Oct 05, 2020 Public Safety Commission

[00:00:03]

THERE YOU ARE.

GREAT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, UM, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD

[CALL TO ORDER 3:00-3:05 pm]

IS THAT ALL RIGHT? ARE WE GOOD? IT'S COME UP NOW.

OKAY.

OKAY.

WE HAVE SIX.

OKAY, PERFECT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO IT IS OCTOBER 5TH, 2020 AT 3:11 PM.

I WILL CALL THIS MEETING OF THE POT CITY OF AUSTIN PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION TO ORDER.

UM, MS. JACKSON, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO, THERE ARE NO CITIZENS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH WITH THAT.

WELL, CONGRATULATIONS.

WE ARE ON TIME.

SO, UM, FIRST THING ON

[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (September 9, 2020 meeting) 3:20-3:25pm]

DO WE HAVE ANY EDITS OR DISCUSSION ON THE MINUTES, REBECCA BERNHARDT? I CANNOT SEE YOU ON CAMERA.

SO IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD, PLEASE JUST UNMUTE YOURSELF AND LET ME KNOW.

I GOT NOTHING.

THANK YOU.

GREAT.

ALL RIGHT.

I'M ASSUMING THERE IS NOTHING ELSE.

I WILL, UH, CALL THE MINUTES APPROVED FOR THE SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2020 MEETING.

ALRIGHT.

UH, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS WE HAVE THE PUBLIC SAFETY QUARTERLY

[2. Public Safety Quarterly Report (sponsors: Commissioner Hausenfluck and Gonzales) 3:25pm-3:40pm Speaker: Jasper Brown, Chief of Staff, EMS (Emergency Medical Services)]

AND TODAY FOR THE FULL 15 MINUTES WILL BE CHIEF BROWN.

WILL YOU BE SHARING, UM, THE DOCUMENTS OR SHOULD WE ON OUR SCREEN, CHIEF BROWN? UH, IF YOU COULD PULL THEM UP ON THE SCREEN, IF WE NEED TO SHARE IT THROUGH MINE, I'M SORRY.

UH, CHIEF BROWN WOULD HAVE TO SHARE THROUGH YOURS.

THE POWER POINTS ARE THE ONLY THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE BROUGHT UP ON SCREEN TODAY.

UH, LET ME GO TO SHARING THEN MY SHARE BUTTON IS NOT AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW.

OKAY.

I CAN THINK, LET ME SEE IF I CAN PULL IT UP.

IF I CAN DO IT.

I HAVE THE PRESENTATION FOR ITEM THREE.

NO.

OKAY.

SORRY.

GO AHEAD OF TIME.

YEAH, THE DATA WAS SENT OFF TO THE COMMISSIONERS ON FRIDAY, CHIEF BROWN.

MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SHARE NOW.

ALL RIGHT.

YES, I SEE IT.

IT'S AVAILABLE.

UM, HOPEFULLY YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THEM SHORTLY.

OKAY.

UM, I W I WASN'T GOING TO GO THROUGH THEM.

UM, BY MONTH I WAS HOPING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE MEMBERS MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THEM.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR WOULD WE LIKE SORT OF DEEPER TIME TO THIS INFORMATION RIGHT NOW? I MEAN, I CAN, I CAN JUST ASK A QUESTION.

UM, DID YOU NOTICE ANY TRENDS, EITHER UPWARDS OR DOWNWARDS BECAUSE OF KOBE OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS EVEN CHANGES? I MEAN, I OBVIOUSLY KNOW THAT THE TYPES OF RESPONSES Y'ALL LIKE YOU'RE DIFFERENT, BUT AS FAR AS RESPONSE TIMES AND UPTOWN, DID YOU SEE ANY TRENDS? UH, WE SAW SOME TRENDING OF, UH, RESPONSE TIME SCHOOLING, AND THAT WAS, UH, NOT AS MUCH AS DUE TO CALL VOLUME, UM, AS CALL VOLUME EITHER REMAINED THE SAME OR ACTUALLY A LITTLE SLOWER.

BUT WHAT WE DID SEE WAS AN EXTENDED TIME OF EITHER HAVING TO DAWN PPE OR THE, UH, D CON.

SO THE POINT IS THIS WE'RE ACTUALLY OUT OF SERVICE LONGER THAN NORMAL.

UM, OUR NORMAL

[00:05:01]

BUT, UM, AN AVERAGE IS ABOUT AN HOUR FROM THE TIME WE TAKE THE CALL TO THE TIME THAT UNIT'S BACK IN SERVICE.

AND WE WERE SEEING, UH, UH, ALMOST AN ADDITIONAL 40 MINUTES OF EXTRA CLEANING TIME.

UM, AND WE WERE DOING THAT JUST TO HELP BE, UH, REDUCE THE TRANSMISSION OR SPREAD OF THE DISEASE.

SO, UM, THAT, THAT TOOK THE UNITS OUT OF SERVICE OUT OF POCKET.

THEY WEREN'T AVAILABLE IN THE AREAS TO RESPOND SO THAT WE DID SEE AN INCREASE IN RESPONSE TIME, BUT IT WAS DUE TO OUT OF SERVICE.

UM, NOT AS MUCH AS CALL VOLUME.

AND I GUESS JUST AS A FOLLOW UP, I MEAN, IF YOU WANT TO, CAN YOU SPEAK TO WHAT KIND OF EXTRA PRESSURE EITHER MENTALLY OR TIME WISE THAT PUT ON SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT WORK WITH YOU GUYS? MMM.

PUT ON SOME EXTRA PRESSURE AS FAR AS NEEDING TO, TO A ONE WHERE MULTIPLE PPE, UH, GARMENTS OR, UH, DEVICES.

UM, AND SO WITH THE HEAT THAT CAUSED SOME ISSUES WITH SOME FOLKS NEEDING TO ALSO REHAB, UM, EVEN IF THEIR AMBULANCE WAS CLEAN AND READY TO GO, WE, YOU KNOW, ALLOW TIME FOR DEACON OR OF THEMSELVES SHOWER OR A RESPITE TO ENSURE THAT THEY, UH, WERE RESTED BETWEEN CALLS, UM, AND JUST THE HEAT.

SO WE SAW SOME MODIFICATIONS WE MADE TO OUR, WHAT WE NORMALLY WEAR UNIFORM WISE.

UH, WE ALLOWED THEM TO STAY IN THEIR T-SHIRTS, WHICH IS NOT NORMAL FOR OUR PRACTICE.

WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, A UNIFORM SHIRT, UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF, UH, POTENTIAL FOR HEAT EXHAUSTION OR, OR OTHER, WE, UM, ALLOWED THEM TO STAY IN T-SHIRTS.

UM, SO THERE WAS QUITE A FEW CHANGES WE MADE TO KIND OF MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE THINGS.

UM, BUT WE DID SEE SOME INSTILL INCREASE IN RESPONSE TIMES.

WE DIDN'T PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE RESPONSE TIMES DURING THIS TIME.

UM, IT'S NOT LIKE WE WERE REALLY, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING UP ON PEOPLE OR ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT.

NOW, IF THERE WAS SOMETHING REALLY ADD AN ORDINARY, MAY ASK A QUESTION, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, IT WAS, UM, WE, WE ANTICIPATED THIS BECAUSE THE LONGER OUT OF SERVICE TIME.

MMM.

JUST AS FAR AS BACKGROUND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DOWNTOWN AREA, WE KIND OF LOOK AT DISTRICTS ONE, THREE, AND NINE.

THEY, THEY KIND OF COMPOSE THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

UM, THEY ARE ALL KIND OF PRETTY GOOD WITHIN RESPONSE TIME.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, THE TOP PORTIONS FOR EACH MONTH, THAT'S THE PARTY ONE DOWN BELOW IS THE, THE, THE TOTAL, THE CITY AND ALL THE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES AND WHAT WE MADE IT IN THE 90TH PERCENTILE TO THOSE, UH, TARGETS, UM, WHERE WE SEEM TO STRUGGLE IS IN DISTRICT EIGHT AND DISTRICT 10, UM, ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICT 10, IT'S A PRETTY LARGE AREA.

UM, MAYBE NOT AS, UH, POPULATED, BUT DEFINITELY MORE SPREAD OUT.

UM, WE DO HAVE A STATION PROPOSED, A FIRE EMS STATION ALONG CAPITOL, UH, TEXAS THREE 60, UM, UM, AND HOPING IN THE FUTURE BE ABLE TO RE RE IMPROVE RESPONSE TIMES WITH THAT STATION.

THERE ALSO, UM, DOWN TOWARDS DISTRICT EIGHT WOULD BE THE, UM, ALSO THE TRAVIS COUNTRY STATION AND THOSE THINGS WOULD, UH, WHICH IS ALREADY IN PROCESS OF BEING BUILT.

UM, JUST STARTED IN JUNE, UM, OUT EAST, UM, TOWARDS DISTRICT, UM, UH, THREE AND A FOUR, I THINK.

UM, YOU'LL SEE, UH, THE DELL VALLEY STATION SHOULD HELP OUT IN THOSE AREAS.

UM, SO, UM, WE'RE LOOKING ACROSS THE BOARD AT THE RESPONSE TIMES AND THE NEW STATIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY PLANNED TO COME ON AT THIS TIME.

UM, COUNCIL DID APPROVE SOME UNITS TO COME ON DUTY, UM, UH, WHERE WE WORKING ON LOCATIONS TO PLACE THEM, UM, AS WELL, I'VE TALKED TO THE COMMISSION BEFORE.

UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF STATIONS THAT ARE BEING UNDER CONSTRUCTION, AND SO WE'LL BE MOVING SOME UNITS AROUND TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD, UH, TO, UM, HOW'S THE STATIONS OR UNITS THAT ARE COMING ON FOR 24 HOURS INTO A FACILITY THAT HAS BEDROOMS AND SHOWERS AND EVERYTHING.

SO, UH, IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, WE'LL BE STARTING THE FIRST UP A COUPLE OF NEW UNITS THAT'LL BE COMING ON, UH, WITH THIS BUDGET.

CAN I ASK YOU A QUICK, QUICK YES, SIR.

UM, BUT WHERE DOES THIS PLACE, AS IN TERMS OF POPULATION GROWTH, BUT WITH THE NEW UNITS COMING OUR WAY, ARE WE BEHIND, ARE WE KEEPING UP WITH POPULATION INCREASE? UM, I THINK WITH THE NEW UNITS THAT WERE JUST ADDED DURING THIS BUDGET AND THE FORECAST AND STATIONS, SO THEY STAY ON TRACK ONLINE.

I THINK WE'LL BE ON TRACK.

UM, BUT, UH, WE CERTAINLY ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE TYPE UNITS, UH, BECAUSE EVERYBODY NEEDS AN AMBULANCE AND THAT'S WHERE THE COMMUNITY HEALTH, PARAMEDICS AND OTHER RESOURCES WITH THE SINGLE MEDIC RESPONDER WILL COME INTO PLAY.

UM, AS WE VENTURE FORWARD INTO THE NEW, UM, CENTERS FOR MEDICAID, MEDICARE,

[00:10:01]

AND WE, UM, IN WHICH WERE WE, UH, PUT IN FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE, UH, PILOT PROGRAM, AND WE'RE ONE OF THE SELECTED, UH, UH, ENTITIES ACROSS THE NATION TO, TO TEST THIS, UH, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT DOING OTHER TYPES OF TRANSPORT OR TREATMENT IN PLACE, AND THEN ALSO BEING ABLE TO BILL FOR THAT AND BEING PAID FOR IT.

IS THERE A FOLLOWUP, SIR? I THINK YOU WERE MUTED, SORRY.

COULD THAT INCLUDE MENTAL HEALTH CASES AS WELL? IT COULD INCLUDE MENTAL HEALTH.

I'M NOT SURE IT'S COMPLETELY RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK IN THE FUTURE IT PROBABLY WILL.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

OKAY.

UM, I HAVE ONE FINAL QUESTION, CHIEF BROWN.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE, UM, NOW THAT WE'VE MOVED TO THE QUARTERLY, UM, FORMAT, SO YOU WON'T HAVE TO PRODUCE MORE, YOU KNOW, MONTHLY REPORTS, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU FEEL THAT COULD BE INCLUDED INTO THESE REPORTS SINCE THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO BE DONE ONCE PER QUARTER, NOT MONTHLY, THAT COULD GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE INSIGHT INTO JUST IN GENERAL, HOW YOU'RE OPERATING AS AN ORGANIZATION AND, UM, HOW WE CAN MEASURE MAYBE SOME OF THE SOFTER SKILLS.

SO THESE, THIS IS GREAT INFORMATION, OBVIOUSLY, BUT AS WE'RE MOVING INTO A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH YOUR, UM, DEPARTMENTS, IS THERE ANY OTHER DATA THAT'S EASILY ACCESSIBLE FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU FEEL LIKE WE CAN ADD TO GET, MAKE THIS A MORE ROBUST VIEW OF, OF HOW THE ORGANIZATION IS DOING WELL? I THINK DEFINITELY OVER THE NEXT YEAR FOR US, IT'S GOING TO BE THE HIRING PROCESS SINCE WE HAD A LOT OF POSITIONS AT IT.

SO, UM, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PROVIDE IT, LIKE WE HAVE IN THE PAST SOME OF THE, UM, UM, OPENINGS OF POSITIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND WHERE WE'RE AT IN ACADEMIES AND, AND PEOPLE GRADUATING, UM, JUST TO KIND OF SHOW THAT WE'RE, WE'RE FILLING THOSE POSITIONS AND MOVING FORWARD.

UM, SO THAT PROBABLY MIGHT BE ONE THING.

IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE, OR ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS LIKE TO SEE WOULD BE MORE THAN WILLING TO SEE IF WE CAN PRODUCE THAT ON A CONTINUAL BASIS.

GREAT.

THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD INFORMATION.

I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY, THAT WOULD BE, UM, IMPACTFUL IN, IN HOW YOU GUYS ARE MOVING FORWARD ON THAT HIRING CRANKS, THERE QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS.

I CAN'T SEE ALL OF YOU ON THE SCREEN NOW, SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO, UM, UNMUTE AND TALK IF I CAN'T, IF I DON'T CALL YOU.

ALRIGHT.

I THINK THAT IS IT THEN IF THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

OKAY.

UH, NEXT ITEM ON IS THE WILDFIRE CODE

[3. Wildfire Code Update (sponsors: Commissioner Webber and Gonzales) 3:40pm-4:00pm Speaker: -Rob Vires, Chief of Staff, Austin Fire Department]

ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON.

I WOULD ASK IF IT'S POSSIBLE.

I'VE GOT TWO SPEAKERS, UM, CHIEF ANDRE DE LA RAZA AND JUSTICE JONES WHO ARE MAYBE IN THE WAITING ROOM, IF WE CAN LET THEM IN OR WHERE THEY ARE IN THE ATTENDEE OF IT.

SO THEY CAN SPEAK HERE IN JUST A MOMENT.

UM, SO FIRST OFF HOPE ALL Y'ALL ARE DOING WELL.

THANK YOU, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS FOR A CHANCE TO VISIT WITH YOU ALL.

UM, THE, UH, THE TITLE FOR THIS AS WILDFIRE CODE UPDATE IS ACTUALLY A RESOLUTION, A DIRECTIVE UPDATE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING FOR Y'ALL TODAY.

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY IN 2011, THERE WERE NINE MAJOR FIRES AND WILDFIRES CENTRAL TEXAS AREA THAT EQUATED TO ABOUT 47,000 ACRES BURNED AND OVER 1800 HOMES LOST.

AND THE CALL TO ACTION AFTER THAT, OR A NUMBER OF THINGS.

IT WAS THE CREATION OF OUR WILDFIRE DIVISION TO HELP ADDRESS FUELS MITIGATION, HOW TO ADDRESS EFFECTIVE FIRE RESPONSE IN THOSE SITUATIONS.

AND ALSO A FIREFIGHTER TRAINING TO ENHANCE THAT FOR WILDFIRE STUFF.

THERE WAS THE CREATION OF COMMUNITY-WIDE PROTECTION PLANS AND SOME OTHER ACTUAL ITEMS, ALL BASED OFF OF RESOLUTION TWO ZERO ONE SIX ZERO FIVE ONE TWO DASH ZERO ONE SIX.

UH, AND SO WITHOUT ONE OF THE DIRECTIVES FROM THAT RESOLUTION WAS TO COME BEFORE Y'ALL EVERY SIX MONTHS AND GIVE YOU A PROGRESS REPORT OF CERTAIN ITEMS, CERTAIN METRICS THAT ARE LISTED IN THAT RESOLUTION.

AND SO TODAY I'VE GOT WITH US, UH, CHIEF ANDRE DALE HARRISON, WHO IS

[00:15:01]

HE WAS ASSIGNED THERE, UH, WHEN THE WILDFIRE DIVISION WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED.

SO HE GETS A CHANCE TO SEE IT FROM A COUPLE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.

WE'VE ALSO GOT A WHOLE PERSON WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE WITH JUSTICE JONES.

WHO'S OUR WILDFIRE MITIGATION OFFICER, AND VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THIS AREA ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.

SO WITHOUT, AS I MADE THE INTRODUCTION TO THOSE TWO GENTLEMEN, I'M GOING TO YIELD THE FLOOR TO THEM SO THEY CAN DISCUSS MORE ABOUT THIS RESOLUTION AND THE METRICS TO YOUR DEALER.

RAZOR, ARE YOU THERE? I THINK YOU NEED TO UNMUTE, ALRIGHT, WE STILL CAN'T HEAR YOU IF YOU NEED TO COME TO MY OFFICE AND DO IT FOR ME, OR IF YOU LIKE, SINCE WE LOST A COUPLE OF DOORS DOWN, NOPE.

STILL NOT ABLE TO HEAR YOU.

THERE WE GO.

WE'RE GONNA DO A FIELD TRIP.

SO FROM HIS OFFICE TO MINE AND WE WILL A SOCIAL DISTANCE WITH MASKS SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THIS PRESENTATION FOR YOU TODAY.

SO BEAR WITH OUR SYSTEM OVER HERE.

ALRIGHT, THAT'S THE ONE THING I'M GOOD AT OVER HERE IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS ADAPTING AND OVERCOMING.

SO REACH OVER AND VERY CLOSELY THING T FIRES FOR THE USE OF HIS OFFICE, AS WELL AS THE INTRODUCTION.

UM, BEFORE I YIELD OVER TO JUSTICE JONES, I WANTED TO JUST DO A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE, THE LEADERSHIP RIGHT NOW OF THE WILDFIRE DIVISION.

UH I'VE I GOT ASSIGNED IT ABOUT A COUPLE MONTHS AGO WHEN I GOT PROMOTED UP TO THE ASSISTANT TEAM.

LIKE HE SAID, I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST NEW TENANTS EVER IN THAT NEWLY MINTED WILDFIRE DIVISION.

IT HAS MOLDED ME AND, AND CREATED MY PASSION FOR WILDFIRE, AS WELL AS THE SPREAD OF THE KNOWLEDGE THROUGHOUT WHAT HAS BEEN TRADITIONALLY CONSIDERED AN URBAN BAR DEPARTMENT.

SO WHAT WE LEARNED IN 2011 IS YOU CAN BE IN A FIRE ENGINE IN THE MIDDLE OF DOWNTOWN AND SUDDENLY BE WORKING IN AN ACTIVE WILD LAND, URBAN INTERFACE, FIRE.

AND IT'S SOMETHING, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US HAVE TO BE AWARE OF AS RESIDENTS AND AS PUBLIC SAFETY PROVIDER.

SO I AM, I'M MORE THAN BLESSED THAN EVER AND HAPPY TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION.

UH, SINCE WE HAVE SOME NEW PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSIONERS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS SOME CHANGES IN LEADERSHIP, THAT WAS ALSO GOING TO TALK ABOUT CHIEF, A DIVISION CHIEF, CARRIE STEWART, WHO I BELIEVE IS ALSO IN THE ATTENDEE OUT THERE.

SHE'S ACTUALLY OUT THE NOT ONLY SHOULD THE DIVISION CHIEF OVER THE WILDFIRE DIVISION, BUT SHE'S ALSO CURRENTLY DEPLOYED OUT IN CALIFORNIA AND HELPING ASSIST THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE BEING IMPACTED BY WILDFIRE TO HELP THEM AS THEY'VE HAD OVER 29 ACTIVE FIRES THERE.

AND TO ALSO BRING BACK THAT EXPERIENCE BACK TO THE CITY.

SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE USING THE BEST PROCESSES, THE BEST PROTOCOLS TO INCREASE THAT SAFETY AND RESILIENCY OF OUR CITY.

ALSO, WHO'S GOING TO BE GIVING THE BULK OF THE PRESENTATION IS JUSTICE JONES.

HE'S OUR WILDFIRE MITIGATION OFFICE.

HE'S ONE OF THE CIVILIANS THAT LENDS CONTINUITY TO THE PROGRAM, OUR UNIFORMS. WE PURPOSELY ROTATE THEM IN AND OUT OF THE DIVISION SO THAT WE CAN GET THEM TRAINED UP BY LEVEL OF EXPERTISE AND THEN DISTRIBUTE THEM AROUND THE CITY BECAUSE AS WE ALL LEARN RECENTLY, AND, UH, FOR NOW, AS FAR AS THERE IN 2011, DURING THE PINNACLE FAR WILDFIRE CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE EDUCATED PERSONNEL THROUGHOUT EVERYWHERE TO INCREASE THAT EXPERTISE THROUGHOUT THAT JUSTICE JONES LENS CONTINUITY TO THE DIVISION.

HE'S BEEN WITH THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR EIGHT YEARS BEFORE THAT HE WAS WITH THE TEXAS FOREST SERVICE AS THEY'RE WILD LAND, URBAN INTERFACE COORDINATOR.

HE'S OUR WILDFIRE MITIGATION OFFICER.

HE'S A VETERAN FROM THE U S AIR FORCE.

HE'S NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS A LEADER OF THE FIRE ADAPTED COMMUNITIES SITS ON MANY PANELS AND HE'S GONNA BE PRESENTING THE BULK OF THE SHOW.

SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND PASS IT OVER TO YOU NOW.

JUSTICE.

THANK YOU, CHIEF.

UM, I APPRECIATE THAT INTRODUCTION AND EXCITED TO BE HERE, UM, WITH THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND PUBLIC SAFETY LEADERSHIP TODAY.

UM, QUESTION, UM, MS. JACKSON, WILL WE BE,

[00:20:01]

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

PERFECT.

AND I THINK WITH A GREAT INTRODUCTION, WE CAN KIND OF MOVE TO SLIDE TWO, PLEASE.

AND AS CHIEF FIRE'S MENTIONED, UM, THIS BODY WITH THE SUPPORT OF CITY COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION THAT, UM, REALLY HELPED, UM, GIVE FOCUS AND DIRECTION TO OUR CITYWIDE WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS EFFORTS.

UM, AND WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO UPDATE THE, UM, COMMITTEE EVERY SIX MONTHS.

UM, WE DID MAKE OUR LAST UPDATE BECAUSE OF A COVERT.

SO WE WANTED TO ROLL IN OUR YEARLONG UPDATE AND WE CAN SPEAK TO ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS SPECIFICALLY.

BUT THE GOAL OF THE RESOLUTION WAS TO REPORT THE NUMBER OF LOCAL COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLANS COMPLETED AND IMPLEMENTED IN HIGH RISK URBAN INTERFACE AREAS.

UM, THE NUMBER OF LOCAL COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLANS STARTED IN HIGH RISK URBAN INTERFACE AREAS, BUT NOT YET COMPLETED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF HIGHWAY RISK, WILD LAND, URBAN INTERFACE AREAS WITH IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL LOCAL CWPP PLANNING AREAS ARE STILL ONGOING AND THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC PRESENTATION AND HOME ASSESSMENTS THAT WE PROVIDE AS PART OF OUR SERVICE AND THE NUMBER OF FUELS, MITIGATION ACTIVITIES, THE LOCATION OF THOSE ACTIVITIES AND THE TYPE OF ACTIVITIES.

AND WE'RE GOING TO SHARE A RESOURCE THAT CAN HELP YOU DIG INTO THOSE NUMBERS.

AND THEN THE NUMBER OF TRAINING HOURS CONDUCTED BY US TODAY, EMPLOYEES, AND WE INCLUDE AFP FIREFIGHTERS, OTHER COA EMPLOYEES, AND I'M INTERNAL TRAINING HOURS AS A COMPONENT OF THAT.

UM, SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

AND THERE IS A LINK TO THE RESOLUTION FOR ANYBODY THAT WANTS A REFRESHER.

UM, THE EMPHASIS OF EVERYTHING WE DO IS TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES AT RISK AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, LIFE SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.

WE ALSO CARE ABOUT OUR NATURAL AREAS, UM, AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY WHEN A FIRE OCCURS.

BUT THE REASON WE'RE DOING THIS WORK IS TO ENSURE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE RESILIENT TO THE IMPACTS OF WILDFIRE.

THESE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES OF THE TOOLS THAT WE USE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC.

AND I DID WANT TO MENTION THAT, UM, IN THIS NEW, UH, COVERT ENVIRONMENT REQUIRES MORE STRINGENT ON SOCIAL DISTINCT DISTANCING AND LIMITING OF LARGE GROUPS, WHICH WE'VE ALWAYS STRIVE TO EDUCATE AS MANY PEOPLE IN ONE FELL SWOOP AS POSSIBLE.

WE'RE, UM, WE'RE PIVOTING AND LOOKING FOR NEW NOVEL WAYS TO REACH THE PUBLIC, UH, THROUGH VIRTUAL MEDIA AND NON TRADITIONAL MECHANISMS. ASIDE FROM OUR FACE TO FACE EFFORTS, WE STILL OFFER INDIVIDUAL HOME IGNITION ZONE EVALUATIONS, AND THAT HELPS INDIVIDUALS GREAT HAVE PERSONALIZED PLAN FOR REDUCING THEIR WILDFIRE RISK ON THEIR PROPERTY.

AND WE'VE TRAINED OUR DIVISION EMPLOYEES AND MEMBERS OF OUR FUELS CREW IN CONDUCTING THOSE HOME IGNITION ZONE EVALUATIONS.

WE'VE WORKED WITH SOME OF THE GREAT, UM, COMMUNITY AND PARTNER GROUPS OUT THERE, LIKE A GABA TO TRAIN MEMBERS OF THEIR ORGANIZATION TO CONDUCT THIS OUTREACH, UM, FOR OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

UM, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY PIO TO DEVELOP A ONLINE TRAINING VIDEO ON ASSESSING HOME AND COMMUNITY RISK.

AND SO WE CONTINUE TO, UM, LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED IN WAYS THAT WE CAN REACH THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THESE NOVEL CIRCUMSTANCES.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, TO UPDATE YOU ON, WE'VE IDENTIFIED ALL AT RISK AREAS IN AUSTIN.

IF I HAD DOWN TO THE PARCEL LEVEL, IF YOU WEREN'T AWARE OF THAT.

UM, OUT OF ALL THE HIGH RISK AREAS ABOUT 80% OF THOSE AREAS ARE CURRENTLY ENGAGED AT SOME LEVEL IN WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS OR PLANNING.

WE CURRENTLY LEAD THE STATE WITH THE NUMBER OF NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED RYS COMMUNITIES.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT WE CURRENTLY HAVE 19 COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ENGAGED IN DEVELOPING WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLANS, AND THAT IS TARGETED TOWARDS BOTH THE HIGHEST RISK AREAS, BUT ALSO OUR MORE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS THAT WE KNOW COULD HAVE CHALLENGES RECOVERING FROM A WILDFIRE SHARED THEY'D BE IMPACTED.

AND THEN WE'RE CURRENTLY, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS DEVELOPING AN ONLINE PORTAL TO HOST AND MAINTAIN AND SHARE THOSE LOCAL LEVEL OF COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLANS.

SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS A GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY BASED PLAN THAT OUTLINES HOW THEY'RE GOING TO REDUCE THEIR RISK FROM WILDFIRE.

UM, AND IT ALSO OUTLINES HOW CITY DEPARTMENTS, STATE AGENCIES AND OTHER PARTNERS ARE GOING TO LINE UP AND SUPPORT THAT COMMUNITY AND IMPLEMENTING THOSE GOALS.

AND SO IT'S REALLY A COMMUNITY DRIVEN EFFORT.

WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE MADE SO MUCH PROGRESS IN THIS REALM.

AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THE MATH THAT THE HIGH RISK HIGHEST RISK AREAS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN RED.

AND SO 84,

[00:25:01]

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO TO BREAK THAT A LITTLE BIT DOWN FURTHER, UM, 37% OF THE HIGH WILDFIRE RISK COMMUNITIES, UM, ARE ACTIVELY, UM, INVOLVE ONGOING ENGAGEMENT.

THEY'RE WORKING WITH US ON DEVELOPING RISK ASSESSMENTS, COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLANS, ET CETERA.

UH, 25, 20% OF THOSE HIGH RISK AREAS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR FUTURE ENGAGEMENT.

SO WE HAVE STRATEGIC PLAN ON ENGAGING THE REMAINING 20%.

THAT'S CURRENTLY NOT ACTIVELY ENGAGED.

THE GREAT NEWS IS 43% OF THE HIGHWAY.

WILDFIRE RISK AREAS ARE COVERED BY A LOCAL LEVEL COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN.

NOW, I WANT TO REITERATE THAT I'M NOT HAVING A LOCAL WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE NOT COVERED UNDER WILDFIRE PLANNING.

CAUSE AS CHIEF BYERS MENTIONED, WE HAVE A CITY AND COUNTY WIDE CWPP.

SO THE GOAL WITH A LOCAL LEVEL COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLANS, OR TO PUSH THOSE ACTIONS DOWN TO A GRASSROOTS LEVEL, WE'LL GET BUY IN ENGAGEMENT FROM HOMEOWNERS, BUT IN PRINCIPLE, THE ENTIRE JURISDICTION IS COVERED BY OUR CITY COUNTY STATE OF MPP.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS HOME ASSESSMENTS, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN FROM BIRTH DIVIDED AND, UM, LAST YEAR AND IN, IN LAST SIX MONTHS, I'LL BREAK THAT OUT AS WELL.

UM, BUT A TOTAL OF 57 OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, 23 IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, UM, OVER 30 HOMES ASSESSED INDIVIDUAL HOMES THAT ASSESSED, UM, IN HIGH RISK, WILD LAND, URBAN INTERFACE AREAS.

AND IN ADDITION, YOU'LL SEE A HYPERLINK ON YOUR RIGHT WHERE YOU CAN VISION A VISION, OUR DIVISION DASHBOARD, AND THAT OUTLINES ON REAL TIME OR CURRENT ACTIVITIES WHERE OUR CREWS ARE WORKING, UM, WHERE ALL THE ACTIVITIES, UM, DERIVE FROM THE SLIDE OR MAINTAIN IN A REAL TIME MANNER.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

UM, IF WE COULD BACK UP, I'M SORRY, JANE, I WANTED TO MENTION ONE OTHER THING.

UM, AS YOU NOTICE, THERE'S A COLOR BREAKDOWN OF THOSE EVENTS, OUTREACH PLANNING, RESILIENT LANDSCAPE RESPONSE, AND COVID-19 WHAT YOU SAW ACROSS THE BOARD IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN WAS REFLECTED IN THE WILDFIRE DIVISION AND AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM THE PURPLE INDICATES WHERE MEMBERS OF THE WILDFIRE DIVISION STEPPED UP TO ASSIST, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT AND MANAGING THE CODE OF COVID RESPONSE, UM, THAT HAS, UH, REALLY ALL HANDS ON DECK EFFORT.

AND SO WE'RE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THE DIVISION MEMBERS DID TO STEP UP AND BE A PART OF THAT TEAM.

AND I FELT A MENTIONED THAT THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, JUNE.

SO THIS MAP AND THESE NUMBERS REPRESENT THE AMOUNT OF HAZARDOUS FUELS REDUCTION THAT'S OCCURRING ON THE LANDSCAPE.

I'M CURRENTLY TODAY IN THIS REPORTING PERIOD WHO TREATED 234 ACRES WITH PRESCRIBED FIRE.

UM, AND THAT HELPS RESTORE OUR LANDSCAPES.

AND WHEN A WILDFIRE DOES OCCUR, IT'S NOT AS INTENSE OR AS CATASTROPHIC.

THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR OVERALL TREATMENT.

UM, 10,911 FEET OF BOUNDARY AROUND AT RISK COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN TREATED BY INSTALLING YOUR SHADED FUEL BREAK, UM, THAT PROTECTED OVER 64 HOMES FOR A VALUE OF OVER CLARITY FOR A MILLION REDUCTION IN RISK.

IN ADDITION, UM, WE'VE TAKEN THIS TIME TO EVALUATE OUR PAST PROJECTS SO WE CAN ESTABLISH A RETURN INTERVIEW FOR ALL OF OUR FUELS PROJECTS.

UM, IT'S NOT A ONE AND DONE WE'D HAVE TO RETREAT THESE SITES AND IT VARIES BASED ON THE SITE LOCATION.

SO, UM, WE'VE WORKED REALLY DILIGENTLY THE LAST SIX MONTHS TO REEVALUATE ALL OF OUR EXISTING PROJECTS, BUT ALSO DO SITE VISITS TO EVALUATE FUTURE AND POTENTIAL PROJECTS TO BUILD A BETTER BILL, TO PRIORITIZE THOSE PROJECTS.

WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH OUR LAND MANAGERS ON IMPLEMENTATION THOSE PROJECTS THROUGH APPEALS, THROUGH AND THROUGH THE CONTRACT FUNDING THAT WERE AWARDED TO DO SO.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

AS, UM, CHIEF DALE RES, UH, MENTIONED, UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE NUMEROUS AFD EMPLOYEES, UM, IN CALIFORNIA AND OUT WEST SUPPORTING FIRE SUPPRESSION OPERATIONS.

UM, THEY'RE STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE TO HELP COMMUNITIES WHEN THEY NEED OUR HELP AND SOMEDAY WE'RE GOING TO NEED CALIFORNIA'S HELP.

SO IT'S A GOOD NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR EFFORT, BUT THEY'RE ALSO BRINGING HOME SOME OF THE, UM, BEST, UM, EXPERIENCE AND INFORMATION THAT YOU COULD ASK FOR TO HELP MAKE AUSTIN A SAFER COMMUNITY AND BE ABLE TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES WHEN THE TIME COMES.

SO WE'VE MOVED, UM, UH, KIND OF OVER 20,000 HOURS OF TRAINING THAT HAD BEEN PROVIDED.

UM, 18,000 OF THOSE HAVE BEEN IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.

UM, OVER 11,000 HOURS WERE DEDICATED TO A SPECIFIC TRAINING, UM, ENTITLED

[00:30:01]

THIS IS A NATIONAL TRAINING THAT'S BEING GIVEN IN AT RISK COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AUSTIN, I BELIEVE IS THE LARGEST DEPARTMENT, UM, TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT 6,048 HOURS, UM, TRAINING DURING WILDFIRE DEPLOYMENTS.

I MENTIONED WHEN OUR FOLKS ARE OUT THERE, THEY'RE LEARNING.

AND SO WE'RE SENDING, UM, OUR FOLKS OUT ON A TRAINING ASSIGNMENT.

AND SO THEY GET ASSIGNED A MENTOR, UM, ON THAT ASSIGNMENT THAT HELPS THEM WITH THEIR FOUR PROFICIENCIES.

THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

UM, 60 HOURS OF PRESCRIBED FIRE TRAINING, UH, LOCALLY WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS, 2,800 HOURS OF WILDFIRE CLASSROOMS FOR REC TRAININGS PROVIDED TO OUR CADETS.

WE'VE HAD THREE DEPLOYMENTS THIS YEAR IN TEXAS, AND WE'RE ON OUR SECOND DEPLOYMENT, UM, IN CALIFORNIA.

THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

WHAT ARE THE AREAS THAT WE'RE MOST EXCITED ABOUT BECAUSE IT'S, IT REALLY MATTERS SO MUCH DURING A WILDFIRE EVENT IS OUR EVACUATION AND PRE RESPONSE PLANNING.

SO WE'RE, IF YOU WEREN'T AWARE OF WHERE THE FIRST CITY AND COUNTY IN TEXAS TO DEVELOP A WILDFIRE SPECIFIC EVACUATION PLAN, THAT OUTLINES ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF OUR COOPERATORS AND THOSE WHO WILL BE FACILITATING THE RESPONSE.

BUT THAT PLAN IS ONLY AS EFFECTIVE AS THE PUBLIC ALIGNMENT AND THAT WITH THAT PLAN.

SO WITH EACH OF OUR, AT RISK COMMUNITIES, FOCUSING ON OUR FIREWISE COMMUNITIES, WE'VE IDENTIFIED ALL THE COMMUNITIES IN AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY THAT HAVE LIMITED INGRESS AND EGRESS THAT COULD CREATE COMPLEXITY DURING A WILDFIRE EVACUATION WE'VE IDENTIFIED THERE, UM, MOST EFFECTIVE EVACUATION ROUTES AND ALTERNATIVES.

IN ADDITION, WE'VE IDENTIFIED, UM, TEMPORARY OR COMMUNITY REFUGE AREAS THAT ARE AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THOSE COMMUNITIES.

CAUSE THE GOAL WITH EVACUATION IS TO MOVE PEOPLE OUT OF HARM'S WAY INTO SAFETY AND THE SHORTEST DISTANCE AND TIME POSSIBLE.

SO WITH EACH OF OUR COMMUNITIES AT RISK WE'RE BUILDING COMMUNITIES, SPECIFIC EVACUATION PLANS WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES AND TO SHADOW THIS, OUR HOPES IN OUR OPERATIONS ARE DEVELOPING A WILDFIRE RESPONSE PLANS.

SO THIS SPEAKS, HOW CAN WE GET PEOPLE OUT OF A COMMUNITY SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY BECAUSE WE REALLY CAN'T START FIGHTING THE FIRE UNTIL THAT EVACUATION HAS OCCURRED.

AND THE FLIP SIDE OF THIS IS OUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE DEVELOPING PLANS FOR HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DEFEND, TO DEFEND EACH OF THESE SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES SHOULD BE, THEY BE THREATENED BY WILDFIRE.

UM, SO THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING, UM, MOVEMENT FORWARD FOR US.

OUR COMMUNITIES ARE EXCITED TO HAVE THIS RESOURCE.

UM, IT'S ALL BASED IN OUR GIS, UH, AS, AS MOST OF OUR ACTIVITIES.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE WILL REPLICATE FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES AT RISK ACROSS AUSTIN.

UM, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

WE WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK THIS COMMITTEE FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND, UM, FACILITATING THE EXPLORATION ADOPTED AND OF THE WILD LAND.

URBAN INTERFACE CODE WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THIS GROUP IN CITY LEADERSHIP.

SO, UM, THANKS FOR HELPING US BE SUCCESSFUL IN ADOPTING THIS CODE, UM, WHERE THE LARGEST MAJOR MUNICIPALITY OUTSIDE OF CALIFORNIA TO HAVE TAKEN THIS PROACTIVE APPROACH.

UM, AND IT WAS FOOTNOTED IN THE RECENT NEW YORK TIME ARTICLE THAT, UH, THE WE CODE IS ONE OF THE ANTIDOTES TO, UM, THE CATASTROPHIC FIRES THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING.

SO THANK YOU FOR HELPING US GET TO THIS POINT.

WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO WE'RE SHOOTING FOR AN IMPLEMENTATION DATE OF JANUARY 1ST, 2021.

UM, THE CITY MANAGER IS GOING TO UPDATE, UH, LEADERSHIP ON VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, FUELS MITIGATION AND COMMUNITY REFUGE AREAS.

AND WE DEVELOPED A REPORT, A REPORT IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS RELATED TO THAT.

UH, WE'VE INITIATED OUR OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, UM, ON THE BENEFITS AND THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE, WE CODE BOTH TO INTERNAL EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS.

WE'RE FINALIZING OUR FIRE PROTECTION CRITERIA MANUAL, UM, THAT OUTLINES THE NEW RULES FOR THE WIFI CODE AND GETS MORE SPECIFIC ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT CODE ON, ON THE GROUND.

AND THEN OUR, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2021 BUDGET REQUESTS INCLUDES THE STAFFING THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AND THEN SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CODE.

AND SO OUR, OUR FOLKS AT PREVENTION, UM, CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS, UM, MOVING FORWARD FOR THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CODE, BUT WE WANTED TO THANK THIS BODY FOR HELPING BE INSTRUMENTAL IN THE SUPPORT OF MOVING THIS CODE FORWARD.

THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

I DID MENTION, UM, WE'RE DEVELOPING AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY WILDFIRE HUB.

UH, THIS WILL BE AN INTERACTIVE PORTAL.

SO WE'LL HOST ALL OF OUR WILDFIRE RISK INFORMATION, HIGHLIGHT THE ACTIVITIES THAT THE CITY IS DOING AS A WHOLE, NOT JUST A, THE DIVISION, BUT TODAY AS A WHOLE MOVING TOWARDS WILDFIRE RESILIENCY,

[00:35:02]

WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE ROLLING THIS OUT AND LOOK FORWARD TO PROVIDING THIS COMMITTEE A UPDATE ON THE FINAL PRODUCT AT OUR NEXT MEETING.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, UM, WOULD THAT MY PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION IS COMPLETE AND LIST THEIR QUESTIONS REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME SUPPORTING THE INTENTIONS AND THE STANDBY FOR ANY QUESTIONS MIGHT HAVE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

JOSEPH JONES, YOUR BLOCK OF KNOWLEDGE, AS WELL AS LEADERSHIP IN THE DIVISION.

AND I'VE WANTED YOU TO TEACH ME SUMMARIZE UP THAT THE DIVISION IS WORKING HARD TO KEEP AUSTIN SAFE AND RESILIENT.

THE THREE PILLARS WE USE FOR THAT IS THE VERY EASY ONE THAT WE THINK OF WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THIS IS WILDFIRE MITIGATION BY ACTUALLY GOING OUT THERE AND HELPING CREATE THAT FIRE RESILIENT LANDSCAPE.

WHAT I WAS JUST ON THE PHONE WITH CHIEF DIVISION CHIEF STEWARD THIS MORNING WAS SHE WAS SEEING OUT THERE IN CALIFORNIA, HIS PALACES SURVIVING, NOT ONLY DUE TO THAT MITIGATION, BUT PRIMARILY DURING THAT EDUCATION OF OUR RESIDENTS OF THAT FIRE ADAPTED COMMUNITY, HOW THEY PARKED IN THEIR HOMES AND PROTECTED, THAT'S THE BIGGEST BANG WE'RE GOING TO GET.

SO THAT'S THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT LOCAL LEVEL CWPP IS THAT CON THAT, UH, COMPREHENSIVE WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS PLANS THERE.

SO WE'RE WORKING HARD ON NOT ONLY KEEPING THE FUELS AND MITIGATED OUT THERE AND WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE SHADED FUEL BEDS, BUT ALSO TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ON HOW TO EDUCATE THEM JUSTICE.

AND I WERE PART OF THE TEAM THAT HELPED DEVELOP THE FIRST NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SPANISH IN SAINT MONICA, AT LEAST THOSE FLORIDA, WHICH IS A SPANISH TRANSLATION OF THE READY SET GO THAT HELPED INTRODUCE TO OUR SPANISH RESIDENTS IN AUSTIN, HOW TO BE BEST PREPARED FOR THE EVENT OF A WILDFIRE.

THIS COUPLED WITH THE EFFECTIVE FIREFIGHTING FORCE OF GETTING OUR FIREFIGHTERS TRAINED UP THROUGH DEPLOYMENTS, THROUGH BEING THE TIME AND THE DIVISION, AND THEN SPREADING THEM AROUND TO HELP EDUCATE THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE, AS WELL AS THE OTHER FIREFIGHTERS THAT MAY NOT HAVE IT, THOSE NEW FIREFIGHTERS THAT ARE COMING INTO THE DIVISION OF THE IMPORTANCE AND THE VALUE OF REALIZING THAT AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHILE WE JUST HIT THAT MILLION PERSON MARK, AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

AND WE ARE A MAJOR URBAN METROPLEX.

WE HAVE RESIDENTS WHO LOVE TO LIVE IN THE TREES IN THAT INTERFACE.

WE ARE KNOWN FOR BEING GREEN.

AND THAT IS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO BE PREPARED FOR THE, SOME OF THE CLOWNS, THE COMPLEXITIES OF LIVING IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.

SO THANK YOU.

AND WE'RE READY FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

THANKS.

APPRECIATE IT.

ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

I THINK LAST YEAR PRESENTATION ABOUT THIS, IS IT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WITH YOUR PRIMARY CONTACTS AROUND THE CITY? I MEAN, THERE'S THAT THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO GET TO THE RESIDENT LEVEL? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

THE ANSWER IN SHORT IS YES, IT DOES HELP TO HAVE THAT PLANNING INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE AND THE COORDINATION.

UM, WE DO INTERACT WITH HAVE THAT STRUCTURE, BUT IT REALLY MAKES IT A LOT MORE CHALLENGING TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT THAT IN PLACE.

SO THE ANSWER'S ABSOLUTELY ANYWHERE.

WE HAVE AN OVERARCHING STRUCTURE THAT WE CAN DEFAULT TO.

SOMETIMES WE WORK WITH CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS WHERE THERE MAY NOT BE AN HOA OR MAYBE EVEN ENCOMPASSES NUMEROUS HOS ATTRACTS.

THAT HELPS.

RIGHT.

WHAT, ONE WAY TO HOA ATTRACTS AS WELL IS THAT EFFORT THAT JUSTICE TALKED ABOUT WORKING WITH OUR PIO TO CREATE THE VIDEOS ON HOW TO DO THE HOME ASSESSMENTS AS WELL.

IT'S NEVER GOING TO BEAT THE FACE TO FACE CONTACT THAT WE GET TO ENGENDER AND LEVERAGE THROUGH THOSE 80 WAYS, BUT WE'RE SURE WE'RE GOING TO TRY EVERY OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE TO HELP THE RESIDENTS.

I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE THE RISKS MAY BE LOW AND THEREFORE PEOPLE ARE COMPLACENT, BUT BOY, WHEN IT HAPPENS, IT WILL JUST DESTROY THE HELL OUT OF EVERYTHING.

SO THAT'S, I'M SURE THAT'S A CHALLENGE TOO, TO GET PEOPLE MOTIVATED TO START, YOU KNOW, DOING

[00:40:01]

YES, YES, SIR.

I SURE CAN BE.

UM, WE TRY, UH, UM, CAPITAL AND LESSONS LEARNED GOING ON IN OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTRY AND DO OUR PRESCRIBED BURNING, TRY TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT WE LIVE IN A FIRE PRONE ECOSYSTEM, BUT IT IS AN ONGOING CHALLENGE, UM, EVERYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY TO MAINTAIN THAT VIGILANCE.

YES, SIR.

IS THAT BETTER? OKAY.

YES.

I ACTUALLY JUST WONDERED IF THERE WAS A TIMELINE FOR WHEN THE VIDEO, THE TRAINING VIDEO IS GOING TO BE COMPLETED, JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE HOME EVALUATIONS ARE GOING TO BE MUCH OF AN OPTION FOR, UM, THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR AND JUST THAT VIDEO TRAINING WILL BE REALLY HELPFUL.

SO JUST WONDERING WHEN THAT WAS READY.

YEAH.

GREAT QUESTION.

SO WE ALREADY HAVE AN IN HOUSE, UM, ASSESSMENT TRAINING THAT WE GIVE FIREFIGHTERS PERIODICALLY, PROBABLY DUE FOR A REFRESH ON THAT.

UM, THE VIDEO CONTENT IS COMPLETE, UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S BROKEN INTO SEGMENTS AND WITH PSH.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT FOOTAGE AND CONSOLIDATED INTO MORE COMPREHENSIVE VIDEO AND SOME OF IT'S COMING IN ON OUR WORKLOAD OF RPIS, BUT I ANTICIPATE CERTAINLY BY THE NEXT PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION UPDATE, BUT IF NOT THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO, ANYONE ELSE, IT KEEPS TICKING.

I KEEP GETTING MUTED.

DON'T THEY KNOW I'M SUPPOSED TO TALK AROUND HERE.

UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I THINK WE'RE DONE? UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

CHIEF BYERS, CHIEF DELA, ROSA, AND JUSTICE JONES.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR UPDATES AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, FOR YOUR DILIGENCE AND STAYING ON OUR CALENDAR.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANKS.

THANKS ALL FOR THE TIME.

Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD DAY.

THANK YOU.

UM, SO NEXT, UM, IS OUR, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS, UH, ANOTHER ONE OF OUR

[4. Proposed Decommissioning and Reusing Land at APD Headquarters (sponsors: Commissioner Gonzales and Webber) (4:00pm-4:30pm) Speaker: -Connor Kenny, Past Chair Planning Commission -LGBTQIA Community -Housing/Homelessness]

UH, WE DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THIS TIME.

UH, WE WILL HAVE CONNOR KENNY, UH, WHO IS A PAST CHAIR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON, UM, I THINK HE SAYS HE'S GONNA NEED ONE MINUTE.

UM, SO I'LL SET IT UP IF HE'S NOT ON, WE CAN, UM, THEN GO INTO MY NEXT TOPIC, WHICH IS ACTUALLY ONE THAT I AM RUNNING ANYWAY.

UM, BUT BASICALLY WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WITH THIS TOPIC IS WE WANTED TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT DEEPER CONVERSATION WITH OUR COMMISSIONERS ON WHAT, UM, WHAT KIND OF INPUT AND EXACTLY WHAT KIND OF SPEAKERS YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IN THE COMING MONTHS ABOUT THIS TOPIC ABOUT APD HQ.

UM, WE GOT SOME FEEDBACK FROM YOU LAST TIME, UH, BUT MR. KENNY WANTED TO HAVE A DEEPER CONVERSATION IN, UH, TO TALK EXACTLY ABOUT WHAT YOU GUYS WERE LOOKING FOR.

WE TALKED ABOUT HOMELESS AND HOMELESSNESS.

WE TALKED ABOUT LGBTQ COMMUNITIES BEING SERVED, UH, BY THE DOWNTOWN, UM, PROPERTY.

AND WE WANTED TO GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THAT.

SO THAT WAS THE AGENDA FOR THIS MONTH.

AND THEN NEXT MONTH WE'LL CONTINUE WITH SPEAKERS.

UM, BUT I THINK MR. KENNY MIGHT BE RUNNING LATE IF YOU ARE ONLINE.

CAN YOU LET ME KNOW? UM, MR. KENNY, ACTUALLY, WE'RE RUNNING EARLY.

HE'S NOT RUNNING LATE.

UM, OKAY.

I WILL SKIP HE'S ON HIS WAY.

HE IS HONEST.

THANK YOU.

YEAH, WE'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD TO NUMBER FIVE.

[5. Request for a Public Safety Commissioner to join the Downtown Commission (sponsors: Commissioners Gonzales and Webber) 4:30-4:35pm]

SO, UM, LAST MONTH I WAS A GUEST AT THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MEETING OF COURSE, ONLINE.

UM, AND WE REVIEWED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DECOMMISSIONING OF THE H UH, APD HQ.

WE REVIEWED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HERE ON OUR COMMISSION.

SO, UM, WHAT THEY

[00:45:01]

UM, I CAN TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEM AND WHEN THEY MEET AND THEN WE CAN HAVE SOME DISCUSSION AND THEN I'LL BE TAKING VOLUNTEERS.

UM, SO BASICALLY THE PURPOSE OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION IS TO ADVISE THE CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF REGARDING POLICIES AND PROJECTS IMPACTING DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.

THEY ACTUALLY ARE STEWARDS OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN, AND THEY ARE A SOUNDING BOARD FOR THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE STAFF ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT DOWNTOWN PLAN AND HOW THAT CAN BE CHANGED.

SO RIGHT NOW IT IS MADE UP OF 11 VOTING MEMBERS, AND IT'S ALSO MADE UP OF SIX NONVOTING MEMBERS FROM DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS, THE COMMISSIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY INVOLVED WITH THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, OUR ARTS MUSIC DESIGN, HISTORIC LANDMARKS, PARKS, AND RECS, AND URBAN TRANSPORTATION.

AND SO WHAT THEY WILL BE PUTTING BEFORE COUNCIL IS THAT THEY ADD A SEVENTH MEMBER, WHICH WOULD BE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM PUBLIC SAFETY.

THEY MEET ON WEDNESDAYS THE THIRD, WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH.

AND ACCORDING TO THE WEBSITE, IT'S AT FIVE 30, BUT I THINK WE ALL KNOW TIMES ARE A LITTLE BIT CHANGE AROUND RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE COLLINS.

UH, SO I'M NOT SURE I'M GUESSING THEY'RE STILL GOING.

THEIR DATES ARE STILL THE THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY IF IT WILL BE AT FIVE O'CLOCK DEPENDING ON WHEN THEIR CALL INS ARE.

SO THIS POSITION WOULD ATTEND, THEIR MEETINGS WOULD GIVE FEEDBACK.

THEY WILL ASK YOU QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THINGS THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING HERE ON OUR COMMISSION, BUT YOU WILL BE A NONVOTING MEMBER, SO YOU WON'T HAVE TO VOTE, OR, UM, OR THERE WAS A QUESTION ON IF IT WAS COUNTED TOWARDS QUORUM.

I DON'T THINK THESE, THESE, UH, POSITIONS ARE COUNTED TOWARDS QUORUM AS WELL.

UM, AS THEY HAVE UPDATED, THEY WILL BE UPDATING THEIR BYLAWS AND THEIR RULES.

UM, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE IF IT WILL BE TOWARDS FORUM.

UM, IF ONLINE THERE'S THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.

THEY'RE VERY, IT'S VERY EASY TO, UM, TO GO DOWN AND LOOK AT WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DISCUSSING, OF COURSE, IN THEIR AGENDAS.

SO I WANTED TO OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS AND TO SEE IF ANYONE HAS AN INTEREST IN VOLUNTEERING FOR THE ROLE.

PLEASE GO AHEAD.

SO MY QUESTION IS, WHAT WAS THEIR MOTIVATION FOR WANTING SOMEBODY FROM PUBLIC SAFETY? IS IT COMMIT? IS IT, YOU KNOW, CONNECT IT TO THE APD HEADQUARTERS OR IS IT A LARGER SORT OF, I BELIEVE THE LARGER IMPACT AND INPUT.

THEY WANT TO HAVE SOME, SOME CONNECTION TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING ON THESE COMMISSIONS.

AND I THINK APD HEADQUARTERS WAS ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE DRIVING FORCES.

AND APPARENTLY THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET SOMEONE FROM PUBLIC SAFETY ON THEIR COMMISSION FOR A FEW.

MMM.

THEY HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO PROPOSE IT AND VOTE ON IT AND GET IT IN FRONT OF COUNCIL TO CHANGE.

PLEASE.

I JUST HAVE A REAL SIMPLE QUESTION IS THE PURPOSE OF ALL THIS TO REPURPOSE THE APD HEADQUARTERS OR TEAR IT DOWN AND BUILD SOMETHING ELSE OR EVERYTHING'S ON THE TABLE.

OH, ARE YOU YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PUBLIC COMMENTARY? NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE APD HEADQUARTERS.

NO, NO, NO.

OKAY.

SO WE'RE NOW TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE FROM OUR COMMISSION, JOINING THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.

WE SKIPPED OVER FIVE.

I'M SORRY, FOUR, I'M GONNA MOVE ON TO FIVE BECAUSE MR. PENNY WAS NOT ON ONLINE.

OKAY.

I THOUGHT THIS COMMISSION WAS GOING TO BE DISCUSSING IT.

NO, NO, NO, NO.

SO DOWNTOWN PERMISSION IS A COMPLETELY SEPARATE COMMISSION THAT HAS A, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY WERE PULLED TOGETHER, TO BE QUITE HONEST.

UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S A COMMISSION ABOUT DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALONE.

THIS IS, THIS IS COMPLETELY SEPARATE.

NO, IT'S QUITE ALL RIGHT.

AND ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.

SO MY NEXT QUESTION IS THREE HERE THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THE, UH, POSITION ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.

IF IT'S APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL.

I AM.

YEAH, I AM.

I'M JUST, BUT MY, MY QUESTION AHEAD OF JUST STRAIGHT UP VOLUNTEERING IS, IS THERE A NEED FOR SOMEONE THAT IS WHOSE DISTRICT IS TIED TO DOWNTOWN? NO, THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT.

UM, NOT FOR ANY ONE SITTING.

SO I THINK OF THE PEOPLE

[00:50:01]

I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A TIE THAT WAY, BUT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE A PART OF OTHER COMMISSIONS, I DON'T THINK THAT'S UNNECESSARY.

I AM INTERESTED IN, IN LIGHT OF, YOU KNOW, HOST AND STUFF GOING ON WITH APD HEADQUARTERS AND JUST HOW TRANSPORTATION MIGHT IMPACT PUBLIC SAFETY STUFF THAT I AM.