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EVERYONE.COMMUNITY AND STAFF, IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO GATHER IN A LITTLE BIT CLOSER, PLEASE.
ALRIGHT, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS VANESSA FUENTES AND I'M HONORED TO SERVE AS AUSTIN'S MAYOR PRO TEM, AND AS COUNCILWOMAN OF THIS DISTRICT, DISTRICT TWO ON AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL HOME TO OUR ONION CREEK COMMUNITY.
TODAY MARKS 10 YEARS SINCE THE DEVASTATING 2015 HALLOWEEN FLOODS THAT SWEPT THROUGH ONION CREEK, A TRAGEDY THAT TOOK LIVES, DISPLACED FAMILIES, AND LEFT A LASTING IMPACT ON OUR CITY.
FLOODING REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES IN AUSTIN AND FOR COMMUNITIES ACROSS TEXAS.
THE REALITY WE WERE REMINDED OF THIS YEAR WITH THE JULY 4TH FLOODS IN THE HILL COUNTRY AND THE FLOODS JUST LAST WEEK RIGHT HERE IN OUR OWN CITY, AS WE REMEMBER THE LIVES THAT WERE LOST, AND WE HONOR THE RESILIENCE OF THOSE AFFECTED.
WE ALSO RECOMMIT TO WHAT MATTERS MOST, KEEPING AUSTINITE SAFE AND INFORMED AND PREPARED.
IN THE YEARS SINCE WE'VE MADE SOME PROGRESS THROUGH STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, WE'VE LAUNCHED THE FLOOD INSURANCE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH IS A PILOT PROGRAM THAT WE'VE ALREADY HAD GREAT RESPONSE TO.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS SHUT DOWN RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO FACILITATE THOSE CONNECTIONS WITH THE FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM.
WE'VE ALSO, IN THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE, WE'VE UPGRADED EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS, WE'VE INSTALLED NEW FLOOD DETECTION CAMERAS, WE'VE IMPROVED DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURES, AND WE'VE HOSTED OUR CITY'S FIRST EVER FLOOD SAFETY FEST.
EACH OF THOSE EFFORTS REFLECT OUR SHARED BELIEF THAT SAFETY IS A RIGHT AND IT'S NOT A PRIVILEGE.
I'M DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, TO OUR CITY STAFF, AND TO OUR LOCAL ADVOCATES WHO SHOW UP FOR OUR COMMUNITIES RAIN OR SHINE.
AND WHILE THE WORK ISN'T DONE YET, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WHEN THE NEXT STORM COMES THAT WE'RE READY, I NOW WANT TO PRESENT THE FOLLOWING PROCLAMATION, WHICH DIRECTOR HAS, WHEREAS HEAVY LOCALIZED RAINS CAUSE DEVASTATING FLOODING ON THE ONION CREEK IN ON OCTOBER 30TH, 2015.
AND WHEREAS THESE WERE NOT THE FIRST FLOODS TO AFFECT ONION CREEK, BUT THEY WERE THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE.
THREE PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES IN THOUSANDS OF HOMES IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN WERE DAMAGED AND DESTROYED.
AND WHEREAS WHILE THE CITY OF AUSTIN CONTINUES TO TAKE STEPS TOWARDS MITIGATING FLOOD RISKS, THE RESIDENTS OF CENTRAL TEXAS SITUATED IN FLASH FLOOD ALLEY, THE MOST FLOOD PRONE REGION IN NORTH AMERICA, MUST REMAIN MINDFUL OF THE POSSIBILITY OF FLASH FLOODING CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN WISHES TO COMMEMORATE THE HISTORIC LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY IN THESE FLOODS AND TO MAINTAIN READINESS FOR FUTURE STORMS. NOW, THEREFORE, I MAYOR PRO TEM VANESSA FUENTES ON BEHALF OF AUSTIN'S MAYOR KIRK WATSON DO, AND THE ENTIRE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DO, HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 30TH, 2025 AS 10 YEAR REMEMBRANCE OF THE 2015 HALLOWEEN FLOOD IN AUSTIN.
ACCEPTING THIS PROCLAMATION IS DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN WATERSHED DEPARTMENT, JORGE MORALES.
I'D LIKE TO START BY EXPRESSING MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF AMAD RE VELOS ANTONIO CONNOR, WHO DIED DURING THE STORMS THIS PAST WEEKEND, UH, HERE IN AUSTIN, ALONG WITH THE TRAGEDIES OF THE 4TH OF JULY FLOODS.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT REMINDER THAT ALTHOUGH WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS IN PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY FROM FLOODING, MORE WORK REMAINS TO BE DONE.
FLOODING REMAINS A SIGNIFICANT RISK.
THE 2015 HALLOWEEN FLOODS WAS A CRITICAL MOMENT AS WE WITNESSED HOW DESTRUCTIVE FLOODING CAN BE TO OUR CITY.
NO ONE UNDERSTANDS THAT BETTER THAN THE PEOPLE WHO USED TO LIVE HERE IN THE ONION CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD AND WHO STILL LIVE HERE.
ALMOST 500 FAMILIES USED TO CALL THIS AREA HOME.
THIS IS WHERE THEY LIVED, WHERE THEIR CHILDREN PLAYED, AND WHERE THEY RAISED, RAISED THEIR FAMILIES.
WE, WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE MORE THAN 480 PROPERTIES AND HELPED THE RESIDENTS RELOCATE TO HOMES SAFE FROM THE FLOODING.
THE CITY HAS BEEN DETERMINED IN THAT TIME SINCE TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND TO TAKE STEPS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF MAJOR FLOODING.
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WATERSHED PROTECTION HAS MADE UPGRADES TO THE FLOOD EARLY WARNING SYSTEM IN ORDER TO KEEP DRIVERS OFF THE FLOODED ROADS.WE HAVE AMPLIFIED OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO TEACH AUSTINITES ABOUT THE RISK OF FLOODING AND HOW THEY CAN PROTECT THEMSELVES.
BECAUSE OF THE WORK, FEMA HAS INSURED A SIGNIFICANT DISCOUNT ON FEDERALLY BACKED FLOOD INSURANCE OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THE CITY.
THE CITY HAS ALSO ANNOUNCED THE FLOOD INSURANCE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO GIVE HOMEOWNERS AS MUCH AS $2,000 TO AFFORD FLOOD INSURANCE.
WATERSHED PROTECTION COULD NOT ACCOMPLISH THESE MILESTONES WITHOUT INPUT FROM THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN AND OUR PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE ARE HONORED TO BE JOINED TO DATE BY SOME OF OUR OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS WHOSE COOPERATION AND CRITICAL AND IS CRITICAL TO ACCOMPLISHING OUR MISSION.
NEXT, I'D LIKE TO INVITE OUR TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, ATTORNEY, DALIA GARZA TO SPEAK SOME WORDS AS WELL.
WELL, I NOW HAVE THE HONOR OF SERVING AS YOUR TRAVIS COUNTY ATTORNEY.
UH, PRIOR TO THAT, I WAS THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THIS DISTRICT AND DISTRICT TWO, UM, PART OF THE FIRST TEN ONE COUNCIL.
AND I REMEMBER THE DAY THAT THIS HAPPENED.
UM, I REMEMBER WE WERE AT, AT THE OFFICE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, FEELING KIND OF HELPLESS AS THE WATER WAS RISING.
UM, WE ACTUALLY CAME DOWN TO THE BRIDGE RIGHT HERE.
UM, ME AND MY ENTIRE STAFF, WE CAME DOWN TO THE BRIDGE.
UM, WE'RE WATCHING THE WATER RISE AND FEELING REALLY HELPLESS.
IT HAD BEEN, YOU KNOW, UM, TAPED OFF.
FIRST RESPONDERS WERE BUSY, YOU KNOW, DOING THEIR RESCUES.
UM, AND I ALSO, AND PRIOR TO MY TIME AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, I JOKE THAT I HAVE A FORCE GUMP KIND OF STORY.
UH, I WAS AN AUSTIN FIREFIGHTER, SO I HAVE A DEEP APPRECIATION FOR THE WORK OF FIRST RESPONDERS.
UM, THERE'S SO MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO THANK, YOU KNOW, IN THESE TIMES OF SUCH CATASTROPHE.
THE SILVER LINING, IF YOU CAN FIND ONE, IS ALWAYS SEEING THE COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER AND HELP.
AND THAT, AND HA HAVING BEEN ABLE TO SERVE THIS DISTRICT WAS REALLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST HONORS I'VE EVER HAD OF MY LIFE.
BECAUSE THE PEOPLE IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN, THEY'RE RESILIENT.
THEY'RE CARING, THEY'RE LOVING, THEY SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
I SEE MANY OF THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE, GEORGE MORALES, CARNE, MEMBERS OF GAVA, MONICA GUZMAN, UM, SO MANY PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, TO THIS DAY ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND SUPPORTING AND HELPING THIS FAMILY.
UM, AND THEN JUST THANK YOU TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WHO, UM, NOT ONLY WAS I A FORMER FIREFIGHTER, BUT I'M THE DAUGHTER OF A FIREFIGHTER.
AND, UM, YOU ALWAYS, YOU ALWAYS SEND YOUR LOVED ONE TO WORK AND YOU WANT, AND YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY COME HOME.
AND I WAS LUCKY THAT MY DAD CAME HOME EVERY DAY.
SO THANK YOU TO THE FIRST RESPONDERS, THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY, THANK YOU TO WATERSHED AND ALL THE CITY DISTRICT, THE CITY DEPARTMENTS WHO I'VE, I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF SEEING COME TOGETHER IN THESE KINDS OF CATASTROPHES AND WORKING TOGETHER AND DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO SUPPORT THIS COMMUNITY.
AND THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T EXPECT THE PRAISE AND THEY DON'T WANT IT.
AND THEY GO TO WORK EVERY DAY TO DO THIS AMAZING WORK JUST TO SUPPORT THIS COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, IT'S JUST AN HONOR TO BE HERE, TO, UM, TO SEE THIS COMMEMORATION AND TO, TO THANK EVERYBODY.
AND, UM, AND THIS COMMUNITY HAS GREAT LEADERSHIP AND COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES IN HER, IN HER CONTINUED WORK FOR FLOOD RESILIENCY, UM, AND ADVOCATING FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I HAVE THE HONOR NOW OF INTRODUCING FIRE CHIEF JOEL, UM, SORRY, BAKER, JOEL BAKER.
HE, HE, I DON'T THINK HE WAS A FIRE CHIEF WHEN I WAS A FIREFIGHTER.
AND ONCE A FIREFIGHTER, ALWAYS A FIREFIGHTER.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I BRING YOU GREETINGS ON BEHALF OF ALL THE HEROIC, BRAVE WOMEN AND MEN OF THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHO COMES TO WORK EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY AND PUT THEMSELF IN HARM'S WAY.
AND FOR THAT, I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL.
UH, WE REMEMBER THE DISASTER, LIKE THE OCTOBER THE 15TH FLOODS, IN PART BECAUSE THESE EVENTS LAY BARE OUR VULNERABILITY TO THE FORCES OF NATURE.
THESE EVENTS ALSO HIGHLIGHT THE HUMAN CAPACITY FOR COMPASSION, BRAVERY, AND RESISTANCE, AND PROVIDE NEW LESSONS ABOUT HOW TO REDUCE THE HUMAN CAUSE ASSOCIATED WITH LARGE, WITH, WITH LARGE SCALES WEATHER EVENTS.
THE CITY'S COORDINATION EFFORT, WHICH BEGAN ON OCTOBER 29TH, 2015, BEFORE THE FIRST DROP OF RAIN FELL TO THE GROUND, UNDOUBTEDLY SAVED LIVES.
SO TOO DID THE ACTIONS OF FIRST RESPONDERS WHO THREW THEMSELF INTO RESPONDING TO THE GROIN NUMBER OF CALLS FOR HELP AS THE WATER LEVEL ROSE.
AND YET WE RECOGNIZE THAT NO RESPONSE IS PERFECT.
THERE IS A MIS GRIEF FOR THE LIVES IN OUR REGION THAT WERE LOST.
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LOST LIVES DROVE US TO PREPARE FOR THE NETS EVENT.AUSTIN FIRE HAS SWIFT WATER RESCUE TECHNICIAN, A BOAT OPERATION TEAM, A SWIFT WATER VESSELS AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY TO THE A NIGHT AND OUR MUTUAL AID PARTNERS, AND THEY DEPLOY AND TRAIN IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE COUNTRY TO MAXIMIZE EXPOSURES TO A VARIETY OF CONDITION TO BE BETTER PREPARED FOR, FOR DISASTER DISASTER LIKE THESE.
WE HAVE ALSO ESTABLISHED A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE AIR UNIT TO PERFORM SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION DURING SEVERE WEATHER EVENT UTILIZING THEIR HELICOPTER.
I AM PROUD AND I KNOW THE CITY LEADERSHIP IS PROUD OF THESE ADVANCEMENT AND HOPE THEY PROVIDE CONFERENCE AND REASSURING TO OUR COMMUNITY AS WE CONTINUE TO REMEMBER THOSE IMPACTED BY PAST FLOODS AND PREPARE FOR FUTURE WARRANTS.
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO TO INVITE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY CHIEF KEVIN PARKER TO SHARE HIS THOUGHTS.
I'M AN ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS. UH, I'M THE ACTING CHIEF OF OPERATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
AND, UM, MYSELF AND MANY OTHER MEMBERS OF AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS, UH, RESPONDED TO THOSE HALLOWEEN FLOODS IN 2015.
IT FOLLOWED JUST SHORTLY AFTER TWO YEARS AFTER ANOTHER SET OF FLOODS THAT WE HAD.
AND THAT DAY, OUR PARAMEDICS, OUR MEDICS, OUR RESPONDERS, WORKED IN CONSULTATION AND COOPERATION WITH THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT RESCUE TEAMS, OUR RESCUE PARAMEDICS, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PARTNERS TO SAVE LIVES AND TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY WHILE THEY WERE, UH, ENCOUNTERING ONE OF THE WORST DAYS OF THEIR LIVES.
OUR WORK CONTINUED EVEN AFTER THE FLOOD WATERS, UH, WENT DOWN RIVER, UH, TO OUR WORK WITHIN COMMUNITY HEALTH AT THE SHELTERING CENTERS, AT THE COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE CENTERS, WITH OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDIC TEAMS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS COMMUNITY CONTINUED TO BE SERVED AND TO HAVE THEIR NEEDS MET, UM, BY OUR PARAMEDICS AND OUR MEDICS.
AND WE CONTINUE TO STAND WITH THE COMMUNITY AS WE CONTINUE TO TRAIN WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, TRAIN WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, TRAIN WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT NO MATTER WHERE THE FLOODS HIT IN THIS CITY, THIS COUNTY, OR IN THIS REGION, THAT OUR PARAMEDICS AND MEDICS WILL ANSWER THE CALL.
AND THAT THEY WILL BE THERE TO ASSIST OUR COMMUNITY, UH, NOT ONLY IN THE TIME OF NEED, UH, WHERE IT'S MOST CRITICAL, BUT ALSO DURING THE TIME OF THAT RECOVERY.
UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR PARTNERS WHO WE CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH IN THE WATERSHED PROTECTION AND THE FLOOD EARLY WARNING SYSTEM, UH, TO GIVE US THE BEST OPERATIONAL INSIGHT AS WE CONTINUE TO EVOLVE HOW WE WORK OUR OPERATIONS CENTER, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SPREADING RESOURCES THROUGHOUT THE CITY APPROPRIATELY.
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE AUSTIN PARKS DIRECTOR, UM, DIRECTOR AGUIRE.
UH, I AM JESUS RE, DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION.
THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US HERE THIS MORNING AT ONION CREEK METROPOLITAN PARK.
AS WE GATHERED, REMEMBER, AND HONOR THOSE WE LOST IN THIS TRAGIC FLOOD.
THIS IS A SOLEMN OCCASION, AND I WANNA BEGIN BY OFFERING MY HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO ALL THE FAMILIES WHO WERE HERE AND THOSE WHO COULDN'T JOIN US WERE IMPACTED BY THESE FLOODS.
PLEASE NOTE OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES.
SO, IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE FLOOD, OUR CITY DID COME TOGETHER IN EXTRAORDINARY WAYS, AND I'M PROUD TO SHARE THAT THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION MAINTENANCE TEAMS WERE AMONG THE FIRST ON THE SCENE, WORKING SIDE BY SIDE WITH FIRST RESPONDERS AND OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO BRING SUPPORT AND STABILITY DURING A TIME OF CHAOS AND HEARTBREAK.
IF THERE IS A TINY SLIVER OF A SILVER LINING TODAY, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS PROGRESS THAT EMERGED FROM THIS TRAGEDY.
UH, THANKS TO A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT LED BY THE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND OUR PARTNERS AT AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION.
100 ACRES OF YRB BEND HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO A VIBRANT RECREATIONAL SPACE FOR COMMUNITY.
THE THE REVITALIZED AREA NOW INCLUDES A ONE MILE DECOMPOSED GRANITE LOOP TRAIL, A NEW RESTROOM AND PARKING AREA, A LARGE GROUP PAVILION, AND SMALLER, SEVERAL SMALLER PICNIC PAVILIONS, EXPANDED PARKING FOR THE ONION CREEK GREEN BELT OFF-LEASH AREA AND PLAYGROUND, A NEW CREEK CROSSING TRAIL, AND A CONNECTOR TRAIL TO THE ONION CREEK SOCCER COMPLEX.
THESE IMPROVEMENTS ARE NOT JUST ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, THEY'RE ABOUT HEALING, RESILIENCE, AND CREATING SPACES WHERE FAMILIES CAN COME TOGETHER, REFLECT AND RECONNECT WITH NATURE.
AS WE LOOK AHEAD, AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION REMAINS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH COMMUNITY TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF ONION CREEK METROPOLITAN PARK.
YOUR VOICE, YOUR STORIES, AND YOUR HOPES WILL CONTINUE TO GUIDE OUR WORK.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR HELPING US TO HONOR THE PAST WHILE BUILDING A STRONGER, MORE CONNECTED FUTURE.
I THINK I'M TURNING IT BACK OVER TO THE MAYOR PRO TEM.
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BEFORE WE CLOSE, I'D LIKE TO SHARE THAT OUR ONION CREEK PARK NEIGHBORHOODS ALLIANCE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERING PROGRAM, WHICH IS A PROGRAM OF THE CITY TO DEVELOP AN ORCHARD ON THE LAND NEAR PEREZ ELEMENTARY THAT WAS DEVASTATED BY THE HALLOWEEN FLOOD.AND SO I'M REALLY PROUD TO SEE THAT INITIATIVE MOVE FORWARD.
IT IS COMMUNITY LED AND COMMUNITY DRIVEN, AND IT'S ONE WAY THAT WE CAN MEMORIAL LIVES.
WHAT HAPPENED HERE IN THE TRAGEDY THAT OCCURRED? YOU KNOW, I WAS MENTIONED OUR COMMUNITY WAS HIT BY TWO CATASTROPHIC FLOODS WITHIN TWO YEARS AND 2013, WE HAVE A MURAL LOCATED, UM, ON THIS OTHER SIDE OF OUR PARK HERE THAT MEMORIALIZES THE 2013 FLOODS DURING THE 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
AND AS THIS IS THE 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE 2015 FLOODS, WE NOW HAVE A, A BENCH THAT IS BY THAT TREE OVER THERE THAT HAS BEEN INSTALLED, UM, AND THAT WILL HAVE A PLAQUE, UH, WRITTEN AND INSTALLED ON IT THAT WILL ALSO HAVE, UM, THE MEMORIALIZATION OF THE 2015 FLOODS.
AND THAT'S ONE WAY THAT WE ARE HONORING THE LIVES THAT WERE LOST AND THE FAMILIES WHO WERE DISPLACED IN ALL OF THE TRAGEDY THAT OCCURRED.
UM, BUT JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT THE COMMUNITY LED EFFORTS AND THEN TWO OF THE WAYS THAT THE CITY HAS ALSO, UH, PITCHED IN TO HELP MEMORIALIZE.
UM, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT LATER THIS EVENING, OUR COMMUNITY WILL BE SUPPORTING EFFORTS FROM GAVA GO AUSTIN BAOS AUSTIN IN CO-HOSTING A COMMUNITY SCREENING OF THEIR DOCUMENTARY CALLED FLOODPLAIN.
AND THAT IS TONIGHT AT 6:00 PM AT PEREZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SO PLEASE CONSIDER JOINING US.
I WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS JOINED US TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR BEING HERE AGAIN, THANK YOU TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, TO OUR ADVOCATES, TO OUR CITY AND COUNTY LEADERS WHO HAVE REMAINED COMMITTED TO THE CAUSE FOR THE PAST DECADE.
IT'S BEEN SAID THAT OUR CITY'S VALUES ARE REVEALED IN HOW IT RESPONDS TO CRISES.
AND HERE IN AUSTIN, OUR RESPONSE NEEDS TO BE GROUNDED IN CARE, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ACTION.
AND I'LL NOW OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE MEDIA.
WE DID JUST HAVE THE TWO LIVES LOST OVER OFF OF ROAD, I GUESS THAT DRAINAGE CULVERT THAT IS FLOODED BEFORE WE LOST ANOTHER LIFE.
THEY'RE LIKE FOUR MONTHS BEFORE THAT.
I KNOW IT'S A DIFFERENT AREA, BUT IT KIND OF SPEAKS TO THE WHOLE ISSUE OF FLOODING PROBLEMS IN AUSTIN.
WHAT DO YOU THINK AUSTIN NEEDS TO FOCUS ON NOW TO PREVENT THESE THINGS FROM CONTINUING TO OCCUR? CERTAINLY, AND I INVITE OUR DIRECTOR OF MONIES 'CAUSE WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE FLOODING THAT OCCURRED IN AUSTIN IN NORTH AUSTIN, NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN, JUST LAST WEEK.
UM, BUT PART OF OUR EFFORTS IS THAT PROACTIVE EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
SO ENSURING THAT OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS, ARE AWARE OF WHEN STORMS ARE GONNA HIT AND WHEN WE SHOULD EXPECT AND ANTICIPATE INCLEMENT WEATHER.
SO HAVING A PROACTIVE OUTREACH TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING AND HOW TO SEEK SHELTER IS GONNA BE PART OF THAT RESPONSE.
UH, AND THEN, UM, SECONDARILY, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO CONTINUE INVESTING IN IMPROVING OUR DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE.
YOU KNOW, CITY STAFF HAVE IDENTIFIED OVER A BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT IS NEEDED FOR US.
UH, AND SO THAT'LL BE, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL AND OUR COMMUNITY WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER THAT NEXT YEAR CONTINUING TO INVEST IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
UH, TO THAT POINT, UH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS MASSIVE RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO WE HAVE NATURAL SYSTEMS LIKE ONION CREEK, BUT WE ALSO HAVE CHANNEL SYSTEMS LIKE WE HAVE IN THE HANCOCK BRANCH OF CHOKE CREEK WHERE THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED AND WE LOST THESE LIVES.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE EVALUATING, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL EVALUATING WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED THERE, BUT, UH, WE ALSO HAVE 1300 MILES OF STORM PIPES.
YOU KNOW, ALL THIS INFRASTRUCTURE HELPS GET THE WATER TO THE CREEKS, TO THE, TO THE RIVER.
AND ULTIMATELY WE HAVE A LOT OF NEEDS AND THERE'S A LOT OF RISK HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND SO AS A DEPARTMENT, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO USE CLIMATE CHANGE THE DATA, THE LATEST DATA TO, TO UPDATE OUR MODELS.
SO WE'VE BEEN UPDATING ALL OUR CREEK MODELS FOR THE WHOLE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT THAT'LL BE ROLLING OUT SOON IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS AS WE'RE FINISHING THOSE MASSIVE MODELS.
BUT WE'RE ALSO MODELING THE LOCALIZED SYSTEMS, WHICH IS NOT AS ALWAYS APPARENT, UH, WHERE THE FLOODING MAY BE OCCURRING.
AND SO WE'RE USING TECHNOLOGY TO HELP US IDENTIFY THAT RISK.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO EDUCATE, COMMUNICATE TO THE COMMUNITY, AND TOGETHER WE HAVE TO FIGURE THIS OUT TOGETHER.
BUT AS WE EVALUATE SYSTEMS THAT MAYBE WE'VE HAD RECURRING OCCURRENCE LIKE THIS SITUATION, WE'LL SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO, UH, PROVIDE ANY RE UH, REMEDIATION FOR THAT NOT TO OCCUR AGAIN.
AND YOU HAVEN'T COME UP WITH ANY CONCLUSIONS YET? NO, NO.
THIS IS REALLY, UH, EARLY, BUT IT IS IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA THAT WE HAD THE MICROBURST IN, IN MAY AS WELL.
AND WE HAD A LOST LIFE THERE TOO AS WELL.
DO Y'ALL FEEL LIKE THIS COULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN HERE IN THIS AREA? WITH THE STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN AS IT RELATES TO THE ONION CREEK, WE DID BUY OUT THE HOMES THAT WERE AT HIGHEST RISK.
WE STILL HAVE HUNDREDS OF HOMES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND AS WE UPDATE OUR MAPS BASED ON THE, THE, THE CHANGES OF THE, UH, INTENSITY OF THE RAINFALLS THAT ARE GETTING MORE FREQUENT AND MORE INTENSE,
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UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE MORE HOMES THAT ARE AT RISK.BUT, UH, IN THIS AREA WE DID BUY OUT AND RELOCATE MOST OF THE HIGH RISK ONES.
IT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T HAVE, AND THERE AREN'T OTHER HOMES ALONG ONION CREEK OR WILLIAMSON CREEK OR SLAUGHTER.
THERE'S A LOT OF CREEKS THAT LEAD INTO ONION CREEK THAT ARE STILL HAVE HOMES AT HIGH RISK.
WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION.