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GIVE JUST THREE MORE MINUTES IN CASE THERE'S ANY COUNCIL[Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee]
MEMBERS, UH, OR STAFF COMING IN.AND THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED AT 2 0 5.
WELCOME TO THE JUNE 16TH MEETING OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE.
UH, THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER AT 2 0 5.
UH, TODAY WE HAVE THREE PRESENTATIONS.
UH, FIRST, UH, FROM ON HP D'S SIDE, WE'LL HEAR FROM DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL KOFO OF THE OFFICE OF POLICING REFORM AND ACCOUNTABILITY, UH, WITH AN UPDATE ON ONE SAFE HOUSTON, UM, AND HOW THE PROGRESS ON IMPLEMENTATION IS GOING.
AND THEN SHE WILL ALSO BE JOINED BY ASSISTANT CHIEF MARTIN, UH, TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE CITY'S GUN SAFETY INITIATIVES.
UM, SECOND, WE'LL BE JOINED BY A PROGRAM MANAGER AND PIO, UH, FOR OEM, OUR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, ALLISON HUDSON, TO DISCUSS HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS, UH, SOME QUICK REMINDERS FOR THE PUBLIC AND FOR COUNCIL.
UM, NOW THAT WE ARE IN THE START OF HURRICANE SEASON.
AND FINALLY, ASSISTANT CHIEF MEYER, UM, FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UH, AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE, UH, OUR CHIEFS AND OTHERS, UH, IN CHAMBERS TODAY.
UH, THEY'LL BE PRESENTING ON INCIDENT COMMAND PROCEDURES AND SOME OUT, UH, OUTSTANDING DATA COLLECTION THAT IS NOW UNDERWAY, UH, WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
UH, TODAY WE ARE JOINED BY OUR COLLEAGUES, UM, ONLINE COUNCIL MEMBERS, EVAN SHABAZZ, ALCORN, AND CISNEROS, UH, IN CHAMBERS, WE HAVE STAFF, UH, FROM VICE CHAIR KNOX'S OFFICE, UH, STAFF, FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN'S OFFICE, AND COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER AND HUFFMAN'S OFFICES, UH, EX, EXCUSE ME.
WE ALSO HAVE ONLINE STAFF FROM POLLARD.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON AND MAYOR PRO TEM MARTIN'S OFFICE AS WELL.
IS THERE ANYONE ONLINE THAT I MISSED? OKAY, GREAT.
UM, A FEW, UH, QUICK REMINDERS FOR THE PUBLIC, UH, OR ANYONE WATCHING ONLINE.
PLEASE NOTE THE PRESENTATIONS ARE UPLOADED, UM, ON THE COMMITTEE WEBSITE FOR YOUR REVIEW AS WELL.
UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL PUBLIC SPEAKERS FOR THIS MEETING.
YOU WILL BE CALLED AT THE END OF THE MEETING TODAY.
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WHICH POINT, IF YOU'RE JOINING US VIRTUALLY, PLEASE, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE.AND, UH, I AM SEEING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON HAS ALSO JOINED US ONLINE.
UH, AND FOR A REMINDER FOR ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, IF YOU ARE ONLINE AND YOU HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE, UM, TYPE IT IN THE, UH, IN THE CHAT SO WE CAN MAKE A NOTE AND, UH, CALL ON YOU.
UH, THIS IS THE FIRST PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING FOLLOWING, UM, THE TRAGEDY, UH, THAT TOOK PLACE IN UVALDE.
AND, UM, AS WE HAVE SEEN MASS SHOOTINGS, UH, THE NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING AND HORRIFIC.
UM, I I WANNA POINT OUT IN ONE THING WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, THAT FIREARM INJURIES TEND TO BE MORE FREQUENT, UM, IN PLACES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE EASY ACCESS TO FIREARMS, UH, 68% OF GUNS USED IN SCHOOL VIOLENCE WERE TAKEN FROM THE HOME FROM A FRIEND OR A RELATIVE.
UH, IT'S AN IMPORTANT REMINDER THAT GUN SAFETY, UM, AND SAFE STORAGE FALLS ON EACH ONE OF US, UH, AS RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERS, AS FAMILY MEMBERS TO PROTECT THE ONES WE LOVE AND OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, AND AGAIN, HPD WILL BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT LATER.
BUT I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE, UM, AS WE ENTER INTO THE SUMMER MONTHS, UM, DON'T LEAVE FIREARMS IN YOUR CARS.
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A GUN LOCK AT HOME.
UH, OFTENTIMES PARENTS THINK THAT THEIR CHILDREN DON'T KNOW WHERE, UH, THE GUNS THAT THEY OWN ARE OR HOW TO USE THEM.
AND THAT HAS BEEN PROVEN TIME AND AGAIN, THAT THAT IS NOT TRUE.
UM, WITH THAT, UH, WE'LL PIVOT TO OUR FIRST PRESENTATION.
UH, DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL KOFO, UH, I BELIEVE WE HAVE YOU ON VIRTUALLY AS WELL AS ASSISTANT CHIEF MARTIN.
UH, I'M GOING, UH, DEFER TO YOU ALL, DEPUTY INSPECTOR, PLEASE BEGIN WHEN YOU'RE READY.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR HAVING ME THIS AFTERNOON TO SPEAK TO THE COMMITTEE TO GIVE THE UPDATE ON WEDNESDAY.
HOUSTON, IF WE COULD GET THE SLIDE.
MY NAME'S CRYSTAL FOR AS COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN JUST ANNOUNCED.
I'M THE DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE OFFICE OF POLICING REFORM AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
THIS OFFICE IS A YEAR OLD, UM, AS OF RECENTLY, AND WE ARE CHARGED WITH IMPLEMENTING ONE SAFE HOUSTON AND KIND OF KEEPING THE DATA TRACKING AND ALL OF THAT.
WE ALSO OVERSEE THE INDEPENDENT POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD AND AT THE EXECUTION OF THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE ON POLICING REFORM AND ACCOUNTABILITY, UM, OR THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE ON POLICING REFORM RECOMMENDATIONS.
IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED THE ONE SAFE HOUSTON INITIATIVE.
IT'S A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO COMBAT VIOLENT CRIME THAT WE HAVE SEEN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND MORE PARTICULAR HERE IN HOUSTON.
THIS INITIATIVE IS BASED WITH PUBLIC SAFETY AND REDUCING THE HARMS CAUSED BY VIOLENT CRIME.
THERE ARE FOUR KEY FOCUS AREAS THAT THE, UM, ONE SAFE HOUSTON LOOKS AT.
AND THE FIRST IS VIOLENT REDUCTION IN CRIME PREVENTION.
THROUGH THAT, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT, UM, TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENTS THROUGH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THERE'S BEEN ENHANCED, UH, PATROL PRESENCE WITH OVERTIME, UH, PUSH TOWARDS, UM, THE LEGAL FIREARMS. AS COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN WITH SPEAKING ON THAT, THE INCREASED FIREARM USAGE AND DEATHS AROUND THE COUNTRY IS JUST STAGGERING, AND WE REALLY WANNA DO SOMETHING TO COMBAT THAT.
THERE'S KEY, UH, COMMUNITY PARTNERS THROUGH THIS, UM,
THE FAITH-BASED LEADERS, WERE GETTING A COMMUNITY GROUP TOGETHER OF FAITH-BASED AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO HELP, UM, REALLY DRIVE HOME ALL OF THE AREAS THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON AND MAKING SURE THAT ONE SAFE HOUSTON IS EXECUTED PROPERLY IN THE CRISIS INTERVENTION AND RESPONSE RECOVERY.
THAT INCLUDES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND MENTAL HEALTH.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF YOUTH OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES.
EARLIER THIS WEEK, WE HAD OVER 13,000 YOUTH START, UM, THROUGH THE HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH PROGRAM.
AND SO THAT'S AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO EITHER WORK HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON OR IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
INITIALLY, THE BREAKDOWN FOR THE $44 MILLION WAS 5.7 FOR PATROL ENHANCEMENTS, 1.9 MILLION FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATIONS DEPARTMENT, $1 MILLION TOWARDS AN ILLEGAL GUN, UM, BUYBACK INITIATIVE, 1.5 TO THE HOUSTON FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTER TO HELP, UM, WITH THE BACKLOG AND CRIMINAL CASES SO THAT AS THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM GETS BACK ON ITS FEET AFTER BEING SHUT DOWN FROM COVID, THAT THEY'RE NOT WAITING ON THE CASES.
ALSO, WE HAVE 2.5 MILLION FOR CURE
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VIOLENCE, UM, THE VIOLENCE INTER, UM, INTERRUPTION PROGRAM.AND THEN ALSO, UM, CREDIBLE MESSENGERS, 1 MILLION TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY REENTRY 9.6 TOWARDS MENTAL HEALTH, AND THEN 21 MILLION FOR, UH, I'M SORRY, 9.6 FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND 21 MILLION FOR MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
BECAUSE OF THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE INITIATED SO FAR, MAYOR TURNER HAS INITIATED OR DESIGNATED ANOTHER ALMOST $10 MILLION TOWARDS THE PROGRAM.
YOU'LL SEE THAT THE PATROL ENHANCEMENTS WERE INCREASED BY $5 MILLION.
ANOTHER 1.5 MILLION WAS GIVEN TO THE HOUSTON FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTER, ANOTHER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS TO CURE VIOLENCE PROGRAM AND THE CREDIBLE MESSENGERS, AND THEN ANOTHER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
SUCH A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS INTERVENTION.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE TABLE, MAJORITY OF THE FUNDS ARE GOING TOWARDS THE CRISIS INTERVENTION AND RESPONSE AND RECOVERY, AND NOT TOWARDS THE, UM, AND NOT TOWARDS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE.
UM, BECAUSE IT'S A HOLISTIC APPROACH.
SINCE ITS INITIATION OF THE PROGRAM ON FEBRUARY 2ND, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF KEY WINS.
AND SOME OF THOSE KEY WINS THAT WE HAVE INITIATED ARE, NUMBER ONE, THE 125 ADDITIONAL OVERTIME OFFICERS.
THEY STARTED FEBRUARY 7TH, UM, SHORTLY AFTER THE INITIATIVE BEGAN, AND AS OF JUNE 13TH OF THIS YEAR, THEY HAVE RECOVERED OVER 510 WEAPONS.
THEY'VE HAD 711 FELONY ARRESTS.
THEY'VE RECOVERED OVER 312 AUTOMOBILES.
THEY'VE HAD EXECUTED THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIX TWO B WARRANTS, AND THEY'VE HAD OVER 460 MISDEMEANOR ARRESTS.
AND THIS IS JUST FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL HUNDRED AND 25 OFFICERS.
AND SO THEY'RE MAKING A KEY DIFFERENCE EVERY DAY.
UM, CHIEF SATELLITE AND CHIEF FINN AND EVERYONE OVER THERE AT HPD ALONG WITH CHIEF MARTIN, THEY LOOK AND SEE WHERE THE HOTSPOTS ARE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND THEY'RE CONSTANTLY MOVING THE BODIES AROUND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING AS EFFECTIVE AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND SO I REALLY, UH, REALLY WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE HB OFFICERS FOR ALL THAT THEY'RE DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT NOT HAVE AS MANY OFFICERS AS WE'D LIKE TO HAVE, WE ARE COVERING AND MAKING OUR CITY SAFER.
ANOTHER ONE OF THE KEY PROGRAMS THAT'S BEEN INITIATED, UH, BEGAN IS THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAMS, THE MCO TEAMS AND THEIR CRISIS INHIBITOR RESPONSE TEAM, ALONG WITH THE CORE, WERE PASSED BY COUNSEL IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR.
THOSE INITIATIVES, THE OTT TEAMS, HAVE SUCCESSFULLY DIVERTED THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, 766 CALLS TO THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO THAT IS 766 TIMES WHEN HPD DIDN'T HAVE TO ARRIVE TO A SCENE THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THERE AND STOP SO THAT HPD COULD GO TO THE MORE SERIOUS SCENES THEY'D GONE.
AND, UM, SUCCESSFULLY CALLED OUT TO SERVICE FOR 347 TIMES IN WHICH THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT WOULD'VE BEEN OUT ON THOSE SCENES.
THE CT TEAMS IN THE FIRST QUARTER HAVE RESPONDED TO 600 CALLS FOR SERVICE.
AND THEN OUR DOMESTIC RESPONSE TEAM, WHICH WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT HERE ALSO, THEY'VE COME OUT TO 1,133 SCENES, AND THEY'VE HAD OVER 600 CHARGES.
UM, AS A RESULT OF THOSE SCENES, THEY'VE HELPED PLACEMENT OR SHELTERS, OR THROUGH HAWK OR SOME OF THE OTHER PARTNERSHIPS, 500, UM, DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS WHO NEEDED THAT EMERGENCY SHELTER.
AND THEN THEY'VE DONE OVER 25 FORENSIC NURSE EXAMINATIONS.
ADDITIONALLY, UM, THE MAYOR PROPOSED IN CITY COUNCIL, UH, APPROVED THE CADILLAC CONVERTER ORDINANCE.
THIS ORDINANCE MADE IT ILLEGAL FOR ANYONE TO COME OR TO PURCHASE A CADILLAC CONVERTER WITHOUT SHOWING PROOF OF OWNERSHIP.
UM, AND THAT'S A REALLY EXCITING TIME BECAUSE AS WE KNOW THAT THE CADILLAC CONVERTERS ARE BEING STOLEN AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH RATE.
AND SO IT HAS BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL THAT, UM, THE STATE LEGISLATOR IS LOOKING AT PASSING, UH, A STATE LAW THAT IS VERY SIMILAR TO OUR ORDINANCE THAT'S BEEN PASSED, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT'LL GET PICKED UP BY THE STATE AND ADDITIONALLY BY THE, UH, UNITED STATES ALSO.
THERE SHOULD BE A SLIDE IN BETWEEN THIS, I BELIEVE.
UM, ANOTHER ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED, UM, PRESENTED, PROPOSED BY THE MAYOR AND PASSED BY COUNCIL, WAS THE CAMERA ORDINANCE THAT IS GOING INTO EFFECT IN 90 DAYS AFTER APRIL 20TH, UH, WHEN IT WAS PASSED.
AND THAT REQUIRES THAT ACTUAL ORIENTED BUSINESS.
UM, NIGHTCLUBS AND BARS, CONVENIENCE STORES AND GAME ROOMS HAVE TO HAVE OUTWARD FACING SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS THAT SHOW THE, UM, ENTRANCES AND EXITS OF THEIR BUSINESS.
AND IT HAS TO BE STORED FOR 30 DAYS, UM, ON THEIR, WHATEVER SOFTWARE THEY'RE USING.
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HPD GOES OUT AND ASKS FOR THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO, IT HAS TO BE PROVIDED TO THEM WITHIN 72 HOURS OF A REQUEST.AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS, WITH MORE AND MORE CAMERAS OUT THERE, IT'LL MAKE IT A LOT EASIER FOR OFFICERS TO BE ABLE TO TRACK DOWN CRIMINALS AND HELP BE SUCCESSFUL IN CRIME.
UM, ALSO THE MAYOR GAVE, UM, ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS TOWARDS HIRING THE, UH, ADDITIONAL PARK RANGERS.
THOSE POSITIONS HAVE BEEN POSTED, AND THERE ARE CANDIDATES ARE UNDER PROGRESS OF BEING, UH, GOING THROUGH THE BACKGROUND AND TRAINING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO WE CAN GET THOSE ADDITIONAL PATROL RANGERS OUT THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM THAT HAS ALREADY STARTED, AND IT'S BEEN INCREASED IS THE REENTRY PROGRAM.
IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE, AND, UM, WITH THE ONE SAFE HOUSTON, IT'S BEEN EXPANDED FROM 500 TO 750 PARTICIPANTS.
THOSE PARTICIPANTS GET WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR THEMSELVES AND THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS.
AND THERE'S ACTUALLY A GRADUATION HAPPENING NEXT WEEK ON JUNE 21ST THAT I AM EXCITED ABOUT ATTENDING, UM, TO SEE ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROGRAM AND ARE GOING TO BE SO MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS THAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT WE HAVE HAD A DECREASE IN HOMICIDES, UM, ARE ONE HOMICIDE IS TOO MANY, BUT WE ARE HAPPY TO SEE THAT SINCE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ONCE A PIECE IS TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AS OF FEBRUARY 2ND OF THIS YEAR, WHEN THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED THE INITIATIVE, WE WERE 30% ABOVE WHERE WE WERE THE YEAR BEFORE.
UM, AND THOSE NUMBERS, WHEN YOU SAY 30%, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S A REALLY LARGE NUMBER, AND IT IS BECAUSE ONE, UH, HOMICIDE IS TOO MANY.
BUT IN REALITY, WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT LESS THAN 10 ADDITIONAL MURDERS, BUT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO DECREASE THAT NUMBER EACH DAY.
AND SO AS OF JUNE 1ST OF THIS YEAR, WE WERE NOW 2% BELOW THE HOMICIDE RATE, AND WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE PROGRESS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING IT AS WE GO THROUGH THESE SUMMER MONTHS.
UM, AND WE KNOW THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADAPT AND MOVE FORWARD IN MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN HELP CONTINUE TO TREND IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
ALONG WITH THE HOMICIDE RATES.
WE'VE ALSO HAD A DECREASE IN A LOT OF OUR OTHER VIOLENT CRIME AREAS.
UM, SEXUAL ASSAULTS HAVE BEEN DECREASED BY 33%, AND I THINK A LARGE IS EFFECTIVE, HOW HARD EVERYONE IS WORKING.
AND THEN AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS ARE DOWN BY MORE THAN 9%.
AND SO WE SEE THAT IT'S WORKING, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE PUSHING MORE AND MORE FOR CHANGES AND REALLY ADAPTING.
YOU CAN SEE, UM, ON THE ONE SAFE HOUSTON WEBSITE, UM, YOU CAN SEE NEWS ARTICLES, YOU CAN SEE FUNDING BREAKDOWN, AND ALL THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS IT RELATES TO ONEE HOUSTON.
WE'RE UPDATING THE WEBSITE ALL THE TIME, AND SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT ARE COMING FORTH FROM, UH, THE ONEE HOUSTON PROJECT AS THEY GET IMPLEMENTED.
AND SO PLEASE REACH OUT THERE TO SEE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT IS COMING OUT OF THE ONE SAFETY, UM, DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL, WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE HEARING YOU.
UM, IT, YOU'VE KIND OF FROZE FOR JUST A MINUTE.
IF YOU DON'T MIND GOING BACK ABOUT 15 SECONDS, UM, WITH YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS.
LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL, SO I'LL START WITH THIS SLIDE.
SO ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF ONE SAFE HOUSTON TO LOOK FORWARD TO IS THE GUN BUYBACK EVENT.
IT'S GOING TO BE HOSTED BY MAYOR TURNER AND THE UM, CO-HOST WILL BE THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND PRECINCT ONE COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS.
WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND, UM, IT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY WONDERFUL EVENT.
YOU CAN COME AND BRING YOUR FIREARMS AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING.
WE ARE NOT GONNA ASK YOU ANY QUESTIONS.
THERE WILL BE NO LICENSE PLATE READERS, NO ONE'S GONNA ASK YOU FOR YOUR IDENTIFICATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO TAKE THOSE FIREARMS THAT WE CAN SAFELY DISPOSE OF THEM, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS GUN BUYBACK COMING, UM, THIS MONTH.
SO HOW WILL THE GUN BUYBACK WORK? YOU WILL ARRIVE AT THE, UM, AT THE LOCATION, AND YOU'LL HAVE THE FIREARM IN YOUR TRUNK.
IT'S GONNA WORK VERY SIMILAR TO, UM, THE COVID VACCINE OR THE COVID, UM, TESTING WHERE IT'S JUST A STRAIGHT DRIVE THROUGH SERVICE.
SO THERE'LL BE NO NEED TO GET OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE.
YOU'LL ARRIVE AT THE STATION WITH YOUR WEAPON INSIDE THE TRUNK OF YOUR VEHICLE, OR IN THE BED OF YOUR TRUCK, WHEREVER YOU, WHATEVER KIND OF VEHICLE YOU DRIVE.
AND IF SOMEONE FROM HPD WILL COME TO THE VEHICLE, THEY'LL CLEAN THAT, THEY'LL TAKE THE FIREARM AND THEY'LL RENDER IT SAFE BY TAKING OUT ANY AMMUNITION
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AND BULLETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT MIGHT BE IN THAT FIREARM.ONCE THAT'S COMPLETE, THEN YOU'LL GO TO STATION TWO, WHERE HPD WILL LOOK AT THE WEAPON, THE FIREARMS INSTRUCTURE THERE.
WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AND DETERMINE THE VALUE OF THAT FIREARM.
AND ONCE THEY DETERMINE A VALUE, THEY'LL GIVE YOU A RECEIPT AND YOU'LL GO TO STATION THREE, OR YOU'LL RECEIVE THE, UM, GIFT CARD ALONG WITH A THANK YOU LETTER FOR COMING AND SOME OTHER SAFETY MATERIALS ABOUT STORING GUNS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN ONCE THIS TRANSACTION'S COMPLETE, YOU'LL JUST DRIVE ON OUT SAFELY OUT OF THE, UM, OUT OF THE LOCATION.
AND SO IT'S A QUICK 1, 2, 3, WITH YOUR VEHICLE NEVER GETTING OUT.
AT NO POINT IN TIME WILL ANYONE ASK YOU FOR ANY IDENTIFICATION AT ALL WHEN WE'RE TAKING THE FIREARM OR GIVING YOU THE GIFT CARD.
IT'S ALL ANONYMOUS, AND WE'RE JUST HERE TO RECEIVE THOSE WEAPONS SO WE CAN DISPOSE OF THEM, UM, PROPERLY.
AND SO HOW MUCH ARE WE GOING TO BE OFFERING FOR FIREARMS? IT'LL BE A HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR RIFLES AND SHOTGUNS, $150 FOR HANDGUNS, AND THEN $200 FOR AUTOMATIC RIFLES.
AGAIN, IT DOESN'T MATTER ANYTHING ABOUT THE WEAPONS, ABOUT HOW THEY ARE PROPERLY FUNCTIONING OR ANYTHING OF THAT MATTER, IT'S JUST ABOUT WE'RE GONNA TAKE THE WEAPONS AND WE WILL GIVE YOU THE GIFT CARDS FOR THEM.
UM, AND THEN THOSE TESTS, THOSE FIREARMS WILL BE GOING THROUGH NI TESTING.
AND CHIEF MARTIN IS GOING TO DISCUSS IN FURTHER DETAIL ABOUT THAT.
AND HERE IS CHIEF MARTIN TO DISCUSS THE BIN TESTING WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND A FEW OTHER THINGS.
THANK YOU, CRYSTAL, FOR THAT UPDATE.
I MEAN, UH, ONE SAFE HOUSTON PROGRAM, UH, ONE OF THE BIGGEST EMPHASIS IS THAT WE HAVE OF THE PROGRAM IS THAT IT IS ONE SAFE HOUSTON.
IT'S NOT ONE PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT OR ANYTHING ELSE.
AND CRYSTAL DID A GOOD JOB OF POINTING OUT THAT THE ENTIRETY OF THE PROGRAM IS SPREAD OUT ACROSS MULTIPLE AVENUES, UH, TO ADDRESS, UH, CRIME AND, AND PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE CITY.
AND ONE OF THOSE IS THAT GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM, UH, THAT IS, AS YOU SAID COMING UP.
UH, THE PROGRAM ITSELF AS, AS DIRECTOR POINTED OUT, IS COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS.
UH, THERE WILL BE NO PERSONAL INFORMATION TAKEN FROM THE INDIVIDUALS.
THERE WILL BE NO DOCUMENTATION OF WHO THE PERSON WAS THAT PRESENTED THAT FIREARM.
UH, THE ONE THING SHE DID FOLLOW UP ON AND SAY IS THAT WE WILL BE TAKING THOSE FIREARMS AND RUNNING THEM THROUGH NIVAN.
UH, I WANNA GET A LITTLE BIT INTO OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND FIREARMS TO GET INTO WHAT NIVAN IS.
IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE, UH, FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS WE HAVE BEEN PARTNERING WITH THE A TF IN OUR, UH, GUN CRIME TASK FORCE, OUR CRIME GUN TASK FORCE, MAINLY HAVING SOME OF OUR VIOLENT CRIME INVESTIGATORS WORKING WITH A TF AGENTS TO ADDRESS GUNS THAT ARE USED IN CRIME.
I MEAN, UH, WE KNOW THIS IS TEXAS.
WE KNOW THERE'S, THERE'S LAWS THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO OWN, POSSESS, CARRY FIREARMS, BUT IT DOES NOT GO TOWARDS YOU BEING ABLE TO USE THAT GUN IN A CRIME.
AND ONCE THOSE GUNS ARE USED IN A CRIME, WE WANT TO TAKE THEM, TRACK THEM, FIND OUT WHAT NEEDS, WHAT WAS DONE WITH THAT FIREARM.
SO WHAT WE WILL BE DOING, UH, BECAUSE THERE WAS A CONCERN BROUGHT UP IN A PREVIOUS DISCUSSION ABOUT GUN BUY BAGS, WE WILL BE TAKING EVERY GUN THAT IS CAPABLE OF BEING TESTED, THAT IS TURNED IN THROUGH THE BUYBACK PROGRAM, AND WE WILL BE RUNNING IT THROUGH THE
IT, IN ESSENCE, FINGERPRINTS, THOSE GUNS, NOT ACTUAL FINGERPRINTS, BUT WHAT IT ACTUALLY DOES IS IT MICROSCOPICALLY EXAMINES THE SHELL CASINGS THAT COME OUT OF THAT FIREARM BECAUSE IT'S A VERY UNIQUE THING, KINDA LIKE THE BALLISTICS ON A BULLET THAT YOU SEE IN ON TELEVISION CRIME SHOWS.
UH, AND IT CAN BE MATCHED SO THAT WE CAN SEE IF THAT PARTICULAR GUN HAS BEEN USED IN A CRIME WHERE EVIDENCE WAS COLLECTED.
AGAIN, WE WILL NOT HAVE ANY INFORMATION AS TO WHO TURNED IT IN.
UH, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE THAT INFORMATION TO TRACK BACK TO THE PERSON THAT TURNED THE FIREARM IN, BUT AT LEAST WE WILL KNOW THAT THAT PARTICULAR WEAPON IS EVIDENCE OF A CRIME AND WILL BE INSTEAD KEPT AS EVIDENCE INSTEAD OF DESTROYED ANY, THE OTHER WEAPONS THAT ARE NOT TIED TO ANY CRIMINAL ACTIVITY WILL BE DESTROYED.
UH, OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE A TF IS EXPANDING.
UH, ONE OF THE RECENT THINGS THAT WAS APPROVED IS EXPANDING THE CRIME, THE GUN CRIME TASK FORCE INTO A CRIME GUN INTELLIGENCE CENTER.
WHAT THAT WILL DO IS TAKE NOT ONLY THE
BUT IT WILL ALSO, UH, GIVE US BETTER ACCESS AND BETTER USABILITY OF, UH, INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE A TF.
WHEN WE DO BRING IN A FIREARM EVIDENCE PUT INTO THE PROPERTY ROOM, THEY RUN THAT GUN.
UH, THE A TF HAS RECORDS AS TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT WAS MANUFACTURED, WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND THEY'LL RUN THAT TRACE, AND THAT INFORMATION WILL THEN BE MADE AVAILABLE TO OUR INVESTIGATORS IN A MUCH MORE TIMELY AND MUCH MORE EFFICIENT WAY.
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ABILITY TO ADDRESS VIOLENT CRIME INVOLVING FIREARMS, BECAUSE REALLY, LET'S FACE IT, CRIME.CRIME IS CRIME, BUT VIOLENT CRIME SCARES PEOPLE.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MURDERS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ROBBERIES, UH, MANY OF WHICH ARE COMMITTED WITH FIREARMS. AND WHILE, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT IS, IT IS BY LAW A LOT OF PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO HAVE OR EVEN CARRY A FIREARM.
YOU CAN'T USE 'EM IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
AND WHEN YOU DO, THAT IS SOMETHING WE TAKE EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY.
SO THE GOAL IS TO NOT ONLY KEEP FIREARMS OUT OF THE HANDS OF THOSE WHO WOULD MISUSE THEM, BUT ALSO GET THEM OUT OF THE HANDS OF THOSE WHO WOULD MISUSE THEM.
BUT TO THE KEEPING THEM OUT PORTION, UH, IT WAS MENTIONED CRYSTAL MENTIONED, AND COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN BOTH MENTIONED ABOUT, UH, GUNS BEING STOLEN FROM VEHICLES AND THE GUN SAFETY INITIATIVES THAT THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IS GONNA BE PARTICIPATING IN.
UH, CHIEF SATTERWHITE, UH, OUR PATROL EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT CHIEF WAS IN RECENT CONVERSATION WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, AND THEY DISCUSSED A GUN SAFETY EVENT AND INITIATIVE THAT SHOULD KICK OFF HOPEFULLY OVER, AROUND OR OVER 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND.
UH, AND THE GOAL THERE WOULD BE TO, UH, PUT TOGETHER A PROGRAM THAT COULD PROVIDE OR ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO HAVE GUN LOCKS AND ALSO CAR GUN SAFES.
UH, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, LAST YEAR, MORE THAN 3,700 FIREARMS WERE STOLEN FROM CARS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
IF YOU DO THE MATH, THAT IS MORE THAN 10 GUNS PER DAY STOLEN OUT OF CARS, WHICH YOU CAN BET THEY'RE NOT JUST STEALING 'EM TO GO SELL THEM TO THE PAWN SHOP SO THEY GET A LITTLE CASH, THOSE GUNS ARE GOING DIRECTLY IN THE HANDS OF PEOPLE WHO COMMIT VIOLENT CRIMINAL ACTS.
SO, A, IT'S A VERY PREVENTABLE SITUATION.
WE, WE HAVE PUT A PSA OUT RECENTLY, UH, THROUGH OUR, UH, OUR ALL OF THEFT DIVISION, TALKING ABOUT GUNS BEING STOLEN OUT OF FIREARMS, WHERE WE HAVE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED OUR RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY TO SAFELY STORE THEIR FIREARMS, TO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EVER LEAVE A FIREARM IN A CAR.
A BURGLARY OF MOTOR VEHICLE IS ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR MOST PREVENTABLE CRIMES IF PEOPLE WOULD NOT LEAVE VALUABLES OR ANYTHING, OR ANY PERCEIVED VALUABLES VISIBLE IN A CAR, BUT FIREARMS IN PARTICULAR.
BUT SINCE IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THAT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE WOULD ENCOURAGE IS THE SAFE STORAGE OF THOSE FIREARMS IN A WAY THAT MAKES THEM INACCESSIBLE TO CRIMINALS AND INACCESSIBLE TO SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE TRYING TO STEAL IT, OR AT LEAST MAKE IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO STEAL THAT FIREARM.
SO THAT, UH, THAT INITIATIVE IS HOPEFULLY COMING UP VERY SOON.
AND, UH, WE WOULD BE PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
UH, WE TALKED ABOUT GUN SAFETY IN GENERAL.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAME AND BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT, UH, GUNS IN THE HOME CAN OFTEN BE MISUSED OR SOMETIMES VERY TRAGICALLY USED, INADVERTENTLY WHEN CHILDREN GET AHOLD OF THEM AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, I'VE TOLD PEOPLE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AND WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE OF THIS SAFELY, STORE SAFE STORAGE OF YOUR FIREARM IS CRITICAL.
YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU USE A GUN LOCK OR USE A GUN SAFE, WHATEVER YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE IS, PLEASE STORE THOSE FIREARMS SAFELY.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE CHILDREN, I WOULD RECOMMEND THE OUT OF SIGHT OUTTA MIND APPROACH IS NOT GOOD WHEN YOU HIDE THAT FIREARM CHIL AND ASSUME YOUR CHILDREN KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT AND WILL NEVER FIND IT.
WE HEAR TIME AND TIME AGAIN IN THE NEWS MEDIA OF CASES WHERE CHILDREN FIND A FIREARM IN A HOME AND TRAGICALLY INJURE THEMSELVES OR SOMEONE ELSE.
SO, UH, SAFE STORAGE AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU TAKE, YOU TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD IS, IS VERY CRITICAL.
UH, DIRECTOR ALSO MENTIONED A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UH, INITIATIVES THAT ARE IN THE ONE SAFE HOUSTON PROGRAM THAT I JUST WANNA TOUCH ON BRIEFLY BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
AND I THINK IT'S, IT'S OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE TO NOTE THAT AS SHE STATED, ALL THIS MONEY DIDN'T GO TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO JUST PUT MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREET.
WHEN WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT VIOLENT CRIME PROBLEM OR A SIGNIFICANT CRIME PROBLEM IN THE CITY, IT'S ALL OF OUR, ALL OF OUR PROBLEM.
WE'RE, WE'RE NEVER GOING TO, UH, THE STATEMENT'S BEEN MADE REPEATEDLY OVER THE YEARS, AND IT'S NEVER BEEN MORE TRUE.
WE'RE NEVER GOING TO JUST ARREST OUR WAY OUT OF A VIOLENT CRIME PROBLEM.
THE POLICE ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION, BUT WE ARE NOT THE ONLY SOLUTION.
AND ONE OF THE VERY IMPORTANT THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THE ONE SAFE HOUSTON PROGRAM ARE SOME OF THE MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES AND THE DART PROGRAM.
THOSE, UH, THOSE OUTREACH AND RECOVERY INITIATIVES FOR PEOPLE, UH, DART IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESPONSE TEAMS. THEY ACTUALLY GO OUT IN THE FIELD WITH FORENSIC NURSE EXAMINERS AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COUNSELORS AND BRING ASSISTANCE TO THE VICTIMS IN THE FIELD.
INSTEAD OF REFERRING THEM FOR TO SHELTERS OR REFERRING THEM FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT, WE ACTUALLY BRING A COUNSELOR INTO THE FIELD AND PROVIDE ON THE SPOT THOSE SERVICES TO THOSE VICTIMS. AND, AND IT'S BEEN PHENOMENALLY EFFECTIVE.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, THE MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS THAT SHE MENTIONED, UH, OTT, THAT'S ACTUALLY, UH, A CRISIS DIVERSION.
IT DIVERTS CALLS FOR SERVICE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, AS YOU HEARD IN THE STATISTICS, NEARLY A
[00:30:01]
THOUSAND CALLS TO BOTH PD OR FIRE HAVE BEEN DIVERTED BY OTT BECAUSE THEY REALLY DIDN'T REQUIRE A PARAMEDIC.THEY REALLY DIDN'T REQUIRE A POLICE OFFICER.
THERE WASN'T A VIOLENT ACT BEING BEING DONE.
THERE WAS NOT A SEVERELY INJURED PERSON.
THERE WAS SOMEONE IN CRISIS WHO NEEDED HELP.
AND THE OCT PROGRAM WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM, UH, WITH THAT TYPE OF HELP.
UH, THE, THE CRISIS INTERVENTION RESPONSE TEAMS, THE CERT TEAMS PUT MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS WITH OUR POLICE OFFICERS TO RESPOND TO CASES WHERE SOMEONE IS IN CRISIS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH THE ASSISTANCE THEY NEED RIGHT THERE ON THE SPOT.
UH, AND, AND THOSE, THOSE HELP IMMENSELY WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE IN CRISIS, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE POTENTIALLY VIOLENT TO, ONCE WE GET THEM UNDER CONTROL, THAT COUNSELOR CAN ASSIST US IN GETTING THAT PERSON THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.
AND THEN THE CORE PROGRAM THAT WAS BRIEFLY MENTIONED, IT IS A PROGRAM WHERE ACTUALLY OFFICERS WOULD HAVE, UH, A TABLET, CONNECTED TABLET, PC IN THE FIELD.
AND WHEN SOMEONE IS IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, BUT THEY'VE NOT COMMITTED A CRIME, THEY'RE NOT VIOLENT, BUT THEY NEED ASSISTANCE, THE OFFICER COULD, USING THAT TABLET AS A FACE-TO-FACE VIDEO CONFERENCE, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE, UH, PROVIDE THAT INDIVIDUAL WITH IMMEDIATE CONTACT WITH A COUNSELOR, A A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL.
SO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ARE, ARE WHERE WE, WHERE WE NEED TO BE IN THE FUTURE, BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS REQUIRES A POLICE OR FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONSE.
UH, COUPLE OTHER LITTLE THINGS, AND THEN I'M GONNA GET OFF MY SOAPBOX.
UH, LOVE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER ORDINANCE.
THAT HAS BEEN HUGE, UH, THAT IS, HAS BEEN DRIVING OUR NONVIOLENT, YOU KNOW, OUR BURGLARY MOTOR VEHICLE NUMBERS, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY.
BUT IT TIES INTO VIOLENT CRIME.
THERE HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY MURDERED, UH, CONFRONTING SOMEONE WHO WAS STEALING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER OFF OF HIS VEHICLE.
UH, THERE THERE IS LESS SPECIALIZATION AMONGST THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT, UH, IF THEY'RE THERE STEALING YOUR CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND THEY'RE CONFRONTED, UH, THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE GOTTEN VIOLENT NUMEROUS TIMES.
SO, UM, A IT GETS BACK INTO, PLEASE DON'T DIRECTLY CONFRONT, UH, VIOLENT CRIMINALS UNLESS YOU'RE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
PLEASE CALL LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN YOU SEE THIS.
CALL 9 1 1 AND WE'LL COME OVER THERE AND RESPOND.
UH, LPR CAMERAS WERE MENTIONED, AND THE FACT THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE LPR CAMERAS ANYWHERE NEAR THE GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM, UH, THAT IS A COMMITMENT FROM US.
BUT WE ARE TRYING TO LEVERAGE LPR, UH, SYSTEMS, WHICH IS LICENSE PLATE READER CAMERA SYSTEMS. UH, IN OUR EFFORTS TO COMBAT VIOLENT CRIME, UH, WE, THOSE HAVE BEEN BEING DEPLOYED BY BOTH PRIVATE INDUSTRY AS WELL AS NEIGHBORHOODS MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING UP SOME OF OUR FIRST CAMERAS.
AND IN THE FIRST DAY, AFTER HAVING ONE OF THE FIRST ONES WE PUT UP, WE'D ALREADY RECOVERED TWO STOLEN VEHICLES, INCLUDING ARRESTING THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE DRIVING THEM.
AND OUR HOMICIDE DIVISION WAS ABLE TO UTILIZE CAMERAS PUT IN PLACE BY ONE OF THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES THAT SURROUNDS THE CITY TO IDENTIFY AND ARREST A HOMICIDE SUSPECT, MURDER SUSPECT WITHIN 24 HOURS OF THE CRIME THEY COMMITTED.
UH, DON'T LIKE TO TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT STATS, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE A CRIME VICTIM, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HOMICIDE, UH, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WANNA KNOW WHY THEY'RE A VICTIM, THEY'RE NOT WORRIED IT COULD BE DOWN 99%, BUT THAT ONE PERSON, UH, IS STILL A VICTIM, AND IT'S STILL SOMEONE WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.
BUT IT IS ENCOURAGING TO US TO SEE THAT OUR HOMICIDE NUMBERS WENT FROM BEING UP 30% TO BEING DOWN 2% AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR GOING INTO SUMMER.
UH, OUR VIOLENT CRIME OVERALL IS DOWN, UH, NEARLY 10% GOING INTO THE SUMMER WHEN WE SOMETIMES HAVE ISSUES.
UH, SEEING IT TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IS VERY ENCOURAGING.
UH, IT SPEAKS TO THE RESIDENTS WE HAVE IN OUR CITY, UH, AND THE FACT THAT THEY'RE STEPPING UP TO HELP ALL OF US KEEP, UH, THE CITY SAFE.
BUT THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT, UNLESS IF I HAS ANYTHING.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS AROUND THE HORSESHOE COUNCIL MEMBER? PECK? THANK YOU, CHAIR.
AND I CAME IN LATE, SO I APOLOGIZE IF THIS WAS ALREADY ANSWERED, BUT CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MILLION DOLLARS FOR THIS PROGRAM? IS THAT JUST COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND, OR ARE THERE OTHER PARTNERS THAT THE MONEY'S COMING FROM? UH, WHICH, WHICH PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY? OH, SORRY ABOUT THE, THE GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM.
UM, YOU'D THINK AFTER TWO YEARS I'D GET IT DOWN.
UM, BUT ALL OF THE FUNDING FOR ONCE SAFE HOUSTON THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESPONSE OR RECOVERY PLAN FUNDS FROM THE ARPA FUNDING.
SO THERE'LL BE NO GENERAL FUNDS USED.
THERE WILL BE SOME FUNDING COMING FROM COM, UH, PRECINCT ONE FOR THAT.
UM, BUT I BELIEVE THEY'RE ALSO USING ARPA FUNDING FOR IT.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS ONLINE? SEEING NONE, UM, DEPUTY INSPECTOR, I HAD A FEW QUICK QUESTIONS, UM, FOR YOU, UH, VERY QUICKLY.
UM, FIRST I'LL SAY I WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE UNDER, UH, PUBLICLY, UNDER THE MAYOR'S LEADERSHIP, HP'S INVOLVEMENT IN ALL OF THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
SOME OF THE, UM, NUMBERS YOU PRESENTED ARE, UM,
[00:35:01]
REALLY REMARKABLE.UM, SO MUCH SO THAT, UH, THE WHITE HOUSE HAS BEEN LOOKING AT HOUSTON AND SPOTLIGHTING HOUSTON FOR, UM, A MODEL THAT OTHER CITIES CAN AND SHOULD BE REPLICATING RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, IN THAT CONTEXT, UH, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED A BUNCH OF NUMBERS THAT WEREN'T ON THE SLIDES, PARTICULARLY STARTING AT PAGE SEVEN.
UM, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO SEND US THOSE SO WE CAN SHARE SOME OF THOSE PUBLICLY AS WELL.
UM, I THINK THAT THEY'RE IMPORTANT REFERENCE POINTS FOR THE PUBLIC, UM, IN TERMS OF THE SUCCESS THAT WE'RE SEEING THUS FAR.
AND THE, UM, I, I'M VERY HAPPY TO HEAR THE ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT, UM, IN TERMS OF, I THINK YOU SAID 1.5 ADDITIONAL ON TOP OF WHAT WAS ALREADY ALLOCATED TO THE FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTER.
UM, HALF A MILLION ADDITIONAL FOR CREDIBLE MESSENGER AND OTHER, UM, COMMUNITY INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, UH, AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PROGRAMS, A MILLION FOR PARK RANGERS, WHICH WE KNOW IN PARKS, WE NEED TO, UM, HAVE A FOCUS THERE IN TERMS OF SAFETY.
UM, THE REENTRY PROGRAM AND THE GRADUATION THAT'S COMING UP IS GONNA BE VERY EXCITING.
SO I THINK ALL OF THESE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT IN JUST, IF WE CAN SHARE SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS PUBLICLY, THAT WOULD, UM, BE REALLY GREAT, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY CALLS WE'RE DIVERTING FROM HPD AND HFD TO THAT POINT, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, FOR THE GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM, UM, AND THIS IS TO EITHER ONE OF YOU, UM, WHAT, YOU KNOW, THIS PROGRAM, I'VE GOTTEN QUESTIONS, WELL, HOW IS THIS GONNA IMPACT VIOLENT CRIME? BUT, UM, GUN BUYBACK PROGRAMS, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, ARE NOT NECESSARILY FOCUSED ON CRIMINAL ELEMENTS, BUT ON RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP.
UM, CAN ONE OF YOU SPEAK TO THAT IN TERMS OF WHAT SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM LOOKS LIKE AND WHO THIS PROGRAM IS ACTUALLY FOR? UH, CHIEF, YOU'RE CHIEF, YOU'RE, YOU'RE MUTED.
YOU WANT ME TO TAKE THAT OR YOU WANT TO, OR YOU WANT TO ADDRESS IT? GO AHEAD.
I THINK THE COUNCIL MEMBER IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
UH, GUN BUYBACK PROGRAMS ARE NOT NECESSARILY, UH, GOING TO PRODUCE, UH, WE WOULD NOT EXPECT THEM NECESSARILY TO PRODUCE A STATISTICAL IMPACT IN VIOLENT CRIME BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE TYPICALLY TALKING, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE, WE'VE ALLOCATED A MILLION, A MILLION DOLLARS TO THIS, UH, AT THE LEVEL OF FIREARMS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
YOU'RE GONNA TAKE GUNS OFF THE STREET IF THEY ARE CRIME GUNS.
THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN USED IN CRIME.
UH, AND, AND WE WILL HOPEFULLY FIND THAT OUT AND MAYBE IT COULD HELP US TO SOLVE SOME CRIMES DOWN THE ROAD.
UH, BUT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS PEOPLE WHO HAVE FIREARMS THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A SAFE WAY TO, TO GET RID, A SAFE WAY TO TAKE THEM OUT OF THEIR POSITION.
UM, YOU KNOW, GRANDDAD WAS A BIG GUN GUY AND YOU DON'T LIKE GUNS.
UH, YOU HAVE NO USE FOR THEM, BUT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO GET RID OF THEM, AND YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE SELLING THEM TO SOMEONE WHERE THEY COULD EVENTUALLY END UP IN THE WRONG HANDS.
YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE SELLING THEM ONLINE OR SELLING 'EM BACK TO A GUN SHOP BECAUSE YOU WOULD RATHER SEE THEM TAKEN OUTTA CIRCULATION.
GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM IS A VERY SAFE, VERY EFFECTIVE WAY FOR YOU TO DO THAT.
YOU HAVE GUNS AROUND THE HOUSE, AND YOU HAVE DECIDED, YOU KNOW, I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN NOW.
I DON'T WANT THEM HERE ANYMORE.
UH, YOU HAVE OLDER FIREARMS, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY DON'T FUNCTION.
UH, WE'D RATHER TAKE FUNCTIONAL FIREARMS OFF THE STREET, BUT IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT.
UH, BUT IF YOU HAD FIREARMS IN YOUR HOME, FIREARMS THAT YOU'RE IN POSSESSION OF, THAT YOU HAVE DECIDED THAT YOU NO LONGER NEED, WHAT THIS PROVIDES IS A SAFE, SECURE, AND DEFINITE WAY TO ENSURE THAT THAT FIREARM IS NOT ONLY TAKEN OFF YOUR HANDS, YOU, YOU GET A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY BACK IN THE PROCESS.
AND THEN WE WILL ENSURE THAT THAT FIREARM DOES NOT END UP IN A CRIMINAL'S HANDS.
IT WILL EITHER BE KEPT AS EVIDENCE IF WE FIND IT TIED TO ANY CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, OR IT WILL BE DESTROYED.
UH, THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO OPTIONS.
THEY'RE NEVER RESOLD, UH, THEY'RE NEVER PUT BACK OUT INTO THE PUBLIC.
THIS IS A WAY TO GET EXCESS FIREARMS THAT PEOPLE NO LONGER WANT OR NEED OFF THE STREET IN A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE WAY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK THIS GOES BACK TO CHIEF, UM, IS INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS ALL OF OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY IN COMBATING GUN VIOLENCE AND VIOLENT CRIMES.
SO IT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE TO SELL A FIREARM OVER THE INTERNET.
UM, THIS IS A RESPONSIBLE WAY TO, UM, REMOVE UNNECESSARY OR UNWANTED FIREARMS FROM HOMES.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THE BUYBACK, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED IT, WE WILL, AND I AM WORKING WITH, UM, CHIEF SATTERWHITE AND OTHERS, UM, ON A GUN LOCK AND SAFE PROGRAM, UH, FOR CARS.
BUT AGAIN, A REMINDER, PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE GUNS AND CARS.
I THINK YOU SAID, WHAT WAS THE NUMBER AGAIN? 3,700 STOLEN.
YEAH, 3,700 FIREARMS, THAT'S MORE THAN 10 FIREARMS A DAY.
UH, THAT'S A HORRENDOUS NUMBER, AND IT IS SO PREVENTABLE.
UH, I LIKE THE ADDITION OF THE GUN SAFE SINCE IT'S OBVIOUS THAT
[00:40:01]
THESE ISSUES ARE STILL HAPPENING.BUT THE EASIEST SOLUTION TO THAT IS DO NOT LEAVE YOUR FIREARM IN A CAR UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES FOR ANY AMOUNT OF TIME, BECAUSE PEOPLE COULD BREAK IN AND STEAL IT IN A MATTER OF SECONDS.
AND, AND THAT 3,700, THOUGH, THAT'S REPORTED, THAT IS ONLY REPORTED, YES.
THAT DOES NOT COUNT THE ONES THAT WERE STOLEN, THAT NOBODY EVER CALLED THE POLICE ABOUT.
AND IN ADDITION, IN TERMS OF GUN VIOLENCE, I KNOW THAT'S A HEAVY FOCUS RIGHT NOW, AS IT SHOULD BE.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR, UM, AND WITH THE HELP OF BILL KELLY, UM, THE MAYOR'S COMMISSION AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE WILL BE MEETING SOON IN THE COMING WEEKS.
UM, I'M ALSO VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE ASKING HPD, JUST SO IT'S ON Y'ALL'S RADAR, UM, TO COME BACK, UH, TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE A TF, UH, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THAT WHEN Y'ALL ARE READY FOR THAT THIS SUMMER.
SO, UM, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
I DON'T SEE ANY MORE, UH, QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE, ALTHOUGH I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT VICE MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM, UH, HAS JOINED US VIRTUALLY AS WELL.
AND OF COURSE, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, UM, YOU WERE SOMEWHAT RECOGNIZED WHEN I, I CALLED ON YOU FOR QUESTIONS, BUT IT IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU IN CHAMBERS.
UM, WITH THAT, UH, NEXT UP WE HAVE, UH, PIO, UM, HUDSON WITH THE CITY'S OFFICE, EMER OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UM, WITH AN UPDATE ON HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS.
ALLISON, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON.
UM, START WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
SO I DO WANNA FOCUS ON DISASTER PREPAREDNESS.
UH, OBVIOUSLY WE ARE IN HURRICANE SEASON NOW, BUT IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO JUST MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A PLAN, UH, YEAR ROUND.
BUT FOR TODAY, WE'LL FOCUS ON, UM, HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS.
SO, JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR OFFICE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING MITIGATION, PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE AND RECOVERY EFFORTS, UM, FOR ALL EMERGENCY EVENTS WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, AND WE DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS, UM, COORDINATE RESPONSES AND, AND ALL THAT THROUGH CITYWIDE.
UM, SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE UPDATE, SO FAR, 20, UH, 22, WE HAVE ACTIVATED THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER.
UM, THOSE ARE THE EVENTS THAT WE'VE ACTIVATED.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A FEW MORE, UH, TO GO FOR THE YEAR.
AND THEN IN 2021, WE ACTIVATED OVER 10 TIMES, UH, FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT EVENTS.
AND THE PICTURES YOU SEE ARE THE EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER AND ALSO THE JOINT INFORMATION CENTER AS WELL.
SO, I WANNA FOCUS ON FOUR THINGS.
UM, WE WANNA TALK ABOUT EMERGENCY PLAN, BUT ALSO COMMUNICATING THAT PLAN, UH, BUILDING YOUR KIT, BEING INFORMED, AND KNOWING YOUR NEIGHBOR.
SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR THINGS THAT WE'LL KIND OF FOCUS ON TODAY THAT WE NEED HELP PUSHING THAT WORD OUT, UM, TO CONSTITUENTS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PLAN, BUT WE NEED TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO COMMUNICATE OUR PLAN.
IF WE HAVE A PLAN AND WE JUST THROW IT IN THE DRAWER, IT'S NO VALUE TO ANYBODY.
SHARE THAT PLAN WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR FAMILIES, YOUR LOVED ONES, EVERYBODY, SO THAT EVERYBODY WILL KNOW WHAT YOUR PLAN IS IN CASE YOU HAVE TO EVACUATE.
KNOWING YOUR EVACUATION ROUTE.
AND THEN ALSO JUST PRACTICING YOUR PLAN RIGHT NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME TO PRACTICE YOUR PLAN, UH, WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOUR FRIENDS AND YOUR NEIGHBORS ALSO HAVE A PLAN.
UM, IT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT, UM, FOR RESIDENTS AND EVERYONE TO STAY, UH, TO PAY ATTENTION TO LOCAL GUIDANCE FOR ALL THE UPDATED PLANS, DIFFERENT SHELTERS AND INFORMATION ON EVACUATIONS, IF THAT, UM, HAPPENS.
AND THEN ALSO INFORMATION, UM, EMERGENCY PLANS FOR PETS AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN PREPARING YOUR HOME, OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU DECIDE TO RIDE OUT ANY, UH, TYPE OF BAT, WHETHER NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME AS YOU'RE BUILDING YOUR KIT AND MAKING YOUR PLAN IS TO INSTALL, UM, NEW BATTERIES INTO YOUR SMOKE DETECTORS.
UH, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD KNOWS WHERE THE EMERGENCY NUMBERS ARE LISTED.
MOST PEOPLE LIST THEM ON THE REFRIGERATOR OR SOMEWHERE IN A COMMON AREA OF THE HOME.
UM, THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE, UH, YOUNGER KIDS OR ELDERLY, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW WHAT NUMBERS THEY NEED TO CALL, UH, IN A TIME OF DISASTER.
AND THEN, OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE IN A COVID ENVIRONMENT STILL.
SO UNDERSTANDING WHAT THAT PLAN MAY LOOKS LIKE AND MAKING THOSE, UM, YOU KNOW, PRECAUTIONS AS IT, AS IT REGARDS TO COVID AND PROTECTING YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THESE ARE SOME OF THE ITEMS, UH, LISTED THAT YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR GOKI.
UH, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR, UH, DOCUMENTS, ALL OF YOUR IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS, UH, ANY TYPE OF, UM, INSURANCE PAPERS, INFORMATION FOR YOUR KIDS OR YOUR, UH, OTHER LOVED ONES, LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES, WHATEVER YOU NEED.
UM, MAKE SURE THAT THOSE DOCUMENTS ARE STORED IN A DOCUMENT BAG OR A ZIPLOC BAG OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
AND SO YOU KNOW WHERE EVERYTHING IS THAT YOU MAY NEED.
UM, AND THEN ALSO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, EXTRA BATTERIES.
WHEN YOU GO TO BUY THOSE BATTERIES, MAKE SURE YOU CHECK, UM, THE EXPIRATION DATE ON THOSE BATTERIES.
UH, 'CAUSE WE ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, UM,
[00:45:01]
YOU KNOW, GOOD BATTERIES.AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, TOILETRIES, ANY TYPE OF FEMININE HYGIENE PRODUCTS THAT THAT APPLIES.
AND MAKING SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH FOOD AND WATER SUPPLY FOR EVERYONE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD.
UH, OFTENTIMES IF THE POWER IS OUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DO FORGET THAT THE, UM, THE ATMS ARE DOWN, SO MAKE SURE YOU'RE HAVING JUST A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA CASH JUST IN CASE THAT HAPPENS.
AND THEN AGAIN, PROTECTING YOURSELF OF COVID, MAKING SURE YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAND SANITIZER AND A MASK AND ANYTHING ELSE YOU NEED.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU'RE ON ANY TYPE OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION, IS TO MAKE SURE YOU AT LEAST HAVE A FIVE DAY SUPPLY.
UM, IF WE ARE FACING A DISASTER AND THE STORES MAY BE CLOSED, TRUCKS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DELIVER THAT MEDICATION, THE MAIL MAY NOT BE RUNNING.
SO IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, HAVE ENOUGH MEDICATION FOR AT LEAST A FIVE DAY SUPPLY.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY YOU WANNA KEEP THAT UP FOR YOUR PETS AS WELL, MAKING SURE YOU HAVE THE NECESSARY INFORMATION FOR YOUR PETS.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS, UM, WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE INFORMED AND HOW THEY DO THAT.
UM, CITY OF HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED ALERT HOUSTON.
IT IS A SUBSCRIPTION BASED, UH, ALERT SYSTEM, AND SO WE HAVE BEEN ASKING PEOPLE TO SIGN UP FOR IT.
UM, EVERY PRESENTATION I DO, I HELP PEOPLE SIGN UP FOR IT, BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE WE WILL PUSH OUT INFORMATION ON WHETHER UPDATES, SHELTER IN PLACE INFORMATION, OR ANY UPDATED ROAD CLOSURES THAT WE NEED TO PUSH OUT.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO PUSH THAT INFORMATION OUT.
SO, UM, IT IS VERY HELPFUL IF YOU CAN SHARE THIS INFORMATION, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR US.
AND THAT INFORMATION IS ON OUR WEBSITE.
AND THEN ALWAYS WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE CALLING THE RIGHT NUMBERS AT THE RIGHT TIME.
AS ALWAYS, IF IT'S AN EMERGENCY, YOU KNOW, CALL 9 1 1, BUT WE HAVE OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR NON-EMERGENCIES.
HPD, NON-EMERGENCY LINE, WE HAVE 3 1 1.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUSHING OUT THE RIGHT INFORMATION AND THAT FOLKS ARE GETTING THE INFORMATION FROM THE TRUSTED STORE.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THE, KIND OF THE MOST CRITICAL, UH, POINTS THAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS KNOWING YOUR NEIGHBORS AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
YOU KNOW, AFTER DISASTER PASSES, WE'RE ALWAYS THAT RESILIENT COMMUNITY HELPING EACH OTHER REBUILD, NO MATTER OF RACE, COLOR, AGE, OR ANYTHING.
BUT I WANNA FOCUS ON, UH, HAVING THAT STRONG, RESILIENT COMMUNITY, UM, IN THE TIME OF PREPARATION AS WELL.
HELPING YOUR NEIGHBOR BE PREPARED.
THERE MAY BE A RESOURCE THAT YOU CAN OFFER YOUR NEIGHBOR OR YOUR NEIGHBOR CAN OFFER YOU, UM, THAT YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF.
AND SO WE JUST WANT TO KIND OF PULL THAT TOGETHER IN THE PREPAREDNESS PHASE AND CARRY THAT THROUGH, THROUGH EVERY PHASE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
SO NOT JUST IN THE RECOVERY PHASE, BUT ALSO IN THE PREPAREDNESS PHASE, BECAUSE IF WE'RE TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY ARE BETTER PREPARED, THEN THE RECOVERY PHASE WILL BE A SEAMLESS PROCESS.
SO THAT LOOKS LIKE SHARING SUPPLIES, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST, UH, HELPING EACH OTHER RECOVER FASTER.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE WANNA, YOU KNOW, KEEP UP WITH THE CDC GUIDELINES OF SOCIAL DISTANCING AS IT RELATES TO COVID.
SO, UM, THE, WE HAVE THE STATE OF TEXAS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE REGISTRY, WHICH IS CALLED STEER.
UM, SO WE ARE TRYING TO PUSH OUT THIS INFORMATION AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO GET, UH, TO GET THOSE TO REGISTER.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, UH, 10,659 REGISTERS AS OF THIS AFTERNOON.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE HOW IT IS BROKEN DOWN BY THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ALSO SEE WHO SHOULD REGISTER AND, AND, AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
NOW, THE, THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS A BIT LENGTHY, LENGTHY, I CAN TELL YOU ON A WEEKLY AVERAGE, I AM ON THE PHONE WALKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS WITH THOSE TO FILL IT OUT BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT OR UNDERSTANDING THE INFORMATION THAT IS REQUESTED.
I CAN ALSO TELL YOU THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH STEER IS THERE'S NO GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE, FROM LEGISLATURE ON THIS, AND THERE'S NO FUNDING FOR THIS.
SO THIS IS BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE PUSHING THIS INFORMATION OUT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND OUR WEBSITES, BUT IT'S STILL A SLOW PROCESS, AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET, UM, YOU KNOW, AS MANY PEOPLE THAT WE CAN TO SIGN UP.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH 2 1 1, UM, TO HELP, UH, PUSH THAT INFORMATION OUT AS WELL.
UM, BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO AND, YOU KNOW, WE ARE TAKING THE PROACTIVE APPROACH OF PUTTING THOSE MEASURES IN PLACE.
UM, AND THEN JUST, AGAIN, JUST TRYING TO GET ADDITIONAL PEOPLE TO SIGN UP.
AND THEN WE ALSO WANT PEOPLE TO GO AHEAD AND START KNOWING WHAT THEIR EVACUATION ROUTES ARE, UM, BY ZIP CODES.
IT IS OUTLINED HERE FOR YOU, AND THAT WILL JUST HELP CUT DOWN ON THE ANXIETY LEVELS WHEN IT IS TIME TO EVACUATE AT THAT TIME SHOULD COME.
AND SO WE WANT, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH THAT INFORMATION OUT SO THAT IT'S INCLUDED, UM, IN YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN, BUT ALSO, UM, LIKE I SAID, WE'LL CUT DOWN ON A LOT OF THE ANXIETY THAT PEOPLE FACE WHEN IT IS TIME TO EVACUATE.
AND THEN AFTER THE DISASTER, WE WANNA ALSO, UM, JUST REMIND PEOPLE THAT PLEASE WAIT FOR THE
[00:50:01]
OFFICIAL INSTRUCTION TO RETURN HOME.UM, AND WHY WE DO THAT IS OBVIOUSLY FOR SAFETY REASONS, AND THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE REASON, AND WE JUST WANNA KIND OF INSTILL THAT TO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, OF THE DANGERS THAT CAN HAPPEN IF YOU DO RETURN HOME, AND IT IS AN OFFICIAL HAS NOT SAID IT IS SAFE TO DO SO.
UM, AND THEN JUST REMINDING PEOPLE IF THEY DO HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR HOME, UM, IN A TIME OF DISASTER, AND THEY COME BACK TO JUST DISCARD ALL OF THAT FOOD, UM, THAT WAS LEFT IN THE REFRIGERATOR JUST FOR, FOR THE SAFETY ISSUES.
AND THEN AGAIN, FOLLOWING THOSE GUIDELINES OF WHEN IT'S TIME TO GO IN AND CLEAN UP, MAKING SURE YOU'RE WEARING A MASK, GLOVES, THAT TYPE OF THING.
AND THEN ALSO IN THE ASSISTANCE, UH, PHASE, FEMA AND OTHERS WILL COME AND SHARE THE INFORMATION.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN A TIME LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALREADY VICTIMS OF A DISASTER.
WE, WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BECOME A VICTIM TWICE WITH SCAMS. AND SO WE JUST REALLY TRY TO, UM, TAKE A PROACTIVE APPROACH BY GETTING THAT INFORMATION AND SHARING THAT FROM THE TRUSTED SOURCE, UM, HOUSTON, OEM, ALL OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA SITES, OUR WEBSITES, THAT INFORMATION WILL BE PUSHED OUT ON THERE SO THAT WE CAN HOPEFULLY CUT DOWN ON THE SCAMS WHEN PEOPLE WILL TRY TO COME IN AND TAKE ADVANTAGE.
AND WE KNOW THAT, UM, THAT THAT WILL ACTUALLY HAPPEN.
SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, HOUSTON, OEM IS THAT TRUSTED SOURCE, UM, IN THE PREPAREDNESS PHASE DURING THE DISASTER, AND ALSO THE RECOVERY PHASE AS WELL.
AND THEN THIS IS A LIST OF OUR RESOURCES WITH OUR WEBSITE.
THERE'S A WEALTH OF INFORMATION ON DISASTERS, NOT JUST HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS, BUT, UH, ANY TYPE OF PREPAREDNESS FOR ANY TYPE OF DISASTER IS ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, ALLISON, UH, FIRST I HAVE, UH, ONLINE COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS, IF YOU'RE ON, I, I BELIEVE SHE HAS SOME QUESTIONS.
I, I DID, I I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION AND I WANTED TO SHARE SOMETHING THAT, THAT, UM, THAT, THAT MY OFFICE IS DOING.
UM, WE PUT THIS OUT IN OUR NEWSLETTER TODAY, UM, YOU KNOW, SOLICITING, UM, IDEAS FROM OUR, UH, RESIDENTS, UM, FOR, UM, COMMUNITY-BASED DISASTER PREPAREDNESS THAT, THAT THEY DO THAT, THAT, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN SO IMPRESSED WITH WAS HOW RESOURCEFUL AND INNOVATIVE PEOPLE ARE, UM, IN A DISASTER, YOU KNOW, BEYOND JUST WHAT'S ON THE NORMAL LIST OF THINGS.
SO, AND SO I'VE SEEN SOME THINGS THAT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, COULD BE BEST PRACTICES FOR OTHERS TOO, THAT, THAT AREN'T ON THOSE LISTS.
FOR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE DURING THE, THE, UM, THE FREEZE AND THERE WAS NO WATER, WE HAD, UM, A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THAT ORGANIZED A BUCKET BRIGADE.
THEY BOUGHT BUCKETS, AND, AND IF YOU NEEDED WATER, THEN THEY HAD A, UM, A, SOMEONE HAD A TRAILER THAT, THAT WITH A 500 GALLON THING OF WATER ON IT.
AND, AND IF YOU NEEDED WATER TO FLUSH YOUR TOILET, YOU WOULD HAVE YOUR BUCKET OUT BY THE STREET.
THEY, THEY'VE ALSO DONE THINGS WITH, UM, LIKE DURING HARVEY, I, UM, THERE WAS A, A A A EVERY OTHER DAY CONFERENCE CALL THAT, THAT CONNECTED ALL THE PASTORS AND THE, AND, AND THE CHURCHES IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD CIRCLE AROUND AND, AND HAVE A CHECK-IN WHO NEEDS WHAT, WHO HAS EXTRA STUFF.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE, WE HAVE, UM, WE NEED HELP MAKING SANDWICHES.
WE HAVE HELP, WE CAN SEND THAT.
WE HAVE EXTRA WATER, WE NEED WATER.
I MEAN, PEOPLE, WERE HELPING EACH OTHER, BUT IT, BUT THIS, THE ORGANIZATION OF HAVING A, YOU KNOW, A, A A CONFERENCE CALL, YOU KNOW, LIKE EVERY OTHER DAY WAS WONDERFUL.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE PHONE TREES THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE, THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL.
YOU KNOW, UM, WE HAD, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WERE ORGANIZING, UM, RESIDENTS THAT OWNED PICKUP TRUCKS, YOU KNOW, TO HELP DELIVER SUPPLIES TO HARD TO REACH PARTS OF, OF A NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THEY WOULD DRIVE INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD AND JUST PARK.
WE WOULD TELL 'EM, GO TO THIS INTERSECTION.
'CAUSE THESE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT CONNECTED, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IT JUST SHOW UP THERE.
AND THEN, AND THEN THEY WOULD HAVE SUPPLIES THAT WE HAD BEEN ABLE TO GET OUT THERE, AND IT WOULD REALLY GOT TO THE REAL PEOPLE.
UM, I'VE SEEN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT, THAT, UM, AHEAD OF TIME, YOU KNOW, UH, ASSESS WHAT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCES ARE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHO HAS A CHAINSAW, UM, WHO HAS MEDICAL TRAINING, UM, WHO HAS A GENERATOR, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND, UM, UM, AND AHEAD OF TIME IDENTIFYING WHO VULNERABLE RESIDENTS ARE SO THAT, THAT PEOPLE KNOW NEEDS TO BE CHECKED ON.
SO I HOPE, I HOPE WE GET A GOOD RESPONSE BACK BECAUSE I THINK THESE ARE GREAT IDEAS TOO, YOU KNOW, THAT AREN'T ON OTHER LISTS, BUT I THINK THAT THERE'S, THERE'S MORE OUT THERE, MORE, MORE GOOD IDEAS.
AND, UM, I, YOU KNOW, AS WE GET THINGS WE WILL SHARE.
THANK YOU COUNCILLOR CISNEROS.
AND I THINK TO YOUR POINT, UM, VERY WELL TAKEN.
AND THERE'S A LOT THAT AS COUNCIL MEMBERS WE CAN BE DOING TO SHARING OUT THESE RESOURCES, OTHERS, AS WELL AS RELAYING INFORMATION BACK TO OEM AND OUR OTHER, UM, FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE'S BEING TAKEN CARE OF.
UH, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND ALL THE, ALL THE EXTRAORDINARY WORK YOU'RE DOING IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
[00:55:01]
YOU, CHAIR.UM, AS FAR AS THE WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTS, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING SURE THAT'S FULLY ROLLED OUT? I KNOW DURING HURRICANE HARVEY, THERE WERE STILL, UM, CHANGES THAT THEY HAD TO MAKE ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, UM, TO THE MANUFACTURERS, AND WE'RE PAST THAT NOW.
BUT IS THE CITY READY TO USE THE WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTS IN AN UPCOMING DISASTER? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
WE JUST WENT THROUGH ALL OF THAT BEFORE HURRICANE SEASON AND, AND THEY DID THE UPDATES LIKE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO, AND WE'RE READY.
AND AS PEOPLE ARE SIGNING UP FOR, UM, ALERT HOUSTON, ARE WE ALSO NOTIFYING THEM TO, UM, CHECK OFF THAT BOX ON THEIR PHONE FOR THE WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTS? BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE SHUT THAT OFF.
I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SOME COVID MESSAGES AND PEOPLE
ARE WE REMINDING PEOPLE TO TURN THAT BACK ON IN CASE OF, YOU KNOW, A HURRICANE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? YES.
I CAN TELL YOU I'VE DONE ABOUT 30 PRESENTATIONS TO DATE AND I ALWAYS SAY, DON'T TURN OFF THE ALERTS.
I KNOW THEY CAN BE ANNOYING, THAT TYPE OF THING.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING ON SOME DIFFERENT PSAS TOO TO SHOW PEOPLE HOW TO TURN THAT BACK ON, BECAUSE THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE THING.
THEY TURNED IT OFF, THEIR GRANDCHILD TURNED IT OFF FOR THEM, AND THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO TURN IT BACK ON.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON A PSA TO SHOW HOW TO DO THAT ON AN ANDROID AND AN IPHONE.
AND THEN, UM, ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE LILY PADS.
UM, WHERE ARE WE IN THAT PROCESS, UM, FOR SELECTING LOCATIONS IN EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT PLAN? SO, UM, I HAVE NOT BEEN DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THAT, BUT FROM, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WE ARE STILL TRYING TO IDENTIFY THOSE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND THEY ARE MEETING, UM, WE HAVE A MEETING IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AS WELL ON THAT.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET, UM, KIND OF THE FIRST ONE GOING.
AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN DOING, YOU KNOW, JUST SOME INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO, TO KIND OF ASSIST IN THAT.
BUT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER AS A PARTNERSHIP TO, UM, IDENTIFY THOSE LOCATIONS.
UM, AND I THINK LANCE, THERE WAS A COMMENT FROM VICE MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM ON THAT, UM, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM ALSO ADDED.
WE WILL BE, UM, HANG, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE QUESTION IS.
I THINK IT'S WHEN, WHEN WILL, UM, THE BIG DYNAMIC SIGNS THAT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN OUR COMMUNITIES GO LIVE.
SO I THINK SHE'S REFERRING TO, WE HAVE, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SEE ON THE FREEWAYS, UM, THOSE NOTIFICATIONS, EMERGENCY ALERTS, THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, MULTIPLE, UH, ELECTRIC NOTIFICATIONS SIGNS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED, UM, THROUGHOUT THE CITY ON MAJOR THOROUGHFARES, UM, IN OUR DIFF VARIOUS COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND WE, UH, I BELIEVE VICE MAYOR PROTE, EXCUSE ME.
I'M INFERRING FROM YOUR QUESTION.
I KNOW IN DISTRICT C WE HAVE NOT SEEN THOSE GO LIVE.
SO I THINK THE QUESTION IS WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THOSE? THEY'RE UP, BUT WHEN ARE THEY GOING LIVE? SO I DO KNOW THAT I DID WORK WITH, UH, COMPLETE COMMUNITIES TO KIND OF, UH, FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE NEED TO PUSH OUT MESSAGING ON THE ONES THAT WE HAVE, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS, UM, IS? AND I DO KNOW THAT THEY ARE STILL WORKING ON PUTTING SOME OUT.
I CAN CHECK WITH THAT DEPARTMENT 'CAUSE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DID THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I CAN PUSH OUT MESSAGING ON ALL OF OUR PLATFORMS. SO I CAN CHECK ON THAT AND GET BACK WITH YOU.
AND AGAIN, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, SO VICE MAYOR PRO TEMP, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
UM, AND WE WILL BE SURE TO ALSO FOLLOW UP WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, TO YOUR POINT, UM, ALLISON, THIS IS NOT REFLECTED TOWARDS YOU.
UM, YOU HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB BRINGING EVERYONE TO THE TABLE AS PIO MAKING, RIGHT? YOUR FOCUS IS COMMUNICATION.
UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH AND I THINK SOME, UH, HEADACHES OR FRUSTRATIONS WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND THOMAS, WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN DOING A LOT OF THIS WORK, MYSELF INCLUDED, AND OTHERS, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, UM, ON LILY PADS IN EVERY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A CHANGE OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THOSE.
AND I KNOW YOU HAD SOME DIFFICULTY EVEN GETTING SOME OF THOSE UPDATES TODAY.
SO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, I KNOW I PERSONALLY HAVE A MEETING SCHEDULED WITH SOME OF YOU AND, UM, OTHER OFFICES, UH, TO GET AN UPDATE ON THAT.
BUT, UM, ALLISON, IF YOU COULD JUST, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT ALL INVOLVED PARTIES KNOW THAT, UM, WE ARE EAGERLY AWAITING UPDATES AS IT RELATES TO, UH, LILY PADS, BECAUSE THOSE ARE REALLY THE, THE HUBS AND, UM, RESOURCE POINTS FOR OUR, FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR QUESTIONS FROM STAFF? UH, ALLISON, REALLY QUICKLY, UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, SUPPLY LISTS, THE GO BAGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT.
[01:00:01]
I KNOW THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED TO ME ONCE THE IMPORTANCE OF, UM, NOT JUST ONE FOR THE HOME, BUT OTHER PLACES.DID YOU WANNA TOUCH ON THAT REALLY QUICKLY? YEAH, SURE.
SO, UM, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THOSE, UH, YOU NEED TO HAVE ONE FOR YOUR FAMILY AT HOME.
BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU WORK IN A JOB WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO REPORT TO WORK, YOUR GO KIT MAY LOOK DIFFERENT, UM, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME.
SO YOU JUST WANNA MAKE, UM, SURE OF THAT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, MY GO KIT AT HOME LOOKS TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE THAT I HAVE HERE AT THE HECK HERE AT HECK.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE MY SLEEPING BAG, I HAVE EXTRA CLOTHES, TOOTHBRUSHES, THAT, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, UM, THAT I'LL NEED AWAY FROM MY HOME.
BUT WE OFTEN TAKE FOR GRANTED, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE, THOSE ITEMS BECAUSE AT HOME THAT WE KNOW WHERE THERE ARE.
SO JUST MAKING DOUBLE CHECKING AND MAKING SURE, AND IF YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, EXTRA NEEDS OR MEDICATION, UM, JUST MAKING SURE YOU HAVE THAT INFO, YOU KNOW, THAT STUFF.
UM, YOU KNOW, AT YOUR WORKPLACE, I CAN TELL YOU I'M ALLERGIC TO PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING.
SO I ALWAYS HAVE A EPI PEN IN MY DRAWER AT WORK.
I HAVE ONE IN MY PURSE, I HAVE ONE IN THE CAR.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I HAVE TO DO FOR MYSELF.
SO IF THERE'S EXTRA NEEDS TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU, YOU'RE, UM, YOU'RE HAVING THAT INFO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, CUSTOMIZE IT TO, TO YOUR NEEDS.
AND, UM, LASTLY, UH, THIS IS MORE OF A GENERAL QUESTION.
UH, CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT, UH, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND, UM, THE ROLE OF OEM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF ACTIVATIONS THAT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THE PAST FEW YEARS, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE ON THE SIDE OF OEM DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
UH, YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, DURING A STORM YOU'RE SLEEPING, UH, AT HECK, RIGHT? UH, YEAH.
ON A FLOOR, ON A COT, WHEREVER YOU CAN FIND SOME SPACE.
BUT CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ACTIVATIONS, THE, THE NUMBER OF THE SCALE OF THEM AND WHAT WE Y'ALL HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH? YEAH, SURE.
SO THE ACTIVATIONS, I MEAN, FOR ANY TYPE OF EVENT, I THINK THE, THE, THE LAST ONE WE HAD WAS FOR NRA.
UM, AND, AND SO WE HAVE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ACTIVATION DEPENDING ON WHAT TYPE OF EVENT IT IS.
WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL HANDS ON DECK, UM, THAT TYPE OF THING.
SO WHATEVER TYPE OF DISASTER IT IS, DEPENDS ON WHO'S IN THE ROOM.
YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WITH, IN A COVID ENVIRONMENT, WE'VE HAD TO SCALE BACK OUR NUMBERS AND GO VIRTUAL A LOT OF TIMES.
AND THAT HAS ITS CHALLENGES AS WELL, OBVIOUSLY WITH TECHNOLOGY.
UM, BUT IN A, YOU KNOW, IN A, IN A BASIC ACTIVATION, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE OUR PARTNERS FROM PD, FROM FIRE, UM, YOU KNOW, CENTER POINT, OTHER OTHER PARTNERS IN THERE TO JUST KIND OF MAKE A COMPLETE PICTURE.
BUT BEFORE AN ACTIVATION BEGINS, A LOT OF WORK GOES INTO IT FROM THIS OFFICE.
UM, FROM THE PLANNING SIDE, UM, FROM OPERATIONS, FROM LOGISTICS, UH, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, EVEN FROM AN IT STANDPOINT TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE COMPUTERS WORK AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE THINGS WE NEED.
UM, WE HAVE THE INSTANT ACTION PLANS THAT ARE ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO NOT JUST FROM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SIDE, BUT PD HAS A PART, FIRE HAS A PART, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC WORKS HAS A, A, A, A HUGE HEAVY LIFT IN THAT.
AND SO WE PUT THAT PLAN TOGETHER FOR THESE ACTIVATIONS.
UM, AND SO IT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT, BUT SIX, UM, YOU KNOW, IS, IS QUITE A BIT OF ACTIVATIONS.
BUT AGAIN, FOR ANY TYPE OF EVENT, WE MAY NOT ALWAYS ACTIVATE THE EOC, BUT WE ARE ON ENHANCED WATCH, UM, FOR A LOT OF EVENTS, LIKE WE ARE THIS WEEKEND FOR JUNETEENTH EVENTS.
UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALWAYS READY BECAUSE IT IS A 24 7 JOB.
UM, SO WE'RE ALWAYS AT THE READY.
WE ALWAYS HAVE OUR PLANS IN PLACE, AND THAT IS WHAT WE DO IN A DAY-TO-DAY, UM, OPERATION STANDPOINT IS WE'RE UPDATING PLANS, UM, WE'RE UPDATING OUR OPERATION PLANS AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
SO IT'S AN ONGOING THING JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE READY.
UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY BASED ON, UM, EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING AROUND THE COUNTRY, WE KIND OF BASE THOSE TO SEE IF WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR PLAN OR SCALE UP OR SCALE DOWN OUR PLANS AS NEEDED.
WELL, AGAIN, I, I THINK TO THE POINT, JUST LIKE WE'RE PREPARED, WE, EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE PREPARED FOR HURRICANE SEASON, BUT WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT JUST HURRICANE SEASON, WHETHER IT'S A FREEZE, WHETHER IT'S, UM, FLOODS DURING THE SPRING, DURING THE FALL, UM, HOUSTON MARATHON, UH, MAJOR PARADES, MAJOR, UH, NATIONAL EVENTS, UH, YOU NAME IT, Y'ALL ARE THERE FOR IT, OFTENTIMES BEHIND THE SCENES.
SO, AS I PREVIOUSLY EXPRESSED MY APPRECIATION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, PLEASE ALSO KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE, UM, ALL THE WORK BEHIND THE SCENES AT OEM, UM, BECAUSE Y'ALL ARE RIGHT THERE 24 7 AS WELL.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE CONVEY OUR APPRECIATION FOR THAT.
WITH THAT, UH, I DON'T SEE ANY MORE QUESTIONS, SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR FINAL PRESENTATION OF THE DAY.
UM, WE'LL BE HEARING FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, AND ASSISTANT CHIEF, UH, MEYER, UH, BEFORE CHIEF AS YOU COME UP, I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE FOR CHIEF PENA, UH, WHO'S IN CHAMBERS WITH US CHIEF, WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
[01:05:01]
BEFORE WE START, CHIEF, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE FLOOR IN CASE YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING AND ADDRESSING COUNCIL OR THE PUBLIC.AND I WANNA THANK THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AS WELL FOR ALLOWING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE, UM, AND PRESENT, UH, THE STAFF IS, IS, UH, DEDICATED CERTAINLY TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR PERSONNEL.
AND THAT'S BEEN ONE OF OUR MAIN FOCUSES, UH, THROUGHOUT THESE LAST FIVE YEARS.
AND, AND, UH, WHAT THEY'RE DOING HERE IN THE PRESENTATION.
UH, CHIEF MEER, WHICH IS MY ASSISTANT CHIEF OF OPERATIONS, HIM, AND UNDER THE, UH, DIRECT SUPERVISION OF OUR EMERGENCY, OUR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT CHIEF JUSTIN WELLS OF OUR OPERATIONS, THEY'RE FOCUSED ON ENSURING THAT WE ARE PROVIDING OUR MEMBERS THE TOOLS, THEIR EQUIPMENT POLICIES THAT WE'RE DOING BEST PRACTICE IN, IN WHAT WE DO TO ENSURE THAT, UH, NOT ONLY ARE WE LOOKING AFTER THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY, BUT WE'RE ALSO DELIVERING AN EFFICIENT SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO CHIEF MEIR, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE, AND ESPECIALLY YOU COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE SUPPORT, UH, OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
YOU, UH, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER PECK TAR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, REPRESENTATIVES, THE VICE CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE FOR, UH, UH, JOHN THANK YOU.
AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX FOR EVERYTHING YOU ALL DO.
EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF THE, UH, OF THE COUNCIL AND THIS COMMITTEE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE RECEIVING WHAT WE NEED TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO CHIEF MEIR.
AND I APOLOGIZE, I SAID CHIEF MEYER EARLIER, IT'S MY ACCENT.
CHIEF MEIR, UH, PLEASE GO AHEAD WHEN YOU'RE READY.
EVERYBODY, UH, EVERYBODY BOGGLES MY NAME A LITTLE BIT.
I'M GONNA FOLLOW AND ECHOING CHIEF PENA'S, UH, COMMENTS.
I'D LIKE TO EXPRESS APPRECIATION TO ALL OF YOU FOR ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY AND TO DESCRIBE THE CITIZEN'S RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT IN THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK CHIEF PENA WITH ENTRUSTING ME IN THIS PRESENTATION, AND THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS WHO HAVE WORKED VERY HARD ON WHAT I'M GONNA PRESENT TO YOU TODAY, 'CAUSE IT, IF IT WASN'T FOR THEIR COMMITMENT AND CONTINUED LOYALTY TO THE DEPARTMENT AND THEIR SERVICE TO THE CITY, AND INTEREST IN MAKING THE DEPARTMENT A BETTER PLACE FOR TOMORROW.
A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS I'M GONNA DESCRIBE TO YOU TODAY, WOULD NOT BE COMING TO FRUITION.
HFD IS A VERY LEGACY DRIVEN FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THE FIRE SERVICE IN GENERAL THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES IS VERY LEGACY DRIVEN.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO AFFECT CHANGE.
FIREFIGHTERS ADHERE TO MANY TRADITIONS AND PRACTICES THAT HAVE BEEN HANDED DOWN FOR GENERATION AFTER GENERATION.
AND HFD BY NATURE OF ITS SIZE AND COMPLEXITY, MAKES IT THAT MUCH HARDER TO AFFECT CHANGE.
IN FACT, THERE IS ONE LARGE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE UNITED STATES WHOSE MOTTO IS 150 YEARS OF TRADITION UNIMPEDED BY PROGRESS.
THAT SHOULD PAINT A PICTURE FOR YOU ON HOW DIFFICULT IT COULD BE TO AFFECT CHANGE, BUT THERE IS NO BETTER TIME TO DISCUSS AND IMPLEMENT THESE INITIATIVES.
WE HAVE, UH, GOING FORWARD TODAY BECAUSE WITH SO MUCH MOVEMENT AND GROWTH IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, MANY MEMBERS ARE HUNGRY FOR LEADERSHIP DIRECTION AND PRACTICING INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND BEING COMPLIANT SO WE CAN BECOME MORE OF A REGIONAL ASSET AND BETTER SERVICE TO THE CITY.
SO WHAT IS THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT HFD IS IN? WE ARE AN ALL HAZARD RESPONSE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AS WE GO THROUGH SOME OF THE INCIDENTS, YOU'LL HEAR ACTIVE SHOOTERS, CARDIAC ARRESTS, CAR ACCIDENTS, RESCUES, PROTESTS, A NUMBER OF INCIDENTS WE RESPOND TO.
WE'RE IN ALL HAZARD RESPONSE DEPARTMENT.
HOWEVER, REGARDLESS OF THE INCIDENT WE'RE RESPONDING TO, WE'RE STILL DEPLOYING WITH THE SAME RESOURCES.
SO THE QUESTION COMES, HOW DO WE DEPLOY? WHAT IS THE BEST PRACTICE? ARE WE FOLLOWING NATIONAL STANDARDS? AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO ACHIEVE HERE.
MANY OF OUR RESPONSES REQUIRE A MULT, MULTIPLE DISCIPLINARY INTEGRATED RESPONSE WHERE WE HAVE TO EMBED OURSELVES WITH HOUSTON POLICE.
WE HAVE TO RECEIVE ASSETS FROM PUBLIC WORKS AND HAVE A COMMON OPERATING PICTURE AND DEPLOY APPROPRIATELY.
THESE INCIDENTS THAT I'LL SPEAK OF FEMA RANKS THEM ON BASED ON COMPLEXITY.
TYPE ONE THROUGH FIVE FIVE IS AN INCIDENT THAT COULD BE HANDLED BY LOCAL RESOURCES.
TYPE ONE WOULD BE SOMETHING LIKE SEPTEMBER 11TH, WHERE RESOURCES FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WOULD HAVE TO WOULD'VE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE.
SO WE'RE MEETING, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
UM, JUST A REMINDER, I DON'T HAVE THE PRESENTATION IN FRONT OF ME, BUT, UM, IF IT, WHEN WE GET TO NEXT SLIDE, JUST BE SURE TO YES, MA'AM.
SO THE, IN THE INITIATIVES WE'VE INCORPORATED ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES.
SO WE'LL GO OVER DATA COLLECTION, INCIDENT COMMAND, COMMAND AND CONTROL OF LARGE SCALE INCIDENTS AND PRE-FIRE PLANNING.
THE LOCAL EVENTS, THESE TYPE FOUR AND FIVE INCIDENTS I'M GONNA DESCRIBE THROUGH DATA COLLECTION.
WHEN PEOPLE, WHEN PEOPLE CONSIDER MOVING TO A NEW CITY, RARELY DO THEY ASK WHERE IS THE CLOSEST FIRE HYDRANT? WHERE IS THE CLOSEST FIRE STATION? USUALLY WHAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN IS WHAT IS THE
[01:10:01]
LIKELIHOOD OF THEM BECOMING A VICTIM OF VIOLENT CRIME.HOWEVER, THE SERVICE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PROVIDES CANNOT BE DISMISSED.
AND THE PERFORMANCE OF THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT MUST BE ECHOED THROUGHOUT THE HALLS OF CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY.
SO THAT WAY THE CITIZENS KNOW THAT THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT IS AN INTEGRAL PART IN PROVIDING FOR THEIR PUBLIC SAFETY.
WHAT IS THAT PERFORMANCE? IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR, JANUARY, FEBRUARY, AND MARCH, HFD HAD 193 CARDIAC ARRESTS WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO GET PULSES BACK ON THE PATIENT 193.
AND THOUGH NOT ALL 193 MAY NOT HAVE WALKED OUT OF THE HOSPITAL, THAT WAS 193 FAMILIES, OUR HOUSTON FIREFIGHTERS, EMTS, AND PARAMEDICS WERE ABLE TO BUY MORE TIME FOR THOSE FAMILIES TO SPEND WITH THEIR LOVED ONES.
PERHAPS IT WAS TO GIVE THAT ONE LAST KISS, ONE HUG, OR THAT MOMENT TO SAY GOODBYE.
585 PEOPLE WHO HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR HFD INTERVENTION DEATH LIKELY WOULD'VE OCCURRED.
59 PEOPLE RESCUED FROM CAR ACCIDENTS, TRENCHES, CONFINED SPACES, 14 SOULS PULLED FROM BURNING STRUCTURES AND TRANSPORTED ALIVE BY OUR HOUSTON FIREFIGHTERS.
300 VICTIMS OF GUNSHOT WOUNDS KEPT ALIVE AND TRANSPORTED BY HOUSTON FIREFIGHTERS.
AND LET ME PAUSE RIGHT HERE FOR A MINUTE, BECAUSE I KNOW GUNS IS A HOT BUTTON ISSUE.
I'M VERY HAPPY AND PROUD OF THE WORK OF CHIEF FINNER.
HIS DEPARTMENT IS DOING A WONDERFUL JOB AT REDUCING VIOLENT CRIME, SPECIFICALLY HOMICIDES.
HOWEVER, WE CANNOT DISMISS THE GOOD WORK OF HOUSTON FIREFIGHTERS.
PERHAPS THAT NUMBER COULD BE HIGHER HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE DEFINITIVE CARE THAT OUR PARAMEDICS AND EMTS PROVIDE TO THOSE GUNSHOT VICTIMS AND KEEPING THEM ALIVE AND RIGHT TO THE HOSPITAL.
IN THE SURGERY AT A RECENT ACTIVE SHOOTER EVENT IN A BUSINESS IN A HIGH RISE DOWN IN HOUSTON, FROM THE TIME THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, IT ONLY TOOK NINE MINUTES TO INTEGRATE WITH HPD, ASSEMBLE A RESCUE TASK FORCE, AND BEGIN PROVIDING CARE TO A GUNSHOT VICTIM ON THE 10TH FLOOR THAT SURPASSES NATIONAL STANDARDS.
WE HAVE SAVED $32.1 MILLION IN PROPERTY.
THAT'S AN 84% SAVE RATE IN TERMS OF STRUCTURE FIRES.
THERE HAVE BEEN TOO MANY LINE OF DUTY DEATHS IN THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND HFD HAS RESPONDED OVER THE YEARS TO ADDRESS THE NIOSH FIVE.
AND YOU'LL SEE THE LIST OF THE NIOSH FIVE ON YOUR SLIDE.
THOSE ARE THE COMMONLY FOUND CAUSAL FACTORS OF LINE OF DUTY DEATHS.
SINCE 2017, HFD HAS RECEIVED ALMOST $6 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING TO INCORPORATE BLUE CARD TRAINING.
BLUE CARD TRAINS TO TWO LEVELS, THE AWARENESS OR TASK LEVEL OPERATIONS AND TACTICAL LEVEL.
FOR OUR INCIDENT COMMANDERS, OUR STRATEGIC SIMULATOR AT THE ACADEMY TRAINS TO THE TECHNICIAN AND STRATEGIC LEVEL.
HOWEVER, GOING BACK TO MY PREVIOUS REMARKS ABOUT BEING A LEGACY DRIVEN DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE 84 DISTRICT CHIEFS ACROSS FOUR SHIFTS AND 21 DISTRICTS IN THE FIRE STATIONS.
AND YOU MIGHT FIND 84 DIFFERENT WAYS ON HOW TO MANAGE A FIRE AND MANAGE YOUR RESOURCES AT THESE INCIDENTS WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED STANDARDIZING HOW WE MANAGE RESOURCES AT THESE INCIDENTS TO BRING OUR INCIDENT COMMAND TECHNICIANS OR INCIDENT COMMANDERS BEYOND WHAT BLUE CARD CAN OFFER AND STANDARDIZING OPERATIONS.
SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT SHIFT YOU'RE ON OR WHAT AREA OF THE CITY YOU WORK AND RESPOND TO, WE WILL HAVE STANDARDIZED OPERATIONS, WHICH IMPROVES INTEROPERABILITY, PROVIDES FOR COMMON OPERATING PICTURE AND STANDARDIZES OPERATIONS WITH THE TACTICAL BOARDS AND WORKSHEETS THAT TO AT THIS VERY MOMENT, OUR DISTRICT CHIEFS ARE GOING THROUGH, AGAIN, IT STANDARDIZES COMMAND, SOP, ADHERENCE RISK ASSESSMENT AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY HAS ALSO BEEN INCORPORATED AT THE COMMAND POST WITH THE USE OF SDI THROUGH OUR RADIO SYSTEM.
SHOULD ONE OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS BECOME INCAPACITATED, IT WILL INFORM THE COMMAND POST OF WHO IS IN TROUBLE.
IT ALL ALSO HAS THE CAPABILITY OF PROVIDING TELEMETRY, WHICH WILL INFORM THE COMMAND POST.
IF WE HAVE FIREFIGHTERS WHO ARE LOW ON AIR AND ALSO HAS GPS CAPABILITY, SHOULD ONE OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS FALL INTO THE BAYOU, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PINPOINT EXACTLY WHERE THAT FIREFIGHTER IS IN SWIFT WATER SO WE COULD DEPLOY ASSETS TO THE APPROPRIATE LOCATION.
TYPE ONE THROUGH THREE INCIDENTS.
[01:15:01]
THESE ARE INCIDENTS THAT AFFECT LARGE GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS.THERE ARE UNKNOWN NUMBER OF VICTIMS OVERWHELMS LOCAL RESOURCE CAPACITY AND REQUIRES A VARIETY OF RESOURCES.
EXAMPLES INCLUDE HURRICANE HARVEY, WHERE CALLS FOR SERVICE EXCEEDED THE CITY'S RESPONSE CAPABILITY AND THE DISPATCH CENTER'S CAPACITY.
IT REQUIRED STATE AND FEDERAL RESOURCES, NATIONAL GUARD, FEMA, URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS, AND SUCH A FACILITY EXPLOSION REQUIRING COLLABORATION WITH FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL AGENCIES.
THE TEXAS WINTER STORM OF 2021, WHERE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO 12,642 RESPONSES IN SIX DAYS, FEBRUARY 16TH ALONE HAD 3,299 CALLS FOR SERVICE.
AND BEAR IN MIND, OUR AVERAGE IS 1000 CALLS FOR SERVICE A DAY.
SO WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO PREPARE FOR 2022? WE'VE ESTABLISHED AND CONTINUE TO INVEST IN OUR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS CENTER, WHERE WE COORDINATE ALL OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT WIDE AND INTEGRATE WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND COMMUNICATE OR LIAISON WITH OEM.
AT THE EOC, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED AN INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM THAT HAS BECOME SO SKILLED AND RESPECTED IN THE REGION.
THEY HAVE DEPLOYED THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.
ALL OF OUR DEPUTY CHIEFS AND HALF OF OUR DISTRICT CHIEFS HAVE COMPLETED THREE 14, WHICH HAS ENHANCED ALL HAZARD INCIDENT MANAGEMENT AND UNIFIED COMMAND PROVIDED BY TEXAS A AND M.
ALL CHIEFS, AS I SAID, TODAY ARE GOING THROUGH THE COMMAND AND CONTROL CLASS.
HALF OF THE DEPARTMENT HAS COMPLETED WIDE AREA SEARCH TRAINING, WHICH WITH THAT TRAINING, WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF HAVING ONE CREW CLEAR 200 STRUCTURES PER HOUR.
THAT GIVES US THE CAPABILITY TO CLEAR LARGE AREAS OF THE CITY IN A MATTER OF HOURS.
WE'VE INSTITUTED TECHNOLOGY, WHICH WILL PROVIDE REAL TIME DATA AND UPDATES OF DAMAGE RESCUES, PROVIDE FOR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND INTEROPERABILITY ACROSS ALL AGENCIES.
OUR DISTRICT CHIEF VEHICLES ARE ALSO OUTFITTED WITH WIDE AREA SEARCH KITS.
WE HAVE HAD A WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH HPDP, WE AND OEM IN ACCOMPLISHING A LOT OF THESE THINGS TO PREPARE FOR THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
AND I APPRECIATE THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND INTEGRATION WITH ALL OF OUR INITIATIVES.
THE OTHER ITEM WE ARE BEGINNING TO INCORPORATE IS PRE-INCIDENT FIRE PLANNING.
THAT IS SOMETHING THE DEPARTMENT HAS NOT DONE IN ALMOST 10 YEARS.
THAT IS WHERE OUR FIREFIGHTERS GO INTO THE COMMUNITY, WORK WITH THEM, GO THROUGH THEIR BUILDINGS AND PRE-PLAN FOR INCIDENTS THAT MAY OCCUR.
NOW WHAT DO, NEXT SLIDE NOW, WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? WHAT CAN WE EXPERIENCE FROM THESE INITIATIVES? WE WILL BE A CITY AND DEPARTMENT WHO IS NIMS COMPLIANT, COMPLIANT WITH THE NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH IS DIRECTED BY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE NUMBER FIVE.
WE WILL BE FOLLOWING INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICES, INTEROPERABILITY NOT ONLY ACROSS CITY AGENCIES, BUT WITH STATE AND FEDERAL ASSETS.
SHOULD THE TIME COME, WE WILL BECOME A REGIONAL ASSET FOLLOWING A FRAMEWORK WHERE WE ARE CAPABLE OF RESPONDING OR ACCEPTING RESPONSE FROM ASSISTING AGENCIES TO PROVIDE FOR OUR CITIZENS REAL TIME DATA, ENHANCED RESPONSE, EFFICIENT USE OF RESOURCES, FUNDING, AND REIMBURSEMENT, ESPECIALLY DURING TIMES WHEN THE GOVERNOR AND PRESIDENT DECLARES A DISASTER AND A BETTER PREPARED AND MORE RESILIENT COMMUNITY.
ASSISTANT CHIEF, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR STAFF? AND I DON'T SEE ANY ONLINE, SO GREAT JOB.
UM, REALLY QUICKLY, UM, WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS A LOT OF GREAT THINGS THAT ARE EXCITING AND THAT ARE HAPPENING, UM, STANDARDIZING OPERATIONS, THE FACT THAT WE'RE TRACKING CERTAIN DATA, UM, WE KNOW THE GREAT WORK OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT IN NUMBERS, IN SAVES WHAT IT MEANS TO THE CITY AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, TO YOUR POINT, IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, ARE WE RIGHT NOW, JUST BECAUSE I KNOW YOU MENTIONED NIMS COMPLIANT, UM, INDUSTRY STANDARDS, BEST PRACTICES, ARE WE IN COMPLIANCE RIGHT NOW? YES.
I'M VERY CONFIDENT TO SAY THAT MOST OF OUR OPERATIONS ARE NIMS COMPLIANT.
IT'S A MATTER OF STANDARDIZING OPERATIONS THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT.
AND, UM, CAN YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF DATA COLLECTION THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS DOING, UM, SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES? AGAIN, BROAD THEME TODAY, UM, AND I KNOW
[01:20:01]
THE MAYOR'S HYPER-FOCUSED ON THIS AS WELL, IS GUN VIOLENCE.UM, AND YOU ALL PLAY, UH, OUR FIREFIGHTERS PLAY AN INSTRUMENTAL ROLE IN THE RESPONSE TO THAT.
YOU MENTIONED, UH, EVEN IN AN OFFICE BUILDING, I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO ONE THAT WAS IN MY DISTRICT, UM, WHICH I'M AGAIN VERY GRATEFUL FOR.
UM, BUT CAN YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, GUNSHOT WOUNDS AND DATA TRACKING AND WHAT, UH, POTENTIALLY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DOES THERE? SURE.
ONE REASON WHY MANY OF THESE INCIDENTS RESULT IN SO MANY FATALITIES IS BECAUSE THERE IS LIMITED ACCESS TO THE PATIENTS.
WE MUST GET IN CLOSE WITH THE PATIENTS AND STOP THE BLEEDING WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO INTEGRATE WITH HPD AND I WON'T GET INTO TACTICS IN, IN A PUBLIC FORUM, BUT WITH OUR ABILITY TO INTEGRATE, IT ALLOWS US TO SAVE MANY LIVES THAT OTHERWISE WOULD'VE BEEN LOST.
AND WHEN YOU READ THE CRITIQUES OR AFTER ACTION REVIEWS OF PREVIOUS ACTIVE SHOOTER INCIDENTS, MANY TIMES LIVES COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED HAD IT BEEN, UH, HAD THERE BEEN ABILITY FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO ACCESS THOSE PATIENTS.
SO A LOT OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE INSTITUTED OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS IN OUR COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE, IT HAS EXPANDED OUR ABILITY TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE PATIENT AND SAVE MANY LIVES.
AND I I THINK THAT GOES TO THE POINT AS WELL ABOUT, UM, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S CRITICAL ROLE, UM, IN KEEPING MURDER RATES DOWN AS WELL.
I, I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT THE, UH, THAT ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE RATE IS DECREASING IS BECAUSE OF THE CARE WE PROVIDE.
I THINK WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON.
AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING, UM, THE, UM, FIRE DEPARTMENT DO FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND THAT'S, UM, I'M LOOKING AT THE PRESENTATION.
I HAD A A QUESTION ABOUT THE IMPROPER RISK ASSESSMENTS, YOU KNOW, THESE CASUAL FACTORS.
UM, AS WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UM, GUN, UM, I MEAN, FIRE FIREFIGHTERS ARE THE FIRST RESPONDERS.
THEY'RE ON THE SCENES, UM, WHEN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE SHOOTING, THERE'S AN ACTIVE SHOOTER OR AN ACTIVE STABBER.
UM, A FEW MONTHS AGO I WAS OVER AT, UM, THE CLEON MANOR APARTMENT COMPLEXES DOING AN ASSESSMENT.
AND THAT WAS A ACTIVE STABBING SITUATION.
AND, UM, H UM, H UM, FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT ON THE SCENE.
AND, AND THE STAB, THE PERSON WHO WAS CON DOING THE STABBING WAS STILL THERE.
I WAS STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO HIM.
BUT YOU GOT ON THE SCENE AND, AND IT WAS MULTIPLE, UM, MULTIPLE VICTIMS AND YOU, YOU KNOW, TENDED TO THE VICTIMS EVEN THOUGH, DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE, YOU WERE STILL IN DANGER.
SO I WANNA PREACH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
BUT WHAT MEASURES ARE YOU PUTTING IN PLACE, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, FIREFIGHTERS HAVE THAT INFORMATION? THAT THERE IS AN ACTIVE, YOU KNOW, STABBER ON, ON THE SCENE? I KNOW YOU, YOU, THEY KNEW IT WAS A STABBING, BUT I, I'M, I WASN'T SURE IF THEY KNEW THAT IT WAS STILL A ACTIVE SITUATION.
I MEAN, IN FACT, I HAD TO REACH OUT TO MY CHIEF OF STAFF TO CALL HPD TO GET SOMEBODY THERE ON THE SCENE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SO JUST, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE SAFE IN THOSE TYPE OF SITUATIONS? HOUSTON POLICE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD IN THEIR, IN THEIR PRESENTATION TODAY, AND THAT THE PUBLIC HAS AN ACTIVE ROLE AND OBLIGATION TO BECOME A PART OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
THEY HAVE GOT TO COMMUNICATE THE THREAT TO NINE ONE ONE WHEN THEY CALL 9 1 1 AND MENTION THAT THE ATTACKER IS STILL ON SCENE.
PERHAPS WHAT ARE THEY WEARING? WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE? SO THAT WAY WE ARE ALL AWARE OF THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE COMING INTO.
HOWEVER, AGAIN, THE, THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT'S CHANGED.
THE LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED IN ORDER FOR US TO SAVE LIVES.
AND MANY TIMES OUR HOUSTON FIREFIGHTERS ARE HAVING TO GO INTO THE HOT ZONE, INTO A DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENT WITH HOUSTON POLICE, UM, TO, TO SAVE LIVES.
UM, BUT THAT VITAL INFORMATION THAT COMES FROM THE CITIZEN IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN KEEPING OUR FIRST RESPONDERS SAFE AND GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPEDITE THE CARE THAT WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE.
AND THANK YOU FOR RAISING THAT QUESTION.
AND AGAIN, CHIEF, TO YOUR POINT, THE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY, WE CAN'T ASSUME, UM, THAT SOMEONE ELSE IS CALLING.
UH, WE NEED TO CALL, BUT YOU ALSO, TO THAT POINT, WHEN WE CALL 9 1 1 AND ALL OF THE INFORMATION WE'RE ABLE TO GET.
UM, CHIEF PENA, SINCE YOU'RE HERE, I'LL GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO THE TECHNOLOGY NEEDS.
UH, CHIEF MEIR THAT YOU, YOU BROUGHT UP.
I KNOW WE DIDN'T GET INTO THE SPECIFICS.
AND REPETITIVELY CAD IS ONE OF THOSE.
UM, BUT ARE THERE ANY OTHER TECHNOLOGY, UH, NEEDS THAT DEFICIENCIES RIGHT NOW THAT YOU WANNA HIGHLIGHT? NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, NO.
IN IN TERMS OF OPERATIONS, I THINK WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH OUR TECHNOLOGY.
WE'VE EXPLORED QUITE A FEW OPTIONS THAT ARE ON THE MARKET AND WHAT OTHER AGENCIES ARE USING.
UM, AGAIN, WE'RE VERY CONFIDENT AND HAPPY WITH WHAT WE'VE SELECTED.
UM, I WILL TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE TECHNOLOGY NEEDS AT THE TRAINING ACADEMY THAT, THAT SPEAKS SPECIFICALLY TO INCIDENT COMMAND TRAINING.
I THINK THERE'S TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE AND, AND FUNDING AVAILABLE, UM, WHERE WE CAN INCORPORATE THOSE CHANGES AND DEVELOP OUR OFFICERS EVEN MORE WITH INCIDENT COMMAND.
UM, SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS, I THINK THAT THAT DOES IT FOR OUR PRESENTATIONS.
[01:25:01]
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND A BIG THANK YOU.UM, THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE TODAY HOW WE HEARD OF THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT POLICE PLAY.
UM, OUR FIREFIGHTERS PLAY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UM, BUT ALSO THAT THE PUBLIC, THE ROLE THAT THE PUBLIC PLAYS AND THAT THIS IS ALL ON ALL OF US TO DO OUR, OUR FAIR SHARE.
WHETHER IT'S LOCKING UP GUNS, WHETHER IT'S REPORTING AN INCIDENT, UM, OR JUST SHARING IMPORTANT INFORMATION AS WE PREPARE FOR THE WORST AND HOPE FOR THE BEST.
UM, WITH THAT WE'RE GONNA PIVOT TO A PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE HAVE SEVERAL, UM, PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
I KNOW SOME HAD TO SIGN OFF DUE TO TIME, SO I'M GOING TO QUICKLY CALL THROUGH.
BUT, UM, I THINK OUR IN-PERSON SPEAKER MAY BE THE ONLY ONE FOR TODAY.
UM, FIRST UP, UH, ANTHONY TURON, IF YOU'RE STILL ON ANTHONY PRESS, UM, UNMUTE OR STAR SIX TO UNMUTE.
NEXT, UH, SPEAKER DI UH, DIANA DAVILA MUJI BOT, UH, I'M GONNA JUST MESS UP YOUR LAST NAME AND I DON'T WANNA BE DISRESPECTFUL.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, MR. MARTY LINKEDIN.
UM, I BELIEVE YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
UH, MADAM CHAIR AND THE COMMITTEE REALLY JUST HAD A COUPLE POINTS.
I WANTED TO POINT OUT THE, UH, THE STATISTICS THAT I THINK, UH, ASSISTANT CHIEF MEIR POINTED OUT.
I THINK HIGHLIGHT, UH, SOME THINGS THAT, UH, I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO ECHO.
193 CARDIAC ARRESTS SAVES 585 CRITICAL MEDICAL CARE, 300 GUNSHOT WOUND VICTIMS, UH, 59 RESCUES, 14 FIRE RESCUES, $32.1 MILLION IN PROPERTY.
SAVED ALL OF THAT DONE ON THE BACKSTOP OF THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT BEING CRITICALLY UNDERSTAFFED AND UNDER-RESOURCED.
AND WE TALK ABOUT THE GOOD WORK OF OUR OFFICERS, UH, OF OUR CHIEFS, DEPUTY CHIEFS, DISTRICT CHIEFS, WHO DO A PHENOMENAL JOB.
UH, THIS FIRE DEPARTMENT IS INTERWOVEN SYSTEM, AND WHAT THEY CONTINUE TO DO IS MORE WITH LESS.
WE ARE NEARLY 500 FIREFIGHTERS SHORT.
SO THE THANKS GOES OUT TO THE, THE MEN AND WOMEN, THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHO CONTINUE TO DO EVERYTHING WE ASK THEM TO DO THROUGH PANDEMIC'S, FLOODS, THROUGH CALL VOLUME.
THAT HAS ALMOST DOUBLED IN A DECADE.
AND I THINK, AND I HOPE THAT THIS MESSAGE IS NOT LOST, JUST SAYING HERE AND RE REPEATING STATISTICS.
THESE ARE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WITH FAMILIES THAT CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE.
AND THEY NEED YOUR SUPPORT AND THEY NEED YOU TO BE THE VOICE.
AND WE CRITICALLY NEED THE RESOURCES OF THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE FOCUS TO BE ON THE MEN AND WOMEN.
SO WITH THAT, UH, VERY SIMPLE AND EASY.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND, UH, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY AND WITH TIME TO SPARE.
UM, ANY COMMENT? THAT'S THE FIRST
UM, ANY COMMENTS FOR, UH, OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS TODAY? OKAY, UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU MR. LINCOLNTON.
UH, WITH THAT, UH, THIS CONCLUDES OUR, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING FOR THE DAY.
OUR NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR JULY 21ST AT 2:00 PM UH, REMINDER ALL THE INFORMATION YOU SAW TODAY AND THE RECORDINGS WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE.
SO WE ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO GO TO THAT.
UM, LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, LOOK AT THE DATA, ESPECIALLY THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S NOW TRACKING AND PRESENTING, WHICH IS REALLY HELPFUL.
UM, OUR HURRICANE RESOURCES AS WELL AS THE UPDATES ON ONE SAFE HOUSTON, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, JACKSON, I KNOW YOU WERE COMING IN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD, UM, THERE WAS A BIG SPOTLIGHT ON THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THINGS LIKE COMMUNITY MESSENGER PROGRAM.
UM, SO, UH, I THINK HALF A MILLION WAS ADDED ON TOP OF THAT FOR, UM, CREDIBLE MESSENGER AND, UH, CARE.
SO WHAT THAT WAS THAT IN, IN ADDITION TO, I CAN TALK WITH THAT.
THAT WAS IN ADDITION TO THE FIVE, THE HALF A MILLION FROM LAST YEAR OR THAT, THAT WAS IN WHATEVER WAS INITIALLY ALLOCATED.
I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME, BUT THAT WAS MENTIONED.
AND AGAIN, I WANNA, UM, CREDIT MAYOR TURNER'S LEADERSHIP, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UH, I'M MISSING A HELL OF HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, MISSING A TON.
THIS IS EVERYONE ALL IN, ESPECIALLY, UM, ON COUNCIL.
UH, MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 3 52, 3 30,
[01:30:03]
I'M SORRY, 3 32.