMING INFORMATION, GIVING ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION AND BUS PASSES, DRY AND WARM CLOTHING, AND IDENTIFYING ANY BARRIERS AS TO WHY SOMEONE MAY NOT WANT TO ENTER INTO A SHELTER.
AND IF SOMEONE DOES NOT WANT TO ENTER A SHELTER, WE'LL BE SURE TO LOCATE THEM FOR CONTINUED FOLLOW UP BY EMS RESOURCES THROUGHOUT THE WINTER STORM.
THESE EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE INCREASE OUR ABILITY TO BE AVAILABLE DURING THE ACUTE EMERGENCY AND TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY HAVE RAPID ACCESS TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IF IN NEED.
AND AS I SAID EARLIER, JUST AS WE ARE PREPARED, IT IS SO CRITICAL THAT YOU BE PREPARED AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PREPARE TODAY FOR THE WINTER STORM THAT MAY BE COMING.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS THIS OFF TO ASSISTANT CHIEF JEFF KENNEDY FROM THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
MY NAME IS JEFF KENNEDY WITH THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, MUCH LIKE THE MAYOR, UM, AND THE THE JUDGE AND MY COLLEAGUES.
WE STAND PREPARED AND READY TO RESPOND AS NECESSARY FOR THE WEATHER.
UH, I'M GONNA SHARE WITH YOU A FEW, UH, FIRE WEATHER WARNING, UH, WINTER WEATHER TALKING POINTS THAT, UH, ARE UNIQUE FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE.
AGAIN, THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH YOU TODAY, BUT WE JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE HOPE WILL HELP EVERYONE.
SO, FEMA HAS SAID THAT, UH, HALF OF ALL HOME HEATING FIRES OCCURS IN THE MONTHS OF DECEMBER, JANUARY, AND FEBRUARY.
OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS RESPONDED TO 116 OF THOSE TYPES OF FIRES FROM WARMING AND HEATING SOURCES.
UH, SO BEFORE COLD WEATHER HITS, WE ASK THAT YOU HIRE A PROFESSIONAL TO INSPECT AND, UH, TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS. NOT ONLY DO THE SYSTEMS THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CLEANLINESS IS THERE AS WELL.
CHANGE YOUR FILTERS, CLEAN YOUR FILTERS, AND DO THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS IF YOU HAVE A FIREPLACE.
UM, ALSO HAVE IT PROFESSIONALLY CLEANED AND INSPECTED, ESPECIALLY THE CHIMNEY AND THE THE VENTS.
UH, IF YOU ARE GOING TO USE IT, MAKE SURE THE FLU IS OPEN.
THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT FORGET TO OPEN THE FLU WHEN THEY START THAT FIRE FOR THE FIRST TIME OF THE YEAR.
UM, IF YOU ARE GOING TO DISPOSE OF YOUR ASHES, WE ASK THAT YOU WILL COOL THEM BY AT LEAST ALLOWING THEM TO COOL THEMSELVES.
PUT THEM IN A METAL CONTAINER THAT IS AIRTIGHT AND MOVE THAT CONTAINER AT LEAST 10 FEET AWAY FROM ANY STRUCTURE.
IF THAT DOESN'T WORK FOR YOU AFTER SHOVEL DAYS, THEN PLEASE WET THEM THOROUGHLY BEFORE YOU DISPOSE OF THEM.
ALSO, IN USING YOUR FIREPLACE, IF YOU HAVE A, UH,
[00:25:01]
A SCREEN, A METAL SCREEN, PLEASE USE THAT, THAT WILL HELP PREVENT THE SPARKS FROM POPPING OUT IN STARTING OR IGNITING FIRES ELSEWHERE IN THE HOUSE.SPACE, HEATERS VERY COMMON FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, UH, BUT THEY DO POSE A VERY SIGNIFICANT THREAT AS IT RELATES TO FIRE.
UM, I HAVE BEEN TO COUNTLESS HOMES THAT HAVE EITHER BEEN LOST OR SEVERELY DAMAGED DUE TO SPACE HEATERS.
SO THE FIRST THING ABOUT SPACE HEATERS IS THAT THEY NEED SPACE AND THEY NEED ATTENTION.
SO KEEP THEM AT LEAST THREE FEET AWAY FROM WALLS, CLOTHING, BEDDING, AND CURTAINS.
THEY SHOULD ALSO BE SWITCHED OFF WHEN THEY'RE UNATTENDED, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT WHEN YOU'RE ASLEEP.
IF YOU'RE USING ELECTRICAL OR KEROSENE HEATERS, MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE UL APPROVED AND THAT THEY'RE EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC SHUTOFF IN THE EVENT THAT IT OVERHEATS OR IT'S TIPPED OVER.
NOW, HOLIDAY DECORATIONS, UH, CAN BE FIRE HAZARDS.
UH, TYPICALLY LIVE CHRISTMAS TREES, UH, WHEN THEY ARE DRY, THEY CAN FUEL A FIRE.
SO WE ASK THAT YOU WATER THEM REGULARLY, BASICALLY DAILY.
AGAIN, FOR PORTABLE GENERATORS AND GRILLS, UH, KEEP THEM OUTSIDE, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT USE CHARCOAL BRIQUETTES BECAUSE OF THAT RISK OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING.
UH, WE'VE HAD MANY CALLS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE USED THOSE DEVICES TO WARM THE HOME OR TO COOK INSIDE BECAUSE OF THE COLD WEATHER.
AND WHEN THE FIRE'S OUT, THEY THINK THAT THERE'S NO DAMAGE, NO, NO HARM.
BUT THERE THOSE COLDS CONTINUE TO BURN AND THEY PUT OFF CARBON MONOXIDE.
SO PREVENTION IS KEY FOR WINTER WEATHER SAFETY.
PROACTIVELY TEST YOUR SMOKE ARMS AND YOUR CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS.
IF YOU ARE A HOMEOWNER IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE WITH THE COST OF A SMOKE ALARM, THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT CAN HELP.
PLEASE CALL US AT (512) 974-0299.
LEAVE YOUR NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, AND YOUR PHONE NUMBER, AND SOMEONE WILL GET BACK WITH YOU TO ARRANGE A TIME AND SCHEDULE A FREE INSTALL.
SO AS I CLOSE, WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR HEATING SOURCES, CHECK THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WIRES ARE NOT FRAYED.
MAKE SURE THAT IT ISN'T DAMAGED, AND IF SO, DO NOT USE IT.
USE ONLY ONE PLUG PER HEATING RESOURCE.
ONE OUTLET PER HEATING RESOURCE.
'CAUSE IT'S EASY FOR US HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS TO KIND OF GET OUT OF OUR WINTER WEATHER SAFETY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE BITING WEATHER AS OFTEN.
WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE LISTEN TO ALL THE TIPS THAT YOU'VE HEARD TODAY, BECAUSE THEY WILL SAVE PEOPLE, PETS, AND PROPERTY.
SO WITH THAT, I THANK YOU AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO MAYOR WATSON.
THANKS FOR EVERYBODY'S, UM, MADE A PRESENTATION TO THE JUDGE.
UH, WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE TO, TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, NOT JUST TO PEOPLE THAT SPOKE, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES HERE.
Y'ALL DID THIS TABLE FIVE EXERCISE TODAY.
YOU SAT IN IT, YOU HEARD WHAT WENT ON.
DID THE SCENE PASS THE TEST? OH, YOU KNOW, UM, I WOULD SAY YES IN A COUPLE OF WAYS.
ONE IS I AM, UH, VERY IMPRESSED AND I THINK THE JUDGE WOULD SHARE THIS, UH, WITH, WITH ME.
I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM AND THE DETAIL IN WHICH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEEN REPRESENTED BY THE, THE, UH, PRESENTATIONS THIS MORNING ARE PREPARED.
UH, THAT WOULD INCLUDE A COUPLE THINGS.
ONE IS IT WOULD INCLUDE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN LEARNED ALONG THE WAY AND ARE NOW INCORPORATED.
BUT IT ALSO INCLUDED, UH, I I WOULD GIVE A HIGH GRADE TO THE, THE, THE AMOUNT OF NEW THINKING, THE NEW IDEAS, THE INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY THAT'S GOING ALONG WITH HOW WE CAN IMPROVE WHAT WE, WE, WE CAN IDENTIFY STRENGTHS, BUT ARE THERE WEAKNESSES THAT WE WANT TO, TO, TO ADD, UH, ADD DIFFERENT WAYS OF APPROACHING MY FOLLOW UP.
WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS EXPOSED? WELL, I, I WOULD SAY THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT CONTINUES TO BE HOW WE BEST COMMUNICATE, UH, I THINK THAT THAT HAS BEEN, AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEEN A PET PEEVE OF MINE SINCE I CAME INTO OFFICE IN JANUARY OF 23.
AND WE, UH, VERY SHORTLY THEREAFTER HAD, UH, A, A MAJOR IN INCIDENT.
AND I THOUGHT THAT THE COMMUNICATION AT THAT TIME WAS, WAS FAILING.
AND THAT'S FRANKLY PART OF THE REASON WE'RE HERE TODAY.
PART OF THE REASON THAT WE HAD THE, THE TABLETOP EXERCISE IS THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO COMMUNICATE, UH, AND WE'VE MADE, AS, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.
BUT, BUT WHILE I WOULDN'T LIST IT AS A, A FAILURE, I WOULD LIST IT AS SOMETHING WE'RE ALWAYS SEEKING TO IMPROVE.
AND THEREFORE PROBABLY ALWAYS LOOKING, UH, AT, AT, AT THAT AS SOMETHING THAT HOW DO YOU MAKE IT A STRENGTH? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE, UH, OR TWO, TWO THINGS THAT WE HAVE, I GUESS TWO PEOPLE WE HAVE IN A NEW SITUATION IS, UH,
[00:30:01]
WE NOW HAVE, AS YOU KNOW, UH, JOHN FORTUNE, WHO'S OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, AND WE HAVE, UH, CHIEF EDDIE GARCIA, WHO IS THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OVER PUBLIC SAFETY.THOSE ARE RELATIVELY NEW EMPLOYEES AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BOTH OF WHICH, BY THE WAY, UH, HAVE SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
UH, AND SO, UH, IT'S GOOD TO ALSO HEAR FROM THEM.
UH, I, I'VE SAID THIS IN, IN OTHER CONTEXTS, THE FRESH SET OF EYES THAT WE'RE GETTING, UH, BY HAVING THESE NEW FOLKS IN OUR MANAGEMENT HAS HELPED STABILIZE CITY HALL IN A WAY THAT, AGAIN, TWO YEARS AGO I WAS SAYING WE BADLY NEEDED TO DO SO.
I, I, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO, TO THEIR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION, UH, IN THIS.
SO, UH, YES, IT WAS A, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE A TABLETOP TOP EXERCISE LIKE THIS IN PART BECAUSE IT ALLOWS EVERYBODY TO HEAR EACH OTHER, THINK THROUGH THINGS.
UM, WE'RE IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE THAN WE WERE TWO YEARS AGO, AND I THINK WE WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.
YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING, JUDGE? NOPE.
SO, HAVE WE SEEN SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE GRID? WELL, AS, AS YOU JUST HEARD, UM, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN ENERGY, WHO, WHO, AND I'LL SAY THE LAST TIME WE HAD THIS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT I THOUGHT WAS A WEAKNESS AT THE TIME AND, UH, CHANGES WERE MADE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY WAS AT AUSTIN ENERGY, SO THAT WE COULD ADDRESS THINGS, UH, MORE PROACTIVELY.
UH, YOU JUST HEARD THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, IN, IN A DETAILED WAY, DESCRIBE WHAT HAS GONE ON TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THE EARLY ACTION REPORTS THAT WE HAD FROM THE PREVIOUS TWO INCIDENTS.
BUT I'M GONNA ASK HIM TO COME BACK UP AND ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY.
YEAH, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.
SO, EVER SINCE YURI AND MARA, ERCOT AND AUSTIN ENERGY, WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN WEATHERIZING, YOU KNOW, LESSONS LEARNED.
UM, UH, LAST WEEK I HAD ASSIGNED TWO AFFIDAVITS, ONE FOR, ARE WE READY? IS OUR TRANSMISSION GRID IN AUSTIN READY FOR WINTER? IS OUR, OUR GENERATOR IS READY.
AND I WON'T GO INTO DETAIL, BUT ATTACHED TO THAT AFFIDAVIT WAS ABOUT THREE SHEETS BEHIND EACH AFFIDAVIT SAYING, HERE ARE THE 50 OR 60 THINGS WE DID TO GET READY FOR WINTER.
SO ALL OUR SUBSTATIONS ARE INSPECTED.
WE HAVE HEAT TRACERS AND ALL OF OUR POWER PLANTS, WE HAVE BACKUP FUEL, WE'RE READY FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
WHAT ABOUT OUR POWER LINES? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ONCE THE ICE GET THOSE
SO AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A ACTUALLY STUDY COMING IN THIS MONTH.
UM, UH, WE, WE WERE ASKED AFTER TOMORROW BY THE CITY COUNCIL TO LOOK AT SHOULD WE BURY LINES? SHOULD WE HARDEN THEM? WE ARE ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS OF HARDENING LINES.
WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR THE STUDY TO COME OUT.
SO WE, WE HAVE PROJECTS RIGHT NOW WHERE WE'RE HARDENING LINES.
WHAT THAT MEANS THAT YOU WRAP IT AROUND CONDUIT.
SO LESS LIKELY THAT IF A TREE FALLS OUT IT, OR IF THERE'S ICE ON THE LINE, A SEVEN TENTHS OF AN ICE INCH OF ICE DURING MARA, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAD ON OUR TREES, THAT ADDS ABOUT A TON OF WEIGHT TO A TREE.
OKAY? SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 80, 80 CREWS ARE STILL OUT THERE EVERY DAY, TRIMMING, TRIMMING THE TREES.
BUT WHEN A TREE BRANCH GOES LIKE THAT, UM, AND IT COULD BE 10 FEET AWAY FROM, FROM THE, FROM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LINE, UH, YOU COULD TRIM TO STANDARDS, BUT THINGS LIKE THAT JUST HAPPEN.
THAT'S NATURE, THAT'S WEATHER, AND YOU CAN PREPARE AS BEST YOU CAN.
UH, BUT, UH, WE ARE READY FOR, FOR EXTREME WEATHER.
ISN'T THAT READY TO BE DONE, LIKE FOR CERTAIN AREAS? LIKE WHERE ARE THOSE KIND OF BEING DONE AT? WHEN IS IT GONNA BE FINISHED? WE, WE HAVE A PLAN WHERE WE GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE SERVICE EVERY, EVERY, EVERY FIVE YEARS OR SO.
WE DO THE ENTIRE SERVICE AREA.
BOB, Y'ALL WERE BEHIND ON THAT, THAT PLAN, I KNOW THAT YOU WERE TRYING TO WRAP IT UP, RIGHT? ARE WE CAUGHT UP? WE'LL BE CAUGHT UP IN A YEAR OR TWO, BUT WE HAVE 80, LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE 80, 85 CREWS OUT THERE.
AND WHEN, WHEN YOU SAY BEHIND, WE WERE TRIMMING THE TREES, BUT WE WEREN'T TRIMMING THEM TO STANDARDS, SO WE WERE TRIMMING 'EM, WE CUT BACK ON THE, SO IN OTHER WORDS, A FAST GROWING TREE YOU MIGHT TRIM TO, UH, 10 FEET.
UH, NORMALLY WE WERE DOING LESS, UH, LESS THAN THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, SOME NEIGHBORHOODS WERE CONCERNED THAT, YOU KNOW, O AUSTINITES, WE LOVE OUR TREES, RIGHT? AND PEOPLE DON'T LIKE WHEN THE CREWS COME IN.
AND, AND I'VE SEEN THAT THE WORK'S BEEN AMAZING, BUT YOU CANNOT GUARANTEE THE LINES ARE NOT GONNA COME DOWN, RIGHT? YEAH, OF COURSE I
[00:35:01]
CAN'T.WHAT'S THE MESSAGE TO PEOPLE? WELL, THE MESSAGE IS IF YOU HAVE TREES ON YOUR LOT AND THEY DON'T LOOK GOOD, CALL US.
UH, WE WILL COME OUT, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT IN, IN THE QUEUE TO, FOR US TO DO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, CALL US AND WE'LL COME OUT, LOOK AT THE TREE.
IF IT NEEDS TO BE TRIMMED, WE'LL DO IT.
BUT, BUT I WANT TO ADD SOMETHING TO THAT AND, AND THAT'S A GOOD ANSWER, BUT TWO THINGS.
ONE IS DON'T CON, THE WORD GRID GETS THROWN AROUND PRETTY GENERICALLY.
IS THE GRID READY? YOU KNOW, IN 21 THAT WAS THE GRID ISSUES.
SO WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO, WELL, BUT, BUT THAT'S NOT THE WAY THE QUESTION SOUNDS, RIGHT? AND THAT'S NOT THE WAY PEOPLE WILL HEAR THE QUESTION IF THEIR ELECTRICITY GOES OUT IN AUSTIN.
SO I REALLY URGE EVERYBODY IN THE MEDIA THAT'S, THAT'S TRYING TO HELP US ADVISE AND GET INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC, NOT TO CONFLATE RIGHT NOW, ERCOT SAYS, AND YOU CORRECT ME IF I SAY SOMETHING WRONG, BUT ERCOT SAYS THAT THE GRID IS READY FOR THE WINTER, BUT WE'RE NOT IN CONTROL OF WHAT HAPPENS WITH REGARD TO ERCOT.
AND, AND SO WE, WE GOTTA BE VERY CAREFUL HOW WE DON'T CREATE FEAR OR CREATE UN UNREASONABLE EXPECTATIONS WHEN WE CONFLATE THE STATE GRID WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING AT AUSTIN ENERGY.
I HEAR YOU MAY, BUT IN 23 IT WAS OUR GRID.
WELL, THAT WAS, AND, BUT, AND I'M NOT GONNA ARGUE WITH YOU, UH, BUT, BUT I AM GOING TO TELL YOU IS THAT THE QUESTION OF WHAT WE CAN DO, WE ARE DOING, EVEN IN INSTANCES WHERE WE WERE BEHIND, WHERE WE WERE BEHIND THIS MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND THIS MANAGER HAVE MADE SURE THAT WE'RE MOVING TO CATCH UP ON ALL OF THAT AND AS RAPID AWAY AS IS POSSIBLE.
BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT, AND THIS WAS WHAT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THIS, I SAID THIS IN MY INITIAL COMMENTS, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE PERFECTION.
AND WE CANNOT PROMISE THAT THERE WON'T BE A TIME WHEN LIGHTS GO OUT.
I'M NOT GONNA MAKE THAT PROMISE.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE WHAT BOB WAS JUST SAYING.
YOU CAN TRIM A TREE TO STANDARDS, BUT IF THE, AND WHERE IT'S 10 FEET AWAY FROM A LINE, BUT IF THE WEATHER HITS IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT CAUSES THE TREE, THAT'S TWO STANDARDS.
TO HAVE A LIMB THAT'S HIGH UP IN THE AIR, YOU KNOW, NOTHING'S OVER THAT LINE, NOTHING'S OVER THAT LINE, BUT WHEN IT KICK GETS THAT ICE ON IT AND IT BENDS OVER THAT LINE AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPENS, WELL THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING WE'RE NOT IN COMPLETE CONTROL OF.
SO I WANNA BE CLEAR, WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE CAN DO WITH OUR PART OF THE GRID, WHAT WE CAN DO WITH REGARD TO MAKING SURE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO DO THAT, BUT THAT'S WHY WE DO THIS, IS TO COMMUNICATE SO THAT OTHERS, THAT THE, THE PUBLIC AND YOU AS THE MEDIA CAN COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC, BECAUSE THIS WILL NOT BE PERFECT.
WINTER WEATHER IS NOT PERFECT.
AND THERE WILL BE INSTANCES THAT WE, WE WE'LL HAVE, BUT WE'RE GONNA WORK OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S IN A GOOD POSITION.
ANYTHING YOU WANNA ADD TO THAT? YEAH, THE ONLY THING I'D ADD IS, UH, NOT TO BEAT A DEAD HORSE, BUT MARA, ACCORDING TO TEXAS A AND M, UT DON'T GET UPSET.
TEXAS A AND M, 10.4 MILLION TREES WERE DOWNED WITH MARA.
I REMEMBER DRIVING UP MY STREET GRAYSTONE TO GO TO MY HOUSE AND I WAS DRIVING LIKE THAT TREES WERE DOWN IN THE STREET.
THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME TREE TRIMMING THAT, THAT MAY HAVE BEEN, WE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER, BUT I'LL TELL YOU THIS, LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, STUFF HAPPENS.
AND WHEN THERE WERE 10.4 MILLION TREES DOWN, LINES ARE GONNA COME DOWN AND THEY'RE GONNA FALL ON THE LINES.
YEAH, AND JUST ONE THING, Y IT MAY HAVE SLIPPED THROUGH WITHOUT SOME OF Y'ALL HEARING, UH, THE AUSTIN WATER UPDATE IS THAT BACK.
SO BACK IN, IN 2021, WE LOST, IT GOT COLD, WE LOST POWER, AND THEN WE LOST WATER.
AND THE REASON WHY I BELIEVE WE LOST WATER IS BECAUSE WE LOST POWER TO THE LIFT STATIONS.
AND THAT WAS PART OF PARTS OF IT.
AND THEY NOW HAVE ADDED POWER BACKUPS TO THAT.
SO THAT I, I JUST WANNA BRAG ON AUSTIN WATER AND, AND THE MARON CITY COUNCIL WERE HAVING STEPPED US UP TO A PLACE WHERE WE WERE NOT IN 2021 WITH, WITH THE WATER.
ALAN, UH, I JUST HAD A CLARIFYING QUESTION FOR DIRECTOR KAHN.
UM, SO YOU MENTIONED THE HARDENING OF ALL THE POWER LINES.
DOES, HAS THAT ALREADY HAPPENED OR IS THAT HAPPENING RIGHT NOW? IS IT EVERYWHERE OR JUST CERTAIN? WE WE'RE WORKING ON HARDENING THEM, YOU KNOW, COST, MONEY, DO THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO WE, WE HAVE PROJECTS IN PLACE WHERE TODAY WE ARE HARDENING POWER LINES AND YEAH.
AND HAVE BEEN, AND IT'LL TAKE A WHILE TO GET 'EM ALL DONE.
WHEN DO YOU EXPECT THAT TO BE FINISHED? IT'S AN ONGOING
[00:40:01]
PROJECT.WE HAVE, WE HAVE, UH, 7,000 MILES OF 5,000 MILES OF LINES ABOVE GROUND.
IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE WHILE.
UH, IN 2021, UH, GOT Y'ALL REMEMBER, UH, STATE HIGHWAYS 180 3 WAS COVERED WITH THE SNOW.
UH, SOME CITY STREETS WERE DONE AND NOT, BUT THAT LOCKED EVERYTHING DOWN THE ROOM.
WE DONE HAVE WE COORDINATED ANYTHING WITH
WE HAD OUR INTERSECTIONS DONE, BUT THE HOT BEES, YEAH.
UM, I, I'LL LET SOMEBODY FROM OUR TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS ANSWER THE QUESTION, BUT JURISDICTIONAL LINES DO CREATE ISSUES FROM TIME TO TIME.
YEAH, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
I'M AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH THE TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HERE AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COORDINATE REGULARLY WITH TXDOT AND WITH OUR PARTNERS AT TRAVIS COUNTY ON, IS THE JURISDICTIONAL LINES OF WHICH ASSETS WILL BE TREATED BOTH IN A PRE-TREATMENT STANCE AND ALSO IN A REACTIVE STANCE WHEN WE HAVE DE-ICING THAT NEEDS TO OCCUR.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS SO FAR THIS YEAR.
WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER ONE PRIOR TO, UM, THE, THE KICKOFF OF ANY LARGE EVENT THAT WE ANTICIPATE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALSO RECOMMEND IS THAT IF PEOPLE ARE SEEING ROADWAY CONDITIONS TO PLEASE REPORT THOSE THREE THROUGH THREE.
ONE, ONE, SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE A, UM, ACTIVATION OF OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER OR OTHER AGENCIES THAT ARE WORKING, WE CAN, UH, COLLABORATE THAT INFORMATION WITH OP, WITH TNR AND WITH, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, FIGURE OUT WHOSE ASSET THAT IS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET EYES ON IT TO MAKE SURE IF IT NEEDS TO BE TREATED, THAT WE TREAT IT.
UM, ALSO KNOWING THAT WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES FOR THE LARGE NETWORK, THE LARGE, UH, ROAD NETWORK THAT WE HAVE, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PRIORITIZE THOSE IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO KEEP OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES OPEN.
FIRE POLICE, EMS, UM, AND ALSO OTHER, OTHER KEY SERVICES THAT WE DEPEND ON.
BUT THE ROADS WEREN'T CLEAR IN, IN 21, I I REMEMBER VIVIDLY WATCHING, UH, AN AUSTIN FIRETRUCK GOING UP NORTHBOUND BY THEUM OF 180 3.
THERE WAS SNOW COVERED, ICE COVERED 180 3 AND TRYING TO NAVIGATE THAT AND WITH OTHER CARS.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT, ARE WE GONNA AVOID THAT OR IS IT JUST, SORRY GUYS, THAT'S THE WAY IT'S GONNA BE.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE, UM, WE, WHEN WE HAVE THOSE INSTANCES, WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA NEED TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS BECAUSE 180 3 LARGE PORTIONS OF THAT ARE OUT IN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO WE'D BE WORKING WITH T WITH TNR TO DETERMINE WHOSE ASSET THAT IS, THE CONDITION OF THE ASSET, AND ALSO TO MAKE THE APPROPRIATE TREATMENTS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS CHANGED SINCE 2021, UM, AND I WAS HERE FOR YURI IN 2021 AS WELL AS MAR IN 2023 WITH THE THEN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT WE HAVE HAD IS TO REVAMP A, UH, PRIORITIZATION ROUTE FOR OUR ROADS, CRITICAL ROADS AND ALSO OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE ASSETS THAT NEED TO BE MAINTAINED.
AGAIN, BRIDGES, CULVERTS, THINGS THAT ARE ELEVATED THAT FREEZE FIRST.
AND SO SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BE DOING THAT HAS CHANGED IN THE PAST, LESSONS LEARNED THAT WE'VE SEEN THROUGH THESE YEARS HAS BEEN WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE THOSE ROADWAYS, MONITOR THOSE ROADWAYS, AND ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THE, UM, APPROPRIATE APPLICATION DEVICES AND THE APPROPRIATE, UH, CHEMICALS AND, UH, TRACTION CONTROL DEVICES TO KEEP THEM IN A PASSABLE ROUTE.
AND THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT HAS OCCURRED SINCE 2021 HAS BEEN THE ACQUISITION OF OUR CALCIUM CHLORIDE AND OUR MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE AS, UM, AS AGENTS OF DEICING AND ANTI-ICING THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE IN 2021.
AGAIN, GOING THROUGH THAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE WHERE WE'VE GAINED IMPROVED SKILLS AND HAVE THOSE NOW IN OUR ASSET TO, UH, IN OUR FLEET TO DEPLOY.
UH, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHETHER WE DID HERE.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THE SAME ANSWER, RUDY.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE PERFECTION IN A BAD WINTER STORM, AND MAYBE WE OUGHT TO FOLLOW YOU AROUND SO THAT WHEREVER YOU ARE, IT WORKS OUT PERFECTLY.
BUT, UM, UM, MAYBE THAT'S THE WAY TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, BUT THAT'S JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACUTE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT FOUR YEARS LATER YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ASK A QUESTION.
WELL, I WAS AT THIS INTERSECTION AND THAT DIDN'T WORK.
BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING HERE TODAY IS WE ARE PROVIDING A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR HOW WE'RE PREPARING, UH, BEING ON THE FRONT END OF IT.
WE'RE DOING TABLETOP EXERCISES TO BE PREPARED BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE SAFE.
WE WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO GET AROUND, UH, AND, AND WE'RE, AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
IT'S GOING TO BE, THIS IS THE REASON WE DO THIS IS THERE WILL BE INSTANCES LIKE THAT.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WE GIVE THIS INFORMATION.
IF WE HAVE AN EXTREME WINTER WEATHER EVENT, WE'RE GOING TO ASK PEOPLE TO STAY IN PLACE.
DON'T BE OUT BECAUSE THOSE ROADS MAY NOT ALL BE CLEAR.
UM, BUT WE WILL WORK WITH, AS YOU JUST HEARD, A VERY GOOD ANSWER
[00:45:01]
FROM ONE OF OUR PROFESSIONALS ABOUT HOW WE WILL WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.WHY DON'T WE DO THIS AS LAST QUESTION.