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[Austin Severe Weather Recap Press Conference ]
HELLO EVERYONE.WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TODAY'S SEVERE WEATHER RECOVERY NEWS CONFERENCE.
IN JUST A MINUTE, YOU WILL HEAR FROM OUR SPEAKERS AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THEM QUESTIONS AFTER THEY DELIVER THEIR PREPARED REMARKS.
THIS NEWS CONFERENCE IS BEING SIMULCAST IN SPANISH ON A TX N'S SECONDARY AUDIO PROGRAM.
THE SAP CHANNEL ON TV, AS WELL AS ONLINE ON A TX NM THREE REALTIME SPANISH CLOSED CAPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE ON A TXN VIA THE CLOSED CAPTION CHANNEL THREE, AND ON THE LIVESTREAM AND THE APP VIA THE DROPDOWN MENU.
WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH SPANISH LANGUAGE INTERVIEWS AFTER THE NEWS CONFERENCE CONCLUDES.
WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING.
I'M TC BROAD NEXT AUSTIN CITY MANAGER.
AS YOU KNOW, EARLY LAST EVENING, PARTS OF OUR CITY EXPERIENCE THE BRIEF BUT VERY POWERFUL STORM THAT RESULTED IN FLASH FLOODING, PROPERTY DAMAGE FROM HAIL AND DOWN TREES AND LIMBS AND POWER OUTAGES.
TRAGICALLY, IT ALSO RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF ONE LIFE.
TODAY WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS, AUSTIN'S OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AUSTIN ENERGY, AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION, AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, EMS, AUSTIN FIRE, AND AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
THEY'LL BE PROVIDING UPDATES ON RESPONSE AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
I WANNA TAKE THE TIME TO EXPRESS MY PROFOUND THANKS TO THE HARDWORKING CITY STAFF WHO SPRANG INTO ACTION AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE, PUTTING UP BARRIERS ON FLOODING STREETS, RESCUING PEOPLE FROM CREEK BEDS AND IN VEHICLES TRAPPED IN WATER, AND RESPONDING IMMEDIATELY TO BEGIN RESTORING POWER.
DEEP APPRECIATION GOES OUT TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES AND ALL CREWS WHO WORK THROUGH THE NIGHT AND CONTINUE TO WORK TRYING TO RESTORE POWER AND REMOVE DEBRIS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THE SPEED OF THIS STORM IS A POWERFUL REMINDER THAT ALL OF US NEED TO BE PREPARED, AND EVERYONE NEEDS TO HEED WARNINGS SUCH AS TURN AROUND AND DO NOT DROWN, NEVER DRIVE AROUND BARRIERS OR THROUGH FLOOD WATERS.
THEY CAN BE DECEPTIVELY POWERFUL AS WE SAW LAST NIGHT.
NOW, I WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO JIM REDDICK, THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN'S OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, TO GET US STARTED, UH, THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT REPORTS AND UPDATES.
THANK YOU, MR. MANAGER, MAYOR, PRO TEM FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
MY NAME IS JIM REDDICK, DIRECTOR OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
SO SEVERE WEATHER DID ROLL THROUGH LAST NIGHT, AND WHILE SOME OF AUSTIN DIDN'T EXPERIENCE A THING, SOME OF, UH, THE OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY DID.
UH, WE'RE TALKING LARGE HAIL, MINOR FLOODING, HIGH WINDS, AND POWER OUTAGES.
OF COURSE, THERE'S A LOT OF CONNECTIONS.
HIGH WIND KNOCKING DOWN TREE LIMBS, WHICH KNOCKED DOWN LINES, NOT JUST LINES, BUT POLES, POWER POLES, UH, SO IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF RESTORING THE LINES AND, AND, UM, MR. RILEY FROM AUSTIN ENERGY WILL SPEAK TO THAT LATER ON.
ALSO, THE STORM BROUGHT TWO TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN WITHIN 30 MINUTES, WHICH IS A BIG CAUSE OF THE FLASH FLOODING THAT WE EXPERIENCED AND WE WILL EXPERIENCE AGAIN BECAUSE WE ARE IN SEVERE WEATHER SEASON.
SO THE CITY IS AWARE THAT A LOT OF FOLKS ARE WITHOUT POWER AROUND 30,000.
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FOR CONTEXT, 97% OF THE CITY STILL HAS POWER.SO AUSTIN ENERGY AND THE PARTNERS WITH WHOM THEY RELY, UH, ARE DOING A GREAT JOB IN TERMS OF THE RESTORATION OF POWER.
THEY'RE DOING DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS AS LONG AS, OR AS WELL AS OTHER CREWS, OTHER DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, THE RESIDENTS ARE ALSO A PART OF THAT DAMAGE ASSESSMENT PROCESS.
PLEASE LOOK AT YOUR PROPERTY AND IF YOU HAVE DOWN LIMBS OR DOWN LINES, DO NOT TOUCH THEM IF THEY ARE, UH, TOUCHING ANY POWER LINES, OKAY? BUT IF THERE ARE DAMAGES REPORT THAT IF THERE'S ANYTHING A A TREE OR LIMB HANGING ON YOUR HOUSE CAUSING A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, LET US KNOW AND WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, DO TAKE PICTURES FOR RECORD KEEPING, UH, FOR YOUR INSURANCE PROVIDER.
DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE RATHER UNSCRUPULOUS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
MAKE SURE YOU WORK WITH YOUR INSURANCE PROVIDER FOR FOLKS WHO ARE LICENSED, UH, AND ACCREDITED TO DO WORK ON YOUR PROPERTY.
UM, FROM A LIFE SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, THERE ARE COOLING SHELTERS OPEN TODAY, AND I ASK THAT YOU CHECK AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV/ALERT BECAUSE THAT LIST CONTINUES TO GROW AS SOME OF OUR FACILITIES, UH, GET RESTORATION OF POWER AS WELL.
IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF ANY PARTICULAR SHELTER, OUR PARTNERS WITH THE RED CROSS ARE AVAILABLE.
PLEASE CONTACT THEM AT ONE 800 RED CROSS, CROS ONE 800 RED CROSS CROS.
UH, BEFORE WE HEAR FROM OUR OTHER PARTNERS AROUND THE CITY.
UM, RECOVERY AND CLEANUP IS GONNA LOOK A LITTLE BIT LIKE THIS.
AGAIN, WE'RE STILL IN SEVERE WEATHER SEASON, SO WHILE WE'RE DOING DEBRIS CLEARANCE, WHILE WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE RESTRENGTHENING OUR FACILITIES TRIMMING, UH, TREE LIMBS AND, AND THE THINGS LIKE THAT TO PREVENT FUTURE, UH, POWER OUTAGES, WE ASK THAT YOU DO THE SAME THING FOR YOUR HOME.
SO MAKE SURE YOU TAKE STEPS TO BE PREPARED, UH, FOR YOUR FAMILY, YOUR HOME, YOUR PROPERTY, AND GO TO READY CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG TO LEARN ABOUT THE FOUR STEPS OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
THIS WEBSITE ALSO HAS TIPS ON PREPARING FOR ALL TYPES OF HAZARDS BECAUSE OUR FOCUS IS PREPARING FOR ANYTHING NATURAL AND MANMADE.
BEFORE THE NEXT STORM COMES, PLEASE FOLLOW OFFICIAL CITY PUBLIC SAFETY ACCOUNTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AS WELL AS YOUR PREFERRED LOCAL SOURCE OF INFORMATION, UM, SO YOU CAN RECEIVE IMPORTANT INFORMATION BEFORE AND DURING MAJOR WEATHER EVENTS LIKE LAST NIGHT.
SO THE HIGH, THE BIGGEST TOPIC ON A LOT OF FOLKS' MIND IS POWER RESTORATION.
SO I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. STUART RILEY OF AUSTIN ENERGY TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THEIR PROCESSES.
I'M STUART RILEY, AUSTIN ENERGY, INTERIM GENERAL MANAGER.
FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR CUSTOMERS AND OUR COMMUNITY FOR THEIR PATIENCE AND RESILIENCE IN THE WAKE OF YESTERDAY'S STORM.
SINCE THE START OF THIS EVENT, ALL AVAILABLE CREWS HAVE BEEN WORKING 24 7 TO RESTORE POWER TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
THIS WAS A FAST MOVING DESTRUCTIVE STORM WITH WHOLE TREES RIPPED DOWN, EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO HOMES, PROPERTY AND ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT.
AT 6:00 PM LAST NIGHT, SEVERE STORMS BEGAN MOVING INTO OUR SERVICE AREA.
THESE STORMS MADE THEIR WAY ACROSS THE WESTERN PART OF OUR SERVICE AREA WITHOUT MUCH IMPACT, BUT STRENGTHENED VERY ABRUPTLY AND INTENSELY AS THEY MADE THEIR WAY INTO CENTRAL AUSTIN.
BETWEEN 6:45 PM AND 7:00 PM LAST NIGHT, STORMS REACHED THEIR PEAK INTENSITY WITH RECORDED WIND SPEEDS OF 77 MILES PER HOUR, ALONG WITH INTENSE RAIN, HAIL, AND LIGHTNING.
AT THE PEAK OF THIS OUTAGE INCIDENT, 20, UH, SORRY, 72,500 AUSTIN ENERGY CUSTOMERS WERE WITHOUT POWER.
LOOKING AT OUR OUTAGE HISTORY DATA IN OUR SYSTEM, WHICH GOES BACK TO 2012, THIS EVENT IS THE THIRD WORST STORM WE HAVE HAD IN AUSTIN ENERGY FOLLOWING ONLY WINTER STORM MARA AND WINTER STORM URI.
OUR CREWS HAVE MADE GREAT PROGRESS SO FAR.
AS OF 10:00 AM OVER 93% OF OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE POWER.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO GETTING THE REMAINING 38,000 CUSTOMERS BACK ONLINE AS QUICKLY AND SAFELY AS POSSIBLE.
OUR RESTORATION PROGRESS HAS COME WITH SOME OBSTACLES.
SO FAR, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED 104 BROKEN POLES, BUT CREWS ARE STILL ASSESSING THE DAMAGE, SO THERE COULD BE MORE.
SOME STREETS HAVE POLES THAT ARE TOPPLED ALL ALONG THE STREET, REQUIRING LABOR INTENSIVE TIME INTENSIVE WORK FOR MULTIPLE CREWS TO REPLACE THE POLES.
A COMMON SITUATION THAT WE'RE ENCOUNTERING IS HOLE TREES TOPPLED IN BACKYARDS, PULLING DOWN WIRE, PULLING DOWN POLES, BECAUSE THE DAMAGE WE'RE SEEING IS SO SUBSTANTIAL.
OUTAGE RESTORATION ACTIVITIES ARE EXPECTED TO EXTEND FOR MULTIPLE DAYS.
THERE'S CURRENTLY NO ESTIMATED TIME OF RESTORATION.
UH, WE HAVE DAMAGE ASSESSORS WHO ARE PATROLLING OUR SERVICE AREA NOW, AND WE'LL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ONCE THOSE DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS OF THE SYSTEM ARE COMPLETE.
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WHEN IT COMES TO RESTORING POWER, WE TAKE A PHASED APPROACH.THERE ARE THREE MAIN PHASES TO OUR RESTORATION OPERATIONS.
CURRENTLY, WE ARE STILL IN PHASE ONE.
IN PHASE ONE, THE UTILITY FOCUSES ON RESTORING POWER TO CRITICAL LIFE SAFETY, PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES, GETTING POWER BACK ON TO HOSPITALS, UM, EMERGENCY CALL CENTERS, CRITICAL COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT.
AND THEN, AND ALSO DURING PHASE ONE, WE LOOK AT GETTING POWER BACK ONTO THE MAIN LINES OF THE CIRCUITS.
AN OUTAGE ON THE MAIN LINE WILL CAUSE POWER OUTAGE LOSS TO ALL CUSTOMERS ON THAT CIRCUIT.
SO THAT'S WHY WE FOCUS ON THE MAIN LINES FIRST.
DOING SO ALLOWS US TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL WORK THAT MIGHT BE NECESSARY AS THAT MAINLINE BRANCHES OUT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THOSE FURTHER OUTAGES BEYOND THE MAINLINES CAN AFFECT MULTIPLE CUSTOMERS.
ALSO, AS PART OF PHASE ONE, WE ARE GATHERING MORE DETAILED ASSESSMENTS OF THE DAMAGE.
FOR PHASE TWO, AUSTIN ENERGY PRIORITIZES OUTAGES AFFECTING THE LARGEST NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS.
AND IN PHASE THREE, AUSTIN ENERGY IS FOCUSED ON THE REMAINING SMALLER OUTAGES.
THESE ARE OFTEN MORE COMPLEX AND MORE TIME CONSUMING, WHICH CAN TAKE HOURS TO COMPLETE THOSE TYPES OF OUTAGES AND RESTORE ONLY ONE OR TWO CUSTOMERS AT A TIME.
SO, WITH SUCH DRASTIC IMPACT TO THE SYSTEM AND THE COMMUNITY, AUSTIN ENERGY HAS CALLED FOR MUTUAL AID FROM OUR NEIGHBORING UTILITIES.
THIS ASSISTANCE WILL BE CRUCIAL IN PROVIDING US ADDITIONAL CREWS TO SUPPORT REPAIRS AND POWER RESTORATION.
WE HAVE MORE THAN 200 MUTUAL AID CREW MEMBERS ON THEIR WAY TO HELP WITH RESTORATION AND TREE TRIMMING.
ARRIVING THIS AFTERNOON, THANK YOU TO CENTER POINT AND ENCORE, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH ADDITIONAL UTILITIES IN THE SURROUNDING AREA FOR ADDITIONAL CREWS.
ONCE THOSE CREWS ARRIVE, WE WILL BRIEF THEM ON HOW TO SAFELY WORK ON AUSTIN ENERGY SYSTEM, AND THEN WE WILL DEPLOY THEM OUT IN THE FIELD TO HELP BRING CUSTOMERS ONLINE WITH MORE THAN A HUNDRED BROKEN UTILITY POLES, TREE TRIMMING CREWS ARE A CRITICAL PART OF OUR RESPONSE.
THE STORM RESULTED IN UPROOTED TREES ALL OVER AUSTIN ENERGY SERVICE AREA, AND CREWS ARE ACTIVELY CLEARING DEBRIS TO ENSURE SAFE AND EFFICIENT ACCESS TO OUR DAMAGE INFRASTRUCTURE.
IF YOU HAVE TREES ON YOUR PROPERTY THAT ARE WITHIN 10 FEET OF POWER LINES, PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRIM THOSE LIMBS.
CALL 5 1 2 3 2 2 9100 TO REPORT A DOWNED POWER LINE.
IF FALLEN LIMBS ARE CAUSING SPARKING, PLEASE CALL 9 1 1.
NEVER TOUCH A DOWNED POWER LINE, EVEN IF IT CROSSES A ROAD OR A VEHICLE.
STAY AT LEAST 35 FEET AWAY FROM DOWNED POWER LINES AND NEVER USE AN OBJECT TO MOVE A DOWNED LINE.
NEVER TOUCH ANYTHING IN CONTACT WITH A POWER LINE.
WHEN A LIVE WIRE TOUCHES THE GROUND, ELECTRICITY CAN EVEN FAN OUT INTO THE GROUND, UH, ACROSS THE IMMEDIATE AREA.
IF YOU HAVE AN OUTAGE, PLEASE REPORT THAT OUTAGE BY TEXTING OUT OUT TO 2 8 7 8 4 6.
OR YOU CAN VISIT OUTAGE MAP DOT AUSTIN ENERGY.COM OR BY CALLING 5 1 2 3 2 2 9100.
IF CUSTOMERS STILL HAVE AN OUTAGE AFTER RECEIVING A TEXT MESSAGE, THAT POWER HAS BEEN RESTORED TO THEIR AREA, PLEASE RESPOND OUT.
SMALLER OUTAGES CAN CONTINUE AFTER A MAJOR CIRCUIT IS REPAIRED BECAUSE OF DAMAGE TO SECONDARY POWER LINES OR EQUIPMENT.
THIS IS CALLED A NESTED OUTAGE OR A SECONDARY OUTAGE, AND CAN MATERIALIZE ONLY AFTER WE'RE REPAIRING THE, THE LARGER OUTAGE.
AND THEN WE CAN IDENTIFY THE SMALLER NESTED OUTAGE.
PLEASE FOLLOW AUSTIN ENERGY'S SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS ON X, FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM FOR UPDATES.
AND REGULARLY CHECK AUSTIN ENERGY'S CURRENT CONDITIONS PAGE FOR UPDATES.
AND AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR CUSTOMERS AND COMMUNITY FOR YOUR PATIENTS.
AS CREWS ARE WORKING AS QUICKLY AND SAFELY AS POSSIBLE, ALL AUSTIN ENERGY CREWS PLUS ADDITIONAL OUTSIDE CREWS ARE COMING IN TO AND WILL CONTINUE WORKING TO REPAIR STORM DAMAGE UNTIL ALL CUSTOMERS ARE RESTORED.
WE KNOW BEING WITHOUT POWER IS INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COULD STRETCH ACROSS MULTIPLE DAYS.
AND WE WILL NOT STOP WORKING UNTIL EVERYONE IS RESTORED.
AND AS SOON AS WE HAVE A MORE COMPLETE PICTURE OF THE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, WE WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL UPDATES.
I WILL PASS THE FLOOR TO, UM, RICHARD MCHALE FROM AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
I'M THE DIRECTOR FOR AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERIES ACTIONS SINCE THE STORM ROLLED THROUGH, UH, A RR CREWS, UH, STARTED OUT EARLY MORNING, UM, GOING TO SOME CITY FACILITIES THAT HAD REPORTED SOME DAMAGE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT MATERIAL CLEANED UP, UH, AND REMOVED.
UH, CURRENTLY WE ARE, UH, DOING A DAMAGE ASSESSMENT.
UH, SO OUR CREWS ARE GOING AROUND THE CITY AND EVALUATING DAMAGE.
UM, AS MANAGER, INTERIM MANAGER RILEY, UH, UH, SAID, UH, THE STORM PREDOM PREDOMINANTLY HIT KIND OF NORTH OF THE RIVER
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AND KIND OF EAST OF OF MOPAC.SO WE'RE, UH, WE'RE SEEING MOST OF THE DAMAGE IN THAT AREA AT THIS POINT, BUT WE'RE STILL DOING THOSE ASSESSMENTS.
SO, UH, FOR OUR CUSTOMERS THAT WERE IMPACTED, UM, WE DO HAVE THE FOLLOWING, UH, REQUEST THAT, UM, IF YOU DO HAVE SMALL BRANCHES AND YARD TRIMMINGS AND LEAVES THAT HAVE COME DOWN, UM, TO GO AHEAD AND PLACE THOSE IN YOUR GREEN COMPOSTING CART AND SET THAT OUT, UH, NEXT TO, UH, YOUR, YOUR TRASH ON YOUR REGULAR COLLECTION DAY.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL MATERIALS, YOU CAN PUT THOSE IN BAGS OR ADDITIONAL CONTAINERS.
WE NORMALLY HAVE A LIMIT OF 15 CONTAINERS, BUT WE'RE WAIVING THAT, UH, IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE JUST TO, UH, TO ALLOW YOU TO PUT MORE MATERIAL OUT THERE.
UM, IF YOU HAVE LARGER BRANCHES AND TREE LIMBS, WE ASK THAT YOU CALL 3 1 1 TO REQUEST A COLLECTION, UH, DUE TO THE SEVERE WEATHER.
AND, UH, A RR CREWS WILL GO OUT THERE AND MAKE THOSE ASSESSMENTS.
UH, AND THEN WE WILL HAVE, UH, UH, CREWS THAT WILL GO OUT THERE AND DO AND START DOING THOSE COLLECTIONS.
UM, WHILE THERE'S CURRENTLY NO, UH, CHANGES TO OUR REGULAR COLLECTIONS, WE WOULD ASK THAT CUSTOMERS, UH, UH, GET OUR AUSTIN RECYCLE APP@AUSTINTEXAS.GOV SLASH MY SCHEDULE.
AND THIS GIVES US REGULAR UPDATES TO YOU ON, UH, ANY CHANGES THAT YOU MIGHT EXPERIENCE IN SERVICE COLLECTIONS.
ALSO, IF YOU'VE EXPERIENCED ANY FLOOD DAMAGE, UM, GO AHEAD AND CALL 3 1 1 AS WELL.
UM, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND A RR WILL, UH, ASSESS THOSE, UH, CALLS AS WELL, UH, TO REMOVE ANY ITEMS THAT MAY, UH, BE DAMAGED BECAUSE OF FLOOD DEBRIS.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I WILL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO, UH, JOHN BEACHY WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION.
UM, JOHN BEACHY, UH, INTERIM ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
UH, AS MANY OF OUR COLLEAGUES HAVE SHARED HERE, WE EXPERIENCED UP TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN FELL WITHIN THE WATERSHEDS OF NORTH OF THE COLORADO RIVER.
THIS RESULTED IN RISES IN OUR LOCAL WATERWAYS, AND WE EXPERIENCED LOCAL LOCALIZED ISSUES WITH OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEMS. UH, WATERSHED CREWS ARE CURRENTLY ASSESSING CONDITIONS AND CLEARING DEBRIS, UH, IN OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND WATERWAYS, AND WE ASK THE COMMUNITY TO HELP BY CALLING 3 0 1 TO REPORT ANY FLOODING OR DRAINAGE AND DEBRIS RELATED ISSUES.
UM, YOU CAN HELP WITH THIS NATURE AS WELL BY NOT THROWING ANY OF THE LI LIMBS OR TREES INTO CREEKS OR CULVERTS, AS THIS WILL IMPACT THE ABILITY OF OUR DRAINAGES AND WORK AND WATER WILL NOT FLOW PROPERLY AND COULD CAUSE ADDITIONAL FLOODING, UH, WITH ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL.
UM, PLEASE STAY OFF THE ROADWAYS IF YOU HAVE TO TRAVEL.
YOU CAN CHECK ATX FLOODS.COM FOR REALTIME ROAD CLOSURE INFORMATION, AND WE ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY TO VISIT ATX FLOOD SAFETY.COM FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO STAY SAFE AND BE PREPARED BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER A FLOOD OCCURS.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS CHIEF ROBERT.
UH, ROBERT LUCR, CHIEF OF AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS. UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, ALL OF OUR, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY INDIVIDUALS FROM, UH, OUR MEDICS AT EMS, OUR FIREFIGHTERS WITH THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR POLICE OFFICERS, UH, WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR ALL OF THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION, UM, THAT THEY PERFORM EACH AND EVERY DAY, BUT PARTICULARLY LAST NIGHT, UM, AS THEY RESPONDED TO, UH, THIS STORM IN AN EXTRAORDINARILY PROFESSIONAL MANNER.
UM, AND AND TRULY WERE OUT THERE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
STARTING AROUND 6:45 PM LAST NIGHT, OUR COMMUNICATION CENTER RECEIVED A SURGE OF 9 1 1 CALLS RANGING FROM WATER RESCUES AS WELL AS POWER OUTAGES AND, AND THEIR RELATED MEDICAL, UH, CONCERNS AS WELL AS TRAFFIC COLLISIONS.
MOST OF THOSE INCIDENTS CAME IN, IN THE SPAN OF LESS THAN AN HOUR, WHERE WE SAW ALMOST A 35% INCREASE IN CALL VOLUME.
WE RESPONDED WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS ACROSS THE COUNTY TO NINE WATER RESCUE CALLS, WHICH RANGED FROM PEOPLE BEING VEHICLES, TAKING ON WATER, PEDESTRIANS THAT WERE SWEPT AWAY BY FASTENING CURRENTS AND OTHERS.
ALL OF OUR INDIVIDUALS, ALL OF OUR MEDICS THAT WERE OUT THERE IN IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, WORKED ALONGSIDE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS, UH, TO PERFORM BRAVELY, UH, IN THE VARIOUS ACTIONS THAT THEY DID IN IN THE EVENING.
ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, IS THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH THAT WE HAVE AT EMS FOR HOW WE RESPOND TO THESE EMERGENCIES.
IN ADDITION TO OUR TRADITIONAL EMS RESPONSE, UH, A NUMBER OF OUR RESCUE PARAMEDICS WORKED ALONGSIDE OUR AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT AND COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT PARTNERS TO ASSIST IN WATER RESCUES ACROSS THE COUNTY AND WANNA THANK THEM FOR THEIR SPECIFIC DEDICATION AND EXPERIENCE.
UNFORTUNATELY, ONE OF THOSE CALLS RESULTED IN THE FATALITY OF AN ADULT PATIENT WHO WAS REPORTEDLY SUBMERGED FOR OVER 20 MINUTES AND THE RESCUE OPERATION TRANSITION FROM TO RECOVERY MODE WHEN THEY WERE PRONOUNCED DECEASED ON SCENE.
OUR CONDOLENCES GO OUT TO THE VICTIM AND THE FAMILY MM-HMM
HOWEVER, IN THE MIDST OF THOSE WATER RESCUES AND VEHICLE RESCUES, OUR NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKERS RECEIVED CALL FROM A FRANTIC PARENT THAT WAS REPORTING THAT THEIR HOME WAS WITHOUT POWER AND THAT THEIR YOUNG CHILD WAS DEPENDENT ON A VENTILATOR.
THIS ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR US TO NOT ONLY FOCUS ON THESE RESCUES, BUT TO ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT IN THESE TIMES OF EMERGENCIES, THAT THE INDIVIDUALS WHO LOSE POWER AND OTHER INCIDENTS THAT MAY OCCUR
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ARE ALSO AS CRITICAL.OUR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS AND OUR COMMANDERS RESPONDED TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND EVALUATE THE SITUATION.
AND THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT'S STATION 50, A GENERATOR WAS SECURED AND BROUGHT OVER TO THE FAMILY TO ENSURE THAT THERE ANY UNNECESSARY TRANSPORTATION TO THE HOSPITAL WAS PREVENTED.
IN ADDITION, OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDICS WERE OUT THERE EACH AND EVERY DAY, FOCUSED ON SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, REFOCUS THEIR MISSION TO ASSIST IN THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDICS CAME ACROSS A DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TROOPER WHO WERE UTILIZING A ROPE AND AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS FOUND BARELY HOLDING ONTO A GUARDRAIL.
A SWIFT WATER ROSE UP TO THEIR NECK.
THEY WERE ABLE TO WRAP THE, WRAP THE ROPE UNDER HIS ARM AND PULL HIM TO SAFETY BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF FORMALIZED RESCUE RESOURCES FROM THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT OR AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS. THESE UNFORTUNATE INCIDENTS ARE WHAT OUR MEDICS, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, AND OUR POLICE OFFICERS TRAIN FOR EACH AND EVERY DAY.
ALL OF OUR RESPONDERS ARE TRAINED IN SWIFT WATER AWARENESS, AND ALL OF OUR UNITS ARE STOCKED WITH THROW BAGS TO AFFECT THOSE RESCUES, NOT ONLY FROM OUR RESCUE UNITS, BUT ACROSS ALL OF OUR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS.
WHEN THOSE SECONDS COUNT, AGAIN, I WANNA THANK ALL OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, EMS, AND AGAIN, RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK, NOT ONLY OF OUR TEAM, BUT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO BOTH PERFORMED EXTRAORDINARY EFFORTS LAST NIGHT.
UM, IT WAS A TEAM THAT CAME TOGETHER IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THIS EMERGENCY, UH, AND IT'S SOMETHING WE ARE ALL VERY PROUD TO BE A PART OF.
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN OVER TO AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT ASSISTANT CHIEF ANDRE RESO.
HELLO, I'M ANDRE RESO WITH THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AS CHIEF LURE SAID, WE STARTED, UH, RECEIVING CALLS A SURGE AT 6 45.
IT RESULTED IN OVER 700 CALLS FOR ASSISTANCE IN THOSE FIRST FEW HOURS.
MOST OF THEM WERE TREE DOWN AND WIRE ARCING CALLS, BUT WE HAD INTERSPERSED IN THERE SOME HIGH ACUITY CALLS.
THESE TYPE OF EMERGENCIES ARE WHAT BRINGS US TOGETHER AS ONE CITY, ONE COMMUNITY.
YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'VE HEARD, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO ECHO THAT.
WE WORK TOGETHER TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY WITH THOSE TREE DOWN AND WIRE INGS.
WE COLLABORATIVELY WORKED NOT ONLY IN THOSE FIRST THREE HOUR, THREE HOURS, BUT THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT INTO THE MORNING WITH AUSTIN ENERGY PUBLIC WORKS AND AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY TO TRIAGE THOSE CALLS TO HIT THOSE LIFE HAZARD CALLS WITH THE HIGHEST PRIORITY, WHERE IT COULD BE IMMEDIATE DANGER TO LIFE AND HEALTH, AND THEN TO TRIAGE TO OTHER ONES TO A LOWER PRIORITY SO WE COULD KEEP THOSE UNITS RESPONDING TO WHERE LIFE WAS TRULY IN DANGER.
WE HAD HUNDREDS OF MEDICAL CALLS THAT WE WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH EMS SO THAT WE COULD GET THE APPROPRIATE AND APPROPRIATE CALL, UH, CALL ASSISTANCE TO THEM OF THE WATER RESCUES THAT WERE MENTIONED.
WE WORKED A-F-D-A-P-D AND EMS TO RESCUE THOSE INDIVIDUALS OF THOSE TWO HIGH INTENSITY CALLS WHERE PEOPLE WERE SWEPT AWAY, UNFORTUNATELY RESULTING IN ONE PERSON WHO DID PASS.
BUT EACH OF THOSE AGENCIES HAD THE TOOLS AND THE TRAINING CAPABILITIES TO ASSIST THOSE PEOPLE AND TRY TO BRING THE MOST SAFETY OF THE OTHER VEHICLE RESCUES.
AND I WANT TO BE EMPHASIZE THIS.
THERE WERE CAR CARS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT CIRCUMVENTED BARRICADES.
THEY WENT AROUND BARRICADES INTO WHAT SEEMED LIKE CALM, STILL STANDING WATERS.
THOSE RESULTED IN OUR EMERGENCY CREWS HAVING TO GO IN AND RESCUES.
THEY ARE NOT STILL, PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE AROUND BARRICADES.
THERE IS A TERM TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN.
IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING TO MORE EMERGENCIES AS WE DO THAT OUR CREWS WORKED HARD THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT AND CONTINUED INTO THE MORNING.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK SIDE BY SIDE OUR, OUR CITY PARTNERS AND OUR COMMUNITY TO RETURN OUR COMMUNITIES TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE AND BE PREPARED FOR THE NEXT EMERGENCY.
I'LL TURN ON BACK TO DIRECTOR RED.
SO WITH THIS, UM, I THINK THE, THE THEME THAT I HOPE YOU PICK UP IS TEAM, THAT WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
AND WHILE IT'S, IT'S USUALLY ERRANT TO MAKE PROMISES DURING THESE TYPES OF RESPONSE, I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT THE COLLABORATION, THE COORDINATION, AND THE COMMUNICATION WILL CONTINUE.
WE WORK VERY WELL, UH, AGAIN FROM THE, FROM THE ONSET LAST NIGHT THROUGH TODAY, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK AS A TEAM AND MAKE SURE THAT WE DO ALL WE CAN TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY INFORMED AND ALSO WORK WITH YOU MOVING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THE CITY REMAINS PREPARED FOR FUTURE INCIDENTS.
WITH THAT, UH, WE WILL OPEN IT UP TO A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
LAST TIME WE HAD A REPORTER AT SPICEWOOD, HE SAID, DESPITE MULTIPLE 9 1 1
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CALLS, THERE WAS NO BARRICADE TO BLOCK A SUBMERGED ROAD.AND DRIVERS KEPT DRIVING THROUGH, UM, GETTING STUCK.
UH, WHY WAS THERE NO BARRICADE AT THIS ROAD? BARRICADE? JIM DALE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS, WE'RE GONNA NEED TO CHECK INTO THAT SPECIFIC LOCATION, BUT OUR CREWS WERE OUT THERE SETTING UP BARRICADES AT A NUMBER OF LOCATIONS.
WE'D HAVE TO CHECK INTO THAT SPECIFIC LOCATION.
AND FOR THE ALITY THAT HAPPENED, WHERE, WHERE WERE, WERE ALL THE WATER RESCUES IN A, IN A SIMILAR SPOT WE'RE KIND OF SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY? DO YOU WANT ANSWER THAT? DO YOU MIND? GO AHEAD.
UH, THAT PARTICULAR FATALITY WAS, UH, UP ON, UH, NORTH LOOP WEST, WEST NORTH LOOP DRIVE.
UM, AND IN TERMS OF THE LOCATIONS, THEY WERE, THEY WERE FOCUSED MOSTLY IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE CITY WHERE AS THE, WHERE THE STORM CAME THROUGH? YES.
IS THIS THE FIRST DEATH IN RECENT YEARS FROM FLASH FLOOD EVENTS AND WHAT'S THE STATE OF THE PERSON, THE SECOND PERSON WHO HAD TO BE RESCUED? I'M SORRY, SAY THAT AGAIN.
WHAT IS THE FIRST FLASH FLOOD DEATH IN RECENT YEARS AND, AND HOW IS THE, THE, THE SECOND PERSON DOING THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THE HIGH ACUITY RESCUE? UM, THERE WAS SIX INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THOSE HIGH ACUITY ONES WHERE WE HAD PEOPLE SWEPT AWAY INTO THE WATERS.
ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN, UH, SIGNED OVER TO EMS AND THEN TO MEDICALS.
IF THEY ARE BEING CONTINUING TO TREATMENT, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW UP.
WE ARE PRIORITIZING ACTIVE CALLS ON THAT.
AS TO THE STATUS OF PAST FLASH FLOODS, AUSTIN IS, THAT'S ONE OF OUR MAJOR NATURAL DISASTERS IN THIS AREA IS FLASH FLOODS.
AND WE OFTEN HAVE PEOPLE WHO, UH, ARE FIND THEMSELVES IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.
WE, IT IS UNKNOWN IF WE HAVE OTHER ONES THAT JUST HAVE NOT BEEN REPORTED.
THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN REPORTED TO AND WE WERE ABLE TO RESPOND TO.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO SEARCH THE AREAS AND LOOK AT AREAS AND FOLLOW UP ON ANY FURTHER CALLS.
IF YOU HAVE LOVED ONES THAT YOU DO NOT KNOW OF WHERE THERE ARE, PLEASE CALL AND WE WILL WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CHECKING FOR THOSE ACCOUNTING FOR ALL PEOPLE.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR AUSTIN ENERGY.
EDDIE CROSS WITH CBS AUSTIN, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU FELT LIKE DOWN TREES PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE POWER OUTAGES.
WHERE DOES AUSTIN ENERGY STAND NOW IN TERMS OF MEETING INDUSTRY STANDARDS? UM, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO, UH, DISTINGUISH BETWEEN OUR ONGOING VEGETATION MANAGEMENT WORK, WHICH FOCUSES ON HAVING CLEARANCE FROM POWER LINES AND TREE LIMBS, BUT THERE'S NO AMOUNT OF VEGETATION MANAGEMENT THAT CAN ACCOUNT FOR A 40 OR 50 FOOT TREE BEING UPROOTED AND TOPPLING.
SO IN THIS CASE, REALLY WHAT WE'RE SEEING OUT THERE, VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, ONGOING TREE TRIMMING EFFORTS WOULD NOT HAVE SOLVED FOR WHAT WE'RE SEEING OUT THERE ON THE SYSTEM NOW.
RIGHT NOW IT'S ENTIRE TREES THAT HAVE FALLEN OVER VERSUS JUST YOUR TYPICAL DAY TO DAY.
A TREE LIMB GROWS IN THE SPRING AND IT MIGHT GROW INTO A POWER LINE.
THAT IS WHAT OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT EFFORTS ARE FOCUSED ON.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING, YOU KNOW, WE, WE MOVED BACK TO AN INDUSTRY STANDARD IN 2021 WITH HIRING ADDITIONAL CREWS AND MAKING MORE PROGRESS, MAKING MORE HEADWAY ON OUR, ON OUR CLEARANCES AND OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT AS WE COMMUNICATED.
THEN WE'RE ON A SEVEN YEAR TRIM CYCLE, SO IT TAKE US A FULL SEVEN YEARS TO GET THROUGH TO GET TO EVERYBODY, AND WE'RE MAKING REALLY GOOD PROGRESS THERE.
AND THAT, THAT THOSE EFFORTS WILL BE ONGOING AND, AND WILL BE WITHIN THAT SEVEN YEAR TRIM CYCLE.
AND IS THAT SEVEN YEARS? IS THAT 2028, CORRECT.
WE'D BE FULLY AROUND ON OUR SEVEN YEAR CYCLE TO COVER THE ENTIRE CITY TO THOSE, UH, INDUSTRY STANDARDS.
AND I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION FOR EMS, I GUESS EMS OR FIRE
IS THAT CORRECT OR DID I MISUNDERSTAND? UH, THAT IS NOT WHAT I INTENDED.
IF I DID SAY THAT IS NOT CORRECT.
UH, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO FOUND THEMSELVES, THIS WAS A RAPIDLY MOVING EVENT THAT THE WATER ROUTE THERE.
WE HAVE REPORTS AND WE DID RESCUE PEOPLE WHO DID GO AROUND BARRICADES, BUT AS WAS REPORTED THERE WERE, THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME STREETS THAT WE DID NOT HAVE THE TIME OR THE RESOURCES TO GET TO, TO SET UP FOR BARRICADES, TEMPORARY OR EVEN TAPE THOSE OFF.
WE HAD SOME PEOPLE WHO WENT AROUND.
THERE'S SURELY SOME PEOPLE WHO WERE FOUND IN PLACES WHERE THERE WERE NOT BARRICADES AND AT NIGHT IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO SEE THAT.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE, IF THERE IS EVEN WHAT LOOKS TO BE ONLY ONE OR TWO INCHES OF WATER ON THE ROAD, DON'T TRUST IT.
THAT COULD IN FACT BE A FOOT AND A HALF OF WATER.
IT ONLY TAKES SIX INCHES OR LESS TO MOVE SOME VEHICLES DEPENDING ON THE FLOW RATE OF THOSE WATERS.
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IT'S CRITICAL, EVEN IF THERE'S NOT A BARRICADE, IF THERE'S WATER ON THE ROADWAY IN STORMS LIKE THIS, PLEASE TURN AROUND.I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR AUSTIN ENERGY JUST TO, UM, VERIFY.
97% HAS BEEN RESTORED AND 30 SOMETHING THOUSAND STILL WITHOUT POWER.
CAN YOU JUST TELL ME THOSE
UH, AT THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM, WE HAD 70, OVER 72,000 CUSTOMERS THAT DID NOT HAVE POWER.
AND, AND DURING THE COURSE OF THAT, WE RESTORE SOME CUSTOMERS, THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL OUTAGES AND WE WORK OUR WAY THROUGH, UM, GOING FROM LARGEST TO SMALLEST OUTAGES AND GOING FROM THE OLDEST OUTAGE TO THE NEWEST.
SO WE RECEIVED SEVERAL, UM, SEVERAL WARNINGS YESTERDAY IN TERMS OF WEATHER, RIGHT? SO WAS THERE REALLY A TORNADO IN OR AROUND AUSTIN YESTERDAY? DOES ANYONE CAN CONFIRM THAT? I CAN'T CONFIRM THAT YET, BUT WE'LL REACH OUT TO OUR PARTNERS WITH THE WEATHER SERVICE, UH, TO SEE IF THEY'VE ACTUALLY MADE THAT DETERMINATION.
BUT THAT'S, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THAT REPORT.
UH, ANOTHER QUESTION FOR AUSTIN ENERGY.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE UTILITY IS DOING NOW AS SEVERE WEATHER WILL CONTINUE TO SAFEGUARD THE INFRASTRUCTURE FROM FURTHER OUTAGES? YES.
UM, SO WE RECENTLY COMMIT, COMPLETED A, UM, UNDERGROUNDING STUDY, UH, WHICH LOOKS AT THE FEASIBILITY OF MOVING SOME OF OUR ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO UNDERGROUND.
UM, WE'RE TAKING THE RESULTS OF THAT STUDY AS WELL AS AN ONGOING STUDY FOR OVERHEAD DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM HARDENING.
AND THE RESULTS OF THOSE TWO STUDIES TOGETHER WILL INFORM A ONGOING SYSTEM RESILIENCY AND GRID HARDENING PLAN THAT WE, UH, WE ANTICIPATE WILL BE DONE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
AND SO ONGOING GRID RESILIENCY IS ONE OF OUR, OUR PRIMARY STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES.
AND WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO EFFECTIVELY HARDEN OUR SYSTEM, IMPROVE OUR SYSTEM.
AND AS WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE STORMS AND THE SEVERITY OF STORMS INCREASING, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO KEEP UP WITH OUR SYSTEM AND INVESTING IN OUR SYSTEM AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE BIGGER AND HEAVIER STORMS LIKE WE'RE SEEING.
IS THERE ANYTHING HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS THE NEXT COMING WEEKS, AS YOU MENTIONED, WE'RE, WE'RE IN SEVERE WEATHER SEASON.
WELL, COMING INTO THE SUMMER, JUST LIKE AS WE DO COMING INTO THE WINTER, WE DO INSPECTIONS OF ALL OF OUR SUBSTATIONS.
WE PROACTIVELY DO MAINTENANCE GOING INTO THE SUMMER SEASON BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN KIND OF THE STRESS ON THE SYSTEM IS HIGHEST, THE USAGE IS THE HIGHEST.
SO WE DO PROACTIVE INSPECTIONS AND MAINTENANCE ALL ACROSS OF OUR, ALL ACROSS OUR SYSTEM.
UM, AND WE HAVE ONGOING GRID RESILIENCY WORK, WE HAVE GRID RESILIENCY AND GRID HARDENING MONEY IN OUR ANNUAL BUDGET EVERY YEAR.
AND WE'RE DOING THESE ADDITIONAL STUDIES TO, UH, TO FURTHER THOSE EFFORTS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I SEE THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICES HERE.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANNA SAY ABOUT THE UNHOUSED COMMUNITY AND HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO HOLD UP FROM THE STORM? SURE.
DAVID GRAY, HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SINCE THE WEEKEND, WE'VE BEEN INFORMING OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER THIS WEEK WITH OUR MOST RECENT TEXT ALERT GOING OUT ON MONDAY NIGHT IN ADVANCE AT THAT STORM.
WE'VE ALSO HAD OUR OUTREACH TEAMS AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY GROUPS WHO WE WORK WITH GOING OUT INTO ENCAMPMENTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN LOW LINE AREAS, TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PULL PEOPLE OUT AND GET PEOPLE TO HIGHER GROUND.
UH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED, I GUESS IN A SENSE TO SEE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A NUMBER OF PEH RELATED INCIDENTS WITH THIS STORM.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WERE IN LOW LINE AREAS WE'RE ABLE TO GET OUT, UH, IN THE AREA WHERE THE FATALITY WAS.
WE DID NOT HAVE ANY REPORTS OF ENCAMPMENTS IN THAT AREA, SO WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH A PD AND A FD AND EMS TO DETERMINE THE HOW STATUS OF THAT INDIVIDUAL.
UH, BUT FOR NOW WE, WE WERE VERY CONFIDENT IN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR OUTREACH STRATEGIES AND THOSE OUTREACH STRATEGIES ARE GONNA CONTINUE AS SEVERE WEATHER CONTINUES TO BE FORECASTED FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
OH, AND SINCE WE KNOW THERE WERE NOT
UM, WE DID HEAR THERE WAS DAMAGE AT THE AIRPORT.
WAS IT ANYTHING THAT WOULD AFFECT FLIGHTS OR PASSENGERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF? NO MA'AM.
SO THE, THE CON OR THE COORDINATION CALL WE HAD THIS MORNING, THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF IMPACT, BUT OPERATIONS CONTINUED.
SO, OH, AND FOR A FD OR EMS, UM, WE SAW THERE WAS SOME GAS STATION CANOPIES THAT HAD COLLAPSED.
UM, ANY OTHER REPORTS OF INJURIES FROM THINGS FALLING, ANYTHING LIKE THAT? THERE WAS A MULTITUDE OF DAMAGE OF A WIDE VARIETY.
WE ADDRESSED ALL THE ONES THAT CA CAME IN 9 1 1 AND, UH, WE MITIGATED ALL THOSE.
UH, THERE IF THE, IF SOME OF THEM WERE PARTICULAR DUE TO A GAS COLLAPSE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN WORKED WITH THAT BUSINESS
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OWNER MADE SURE THAT WE ADDRESSED ANY OF THE LIFE SAFETY ISSUES THERE.AND THEN IT WOULD BE UP TO THEM TO COME UP WITH A RESOLUTION TO HOW TO GET BACK INTO BUSINESS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SO NO SEVERE OTHER INJURIES, YOU KNOW, THAT IS CORRECT.
THE MAYOR TWEETED ABOUT VACUUM TRUCKS, VACUUM UP, VACUUMING UP WATER.
IS THERE ANY MORE INFORMATION THAT SHE CAN PROVIDE ON THAT? UM, THE VECTOR TRUCKS OR VACUUM TRUCKS ARE STANDARD OF PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT WE USE IN THE DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE INDUSTRY.
AND THEY WERE DEPLOYED LAST NIGHT TO HELP, UH, ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE CLOGGED DRAIN SYSTEMS IN AND AROUND THE, THE AREAS IN NORTH AUSTIN.
ARE THEY STILL BEING UTILIZED OR ARE THEY YEAH, THEY'RE SOMETHING WE UTILIZE ON A DAILY BASIS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING, ALL WE HAVE FOR TODAY.