[Severe Weather News Conference]
[00:00:07]
I'M THE ACTING PUBLIC INFORMATION AND MARKETING PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
WE'RE HERE TODAY TO START OFF OUR SEASONAL WEATHER CAMPAIGN FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND FLOODING.
AS YOU KNOW, SPRINGTIME IN AUSTIN, MARCH, APRIL AND MAY.
UH, SEVERE WEATHER AND FLOODING ARE QUITE PROMINENT HERE IN THIS AREA OF TEXAS.
WE'VE HISTORICALLY SEEN FLASH FLOODING IN OUR REGION DURING THE SPRING, UH, WHICH MAKES CENTRAL TEXAS KNOWN AS FLASH FLOOD ALLEY.
UH, SEVERE WEATHER CAN ALSO THEN INCLUDE ANYTHING FROM SEVERE, UH, STORMS, THUNDERSTORMS, LIGHTNING, HAIL, AND TORNADOES.
UH, THESE WEATHER EVENTS HAVE BECOME MORE EXTREME OVER THE, THE MO THE LAST FEW YEARS AS, UH, CLIMATE CHANGE HAS BECOME, UH, MORE PROMINENT.
THESE RESULT IN, UH, MORE SEVERE AND LE MORE UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER EVENTS IN THIS AREA.
AND, UH, AS WE'VE SEEN IN PREVIOUS YEARS, FLOODING HAS CAUSED SERIOUS DAMAGE AND DEATHS IN THE AUSTIN AREA IN OCTOBER OF 2013 AND IN MAY AND OCTOBER OF 2015.
THOSE ARE JUST TWO EXAMPLES OF WHEN WE HAD SOME SEVERE FLOODING IN THE AREA THAT CAUSED SOME SERIOUS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE.
AND ONE THING YOU'LL HEAR OFTEN DURING FLOOD SEASON IS TURNAROUND DON'T DROWN.
THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO NOT JUST LISTEN TO, BUT ALSO PRACTICE DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR.
UH, JUST SIX INCHES OF MOVING WATER IS ENOUGH TO KNOCK AN ADULT DOWN AND SWEEP THEM AWAY.
AS MUCH AS 12 INCHES OF WATER IS ENOUGH TO SWEEP AWAY MOST VEHICLES.
SO IF YOU SEE RUNNING WATER ON LOW WATER CROSSINGS, BRIDGES, OVERPASSES, PLEASE TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN.
THE CITY IS ALSO AWARE THAT, UH, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS MAY HAVE ESTABLISHED ENCAMPMENTS NEAR HIGH FLOOD RISK, UH, CREEKS AND DRAINAGE CHANNELS.
SO THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE WANTED US TO CONVEY THAT.
UH, THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED A DIRECT CONNECTION WITH THESE, UH, WITH THOUSANDS OF VULNERABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITHIN, UH, WITH A TEXT MESSAGE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM.
UH, DURING FLOODING EVENTS, CRUCIAL PREPAREDNESS GUIDANCE IS SENT VIA TEXT MESSAGE TO THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UH, DURING FLOODING AND OTHER SEVERE WEATHER INCIDENTS.
UH, HSO, ALONG WITH THEIR OUTREACH PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY, PROVIDE OUTREACH TO ENCAMPMENTS REGULARLY AS WELL, UH, STRESSING SAFETY AND WELLBEING AND ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO SEEK HIGHER GROUND AWAY FROM LOW WATER CROSSINGS, CREEKS, AND CHANNELS.
JUST AS WITH OTHER SEASONAL WEATHER HAZARDS.
KNOW AND PRACTICE THE FOUR STEPS OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
FIRST, YOU'RE GONNA MAKE A PLAN, THEN YOU'RE GONNA BUILD A KIT.
THEN YOU NEED TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS, AND YOU'RE GOING TO STAY INFORMED.
THOSE ARE THE FOUR STEPS OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
YOU CAN, UH, LEARN MORE ABOUT THOSE FOUR STEPS OF PREPAREDNESS AT OUR WEBSITE.
OUR DIGITAL HUB FOR PREPAREDNESS IS READY CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG.
AGAIN, THAT IS READY CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG.
AND ONE WAY YOU CAN STAY INFORMED, YOU CAN FOLLOW AT AUSTIN HS EM ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
ALSO, DURING WE SEVERE WEATHER SEASON, WE WANT YOU TO FOLLOW YOUR PREFERRED LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND TUNE IN DURING WEATHER EVENTS.
THAT WAY YOU'RE GETTING INFORMATION IN MULTIPLE WAYS AND REGISTER TO RECEIVE EMERGENCY ALERTS FROM WARREN CENTRAL TEXAS, AND YOU'LL GET MORE INFORMATION ON THAT FROM ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS LATER TODAY.
WHEN IT COMES TO KNOWING YOUR NEIGHBORS, UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER'S NEEDS.
IF YOU HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS OR SOMEONE, ONE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS HAS SPECIAL NEEDS, UNDERSTAND WHAT KIND OF ASSISTANCE THEY MIGHT NEED IN AN EMERGENCY AND BE WILLING AND ABLE TO HELP THEM OUT.
YOU ARE THE HELP UNTIL THE HELP ARRIVES AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE STARTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
MAKE AN EFFORT TO BE MORE RESILIENT AND BETTER PREPARED.
NOW IT CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE AND YOUR LOVED ONES.
AGAIN, PLEASE VISIT READY CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG TO BEGIN YOUR PREPAREDNESS JOURNEY TODAY.
AND WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO PASS IT ON TO ERIC CARTER FROM TRAVIS COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
ERIC, HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
I'M THE CHIEF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.
I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE.
UH, AS WE MOVE DEEPER INTO SPRING, TRAVIS COUNTY IS ENTERING THE HEIGHT OF OUR SEVERE WEATHER SEASON, APRIL AND MAY WE FACE INCREASED RISK OF FLASH FLOODING, HEAVY RAIN, DAMAGING HAIL AND STRONG WINDS, AND EVEN TORNADOES.
BUT BEING PREPARED CAN SAVE LIVES.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS EVERY TRAVIS COUNTY RESIDENT CAN DO IS SIGN UP TO RECEIVE TEXT OR EMAIL ALERTS, UH, AT WARREN CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG.
THIS FREE SYSTEM SENDS NOTIFICATIONS STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE OR EMAIL IF THERE IS A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IN YOUR AREA, A TORNADO THREAT OR AN EVACUATION NOTICE IF YOU ONLY DO ONE THING TODAY, UH, MAKE SURE IT'S REGISTERED FOR WARREN CENTRAL TEXAS.
[00:05:01]
IT ONLY TAKES A FEW MINUTES AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND, UH, IT CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE SOMEDAY.UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WATCHES AND WARNINGS.
WHEN THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, UH, ISSUES, ALERTS, A WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE.
IT MEANS BE READY, RIGHT? THINGS ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE IN A CONDITION THAT THEY COULD GO FROM A WATCH TO A WARNING.
WHAT DOES THE WARNING MEAN? MEANS A HAZARD IS HAPPENING OR IMMINENT, AND IT'S TIME TO TAKE ACTION.
WE WANT YOU TO BE PREPARED WITH AN EMERGENCY KIT, FLASHLIGHT AND BATTERIES, EXTRA FOOD AND WATER, AND AN EVACUATION PLAN BEFORE A WARNING IS ISSUED.
HOW DO YOU PREPARE? HAVE A PLAN.
KNOW WHERE YOU'LL GO DURING SEVERE WEATHER.
INCLUDE WATER, NON-PERISHABLE FOODS OR SNACKS, A FLASHLIGHT AND SOME BATTERIES, PHONE CHARGERS, UH, THAT'S IMPORTANT.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, STAY INFORMED.
FOLLOW THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
TURN ON PUSH ALERTS FROM TRUSTED NEWS AND WEATHER APPS.
AGAIN, IT'S YOUR JOB TO PUT YOURSELF IN A POSITION TO GET THE MESSAGE AND GET THE ALERTS.
THOSE ALERTS ALLOW YOU TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND TAKE ACTION.
FLASH FLOODING IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON AND DANGEROUS HAZARDS IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
I KNOW IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT 'CAUSE WE HAVEN'T SEEN, UH, VERY SEVERE INCIDENTS IN RECENT YEARS, BUT, BUT WE DO HAVE A, A SEVERE HISTORY, UH, UH, A HISTORY OF FLASH FLOODING IN CENTRAL TEXAS THAT HAS TAKEN LIVES THIS SPRING.
PLEASE REMEMBER, NEVER DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADS, TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN.
AND I THINK WE'RE ALL GONNA TAKE A MOMENT TO REPEAT THAT TO YOU.
JUST SIX INCHES OF WATERS CAN KNOCK YOU OFF YOUR FEET AND 12 INCHES CAN CARRY AWAY A CAR.
IF THERE IS HAIL OR TORNADO WARNING, GET INDOORS IMMEDIATELY.
GO TO YOUR DESIGNATED SAFE ROOM.
UH, THAT'S USUALLY AN INTERIOR SPACE IN YOUR HOME, UH, ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.
IF YOU HAVE A MULTI-STORY, UH, UH, HOME, A BATHROOM CLOSET, HALLWAY OFTEN WORKS BEST.
AND OF COURSE, BRING ANY PETS YOU HAVE INSIDE TO KEEP 'EM SAFE, AS WELL AS A CLOSING MESSAGE.
PREPAREDNESS IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY, UH, AS YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM.
WE'RE ALL ON THAT TEAM, RIGHT? WE'RE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO MONITOR CONDITIONS, COORDINATE WITH PARTNERS, KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE, BUT WE NEED YOU TO DO YOUR PART.
SIGN UP FOR ALERTS, MAKE A PLAN, AND STAY WEATHER AWARE.
UH, THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO KEEP TRAVIS COUNTY SAFE.
WHO DO WE HAVE UP NEXT, DAVID? OH, AWESOME.
MY NAME IS JORGE MORALES AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, THANK YOU, ERIC FOR, FOR THE, THOSE THAT GREAT MESSAGE.
UM, AS WE PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR WATERWAYS ARE PROTECTED FROM FLOODING, EROSION, AND WATER POLLUTION.
AND THAT'S, UH, LITERALLY THE MISSION FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
UH, DURING SEVERE WEATHER SEASON, OUR PRIMARY CONCERN IS KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE FROM FLOODING DURING HEAVY RAIN EVENTS.
I'M GONNA REITERATE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD, BUT YOU CAN NEVER HEAR ENOUGH OF IT, RIGHT? SO ONCE AGAIN, AUSTIN IS FLASH FLOOD ALLEY.
AND FLASH FLOODS CAN OCCUR QUICKLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THE RISK AND HOW TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.
WE ALSO HAVE A RESOURCE SITE THAT I, I WANT TO POINT OUT TO IT FOR EMERGENCY PLAN.
IT'S CALLED ATX FLOOD SAFETY.COM.
UH, AND IT HAS ACCESS TO OTHER RESOURCES IF YOU GO TO THAT SITE.
UH, MORE SPECIFICS, THERE ARE AREAS MOST OFTEN IMPACTED BY FLOODING ARE THE LOW WATER CROSSINGS.
UH, WE HAVE A FLOOD EARLY WARNING SYSTEM FUSED THAT COLLABORATE WITH THE HSEM AND TO KEEP EVERYBODY INFORMED DURING THE STORM EVENTS.
UH, WE KEEP BARRICADE CREWS ON ALL ON CALL ENC CLOSE AS NEEDED.
WE NEV NEVER GET TIRED OF SAYING, TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN.
DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH WATER ON THE ROAD.
AND YOU CANNOT TELL, BECAUSE YOU CANNOT TELL HOW DEEP IT IS.
MOST DEATHS RELATED TO FLOODING, UNFORTUNATELY, HAVE OCCURRED IN THE CARS.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU ARE GONNA TRAVEL, WE, WHICH WE ADVISE AGAINST, BUT IF YOU HAVE TO TRAVEL, WE DO HAVE A SITE, ATX FLOODS.COM THAT ACTUALLY SHOWS WHICH ROADS ARE CLOSED.
UM, AND WE HAVE ACTUAL CAMERAS THERE TOO, IF YOU WANT TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE CAMERAS FOR THE AREAS THAT WE MONITOR.
IF YOU'VE HAD FLOODING IN YOUR HOME, UNLESS IT'S LIFE THREATENING TYPE OF SITUATION, PLEASE CALL 3 1 1 TO REPORT IT.
IF YOU SEE A C CLOGGED STORM DRAIN, PLEASE REPORT IT TO 3 1 1 SO OUR CREWS CAN COME CLEAR IT AS WELL.
UH, ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT OUR DEPARTMENT AND OUR COMMUNITY, UH, CELEBRATES FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK.
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA, I'M GONNA PLUG A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, UH, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE, UH, INFORMED AND, UH, THIS YEAR WE'VE MOVED IT UP FROM, TYPICALLY WE DO IT IN MAY, BUT AS, AS YOU HEARD, WE HAVE FLOODING USUALLY IN MAY.
AND SO WE'VE MOVED IT UP TO APRIL.
SO APRIL 21 THROUGH APRIL 26TH THIS YEAR, AND IT'LL CULMINATE IN A FLOOD SAFETY FESTIVAL THAT WE'RE HAVING AT CAMPBELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON SATURDAY, APRIL 26TH.
THE EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, SO YOU'RE
[00:10:01]
INVITED TO COME OUT.PLEASE COME LEARN AND, AND BE PREPARED FOR RESILIENCY.
AS, AS DISCUSSED EARLIER, WE WILL ALSO BE ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS OF OUR FLOOD SAFETY VIDEO CONTEST.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE JUST STARTED RECENT, RECENT YEARS WHERE WE ASK STUDENTS TO CREATE A 32ND PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT TO PROMOTE THE DANGERS OF DRIVING DURING FLOOD CONDITIONS.
WE HOPE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND THE MEDIA CAN JOIN US, AND WE ARE READY TO TAKE QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
OH, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S GONNA BE RAIN, UH, THIS COMING WEEKEND.
ARE YOU GUYS ANTICIPATING ANY MAJOR FLOODING WITH THAT STORM? WHO'S GONNA DO THAT? IT DOESN'T MATTER.
YOU, YOU BE IN THE BETTER POSITION THAN I WOULD
WE'RE HAVING THIS PRESS CONFERENCE TO REMIND PEOPLE TO BE READY.
IT'S THE SEASON, SO LET THAT JUST BE A REMINDER WHEN IT RAINS, IT COULD RAIN A LOT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS DOWN IN THE VALLEY, UH, DOWN IN THE HARLINGEN AREA TWO WEEKS AGO, THEY GOT HIT BY 20 INCHES OF RAIN OVER A TWO DAY PERIOD.
THAT WASN'T A HURRICANE, THAT WAS A, THAT WAS MOTHER NATURE DECIDING TO, TO KNOCK ON THEIR DOOR.
SO WE DON'T WANT OUR, WE DON'T WANNA WAIT AROUND TILL SOMETHING CATASTROPHIC LIKE THAT HAPPENS HERE BEFORE WE WAKE UP AND SAY, OH, I SHOULD HAVE A DISASTER PLAN.
THIS IS THE TIME TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, OF THESE FOLKS, UH, KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR INSTEAD OF MOTHER NATURE AND SAYING, LET'S GET READY.
USUALLY WE HAVE A METEOROLOGIST UP HERE, SO I'LL LOOK TO SEE
BUT OUR DEPARTMENT DOES PLAN FOR THAT.
LIKE I SAID EARLIER, FOR THE FLOOD EARLY WARNING SYSTEM, WE'RE ACTUALLY MONITORING AND WORKING WITH THE, THE WEATHER SERVICE, UH, AS WELL.
AND SO OUR CREWS WILL PREPARE BEFORE THE STORM EVENT, WE'RE ACTUALLY OUT THERE CLEARING HOTSPOTS.
SO THIS IS THE TIME OF SEASON THAT THE RAIN CAN SHIFT.
AND SO THE, THE STORM EVENT THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, WE WERE ACTUALLY EXPECTING THAT CENTRAL TEXAS ENDED UP HITTING SOUTH TEXAS, SO WE DO PREPARE FOR IT.
AND SO WE DO HAVE STAFF AND, AND CREWS THAT WILL BE READY FOR THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? HOW'D YOU GUYS DECIDE, UH, WHEN TO CLOSE DOWN A ROAD BECAUSE OF FLOODING? SO OUR FLOOD EARLY WARNING SYSTEM MONITORS THROUGH GAUGES THROUGH CAMERAS, AND ACTUALLY OUR CREWS GO OUT TO AND PHYSICALLY EVALUATE TOO.
SO ONCE WE HAVE WATER OVER THE ROAD, WE ACTUALLY BARRICADED.
AND THAT'S HOW WE MON WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF ROAD WATER CLOSURES.
AND IF YOU GO TO ATX FLOODS.COM, THAT SITE'S NOT JUST AUSTIN, TEXAS, IT'S BECOME A REGIONAL TOOL.
SO ALL THE OTHER COMMUNITIES ALSO USE THAT TOOL.
AND SO IF YOU SEE A RED DOT, IT MEANS THAT ROAD'S CLOSED, IT'S BARRICADED, AND YOU SHOULD TRY AN ALTERNATE SITE, UH, LOCATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YOU WANNA CLOSE IT UP? YEP.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND JOINING US TODAY.