[00:00:20]
A MOMENT, MOMENTS AFTER THE STORM, WE HAD FIREFIGHTERS ON TWO 90 DEALING WITH LIVE WIRES, SO PEOPLE WOULD HAVE THEIR MOBILITY, LIVE WIRES.
SO WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS IN THESE CONDITIONS.
WE'VE CERTAINLY BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE STATE AND M KID AND THE EMERGENCY CENTER IS SENDING US ASSISTANCE, THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, UH, BRIANIS, WHO IS HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COLLABORATION.
MOMENTS AFTER THE STORM, I WAS GETTING CALLS FROM COMMISSIONER GARCIA, TOM RAMSEY BRIANIS, TELLING US THEY WERE MOVING THEIR CREWS INSIDE THEIR PRECINCTS THAT RESIDE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
I WANT HOUSTONIANS TO KNOW THAT FIRST RESPONDERS, LEMME TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY FOR A MOMENT, WHICH IS ALL OF OUR, UH, FIRST RESPONDERS, BUT LAW AND ORDER.
WE RECEIVED 50 DPS OFFICERS OVERNIGHT.
THEY'RE STATIONED DOWNTOWN RIGHT NOW, SENDING THE MESSAGE TO HOUSTONIANS.
WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY, YOUR LAW AND ORDER, AND THE BAD GUYS.
I DON'T WANT TO ADVERTISE HOW CONCERNED WE ARE ABOUT SOME VULNERABILITIES.
WE DON'T HAVE POWER, WHICH MEANS YOU DON'T HAVE BURGLAR ALARMS. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT IF YOU'RE A BAD GUY.
WE HAVE REINFORCEMENTS, THE COLLABORATION OF ALL OF OUR AREA LAW ENFORCEMENT.
50 DPS OFFICER WILL BE PATROLLING BACKING UP HPD.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS AND THERE WILL EVEN BE MORE BEFORE THIS DAY IS OVER.
I HAVE TO GO DOWNTOWN IN A MOMENT FOR A DAMAGE ASSESSMENT OF THE BUSINESS CENTRAL DISTRICT.
HOUSTONIANS AREA RESIDENTS STAY AWAY FROM DOWNTOWN.
THERE'S BROKEN GLASS IN EVERY DIRECTION.
SO I WANT TO EMPHASIZE, USE COMMON SENSE.
DON'T BE OUT TODAY ON THE ROADS.
2,500 TRAFFIC LIGHTS ARE NOT ENERGIZED.
OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WILL BE MAKING CALLS.
IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY, CALL NINE ONE ONE.
IF IT'S NON-EMERGENCY, CALL 3 1 1.
THERE'S SOME BACKLOG TO THOSE CIRCUITS, BUT THEY'RE FUNCTIONING ENOUGH.
WE'LL BE AT THE EMERGENCY CENTER AFTER WE DO OUR DAMAGE ASSESSMENT.
WE'LL BE GETTING COORDINATED WITH ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS ARE GONNA BE OPENED.
THOSE WITH POWER, WE'LL LIST THE, UH, CENTERS AS COOLING CENTERS.
THE LIFELINE NECESSITIES ARE BEING ESTABLISHED.
THE FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS, HEALTH CONCERNS SUCH AS DIALYSIS WILL BE FOCUSED ON.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, I'M PROUD TO BE THE MAYOR OF HOUSTON TODAY.
WE'RE SHOWING, AGAIN, TO FIND QUALITIES IN THE UNITY THAT WE COME AND DISTRIBUTE AND EXHIBIT DURING THESE DIFFICULT TIMES.
BUT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN.
BE PATIENT, USE COMMON SENSE, BE KIND TO YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR PETS.
JUST DON'T FORGET OUR FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ARE CAUGHT UP IN THIS, INCLUDING OUR PETS.
AND I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER IN QUESTIONS.
I I WILL ALSO, UH, JONES REPRESENTATIVE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I'LL BE GLAD TO YIELD ANY OF MY TIME TO YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME IN.
I KNOW SHE WENT THROUGH A HORRIFIED, UH, EXPERIENCE WITH HER FAMILY.
SHE WAS OUT WORKING, HER FAMILY HAD TO HIDE IN THE CLOSET BECAUSE OF DOWN TREES IN THE TIMBER GROVE AREA.
MY HOUSE, I WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND I'M WALKING THE WALK.
I HAVE NO POWER AT MY HOUSE AND I'M NOT ON ANYBODY'S PRIORITY LISTS.
MINE WILL BE RETURNED TO POWER WHEN EVERYONE ELSE'S IS.
SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU JUDGE.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER.
THE COLLABORATION IS, IS STRONG AND IT WILL BE IN THE DAYS TO COME.
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THE SPANISH MEDIA.SO LET ME JUST REPEAT MY REMARKS IN SPANISH.
COULD I YIELD TO THE COMMISSIONER? WE, THERE'S AN IMPACT IN ALL FOUR COUNTIES, AND SO WHENEVER WE HAVE AN IMPACT ON ONE COUNTY, THE COMMISSIONER JOINS, BUT ALL FOUR COUNTIES HAVE BEEN IMPACTED AND I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH, WITH GIVING SPECIAL TREATMENT.
EVERYBODY WAS NOTIFIED THAT YOU AS THE MAYOR AND I, AS THE COUNTY JUDGE ARE SPEAKING, I'M HAPPY FOR THEM TO JOIN, BUT AT LEAST IF YOU WANT TO HER TO SPEAK, LET ME DO THE DUTY TO THE SPANISH CONSTITUENTS.
I'M JUST GLAD I MADE THE CHA I'M GLAD I MADE THE APPROVAL LIST.
OH, MAYOR, THIS IS A DISASTER.
OKAY, SO, UM, IN ESPAN, BRIDGELAND, THE PROBLEM IS THE AL
[00:13:19]
I AM IN CONTACT YELLOW OR A ET[00:17:16]
LOS, I FORGOT ONE THING IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH.THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH IS WORKING ON MAKING SURE THAT ANY FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS DO NOT OPEN WHILE THEY DON'T HAVE THE POWER PROPERLY RESTORED.
AND SO, UM, ALL OF OUR, UM, ALL OF OUR VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING ON THE, ON THE LIFE SAFETY PORTION.
AND OKAY, WE KNOW THAT THE MAYOR HAS TO LEAVE SHORTLY.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A FEW QUESTIONS WHILE THE MAYOR IS HERE, IF THAT'S OKAY.
CAN I MAKE, CAN I MAKE A POINT THAT'S, THAT'S VITAL.
UH, THERE'S SOME MESSAGING GOING OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT HOUSTON'S UNDER A BOIL YOUR WATER.
UH, NOTICE THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE.
OUR WATER PLANTS ARE FUNCTIONING, THEY'RE ON GENERATORS.
THEY, THE EAST SIDE, WHICH FURNISH IS ABOUT 60% OF OUR WATER IS FUNCTIONING THE WATER'S SAFE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY IF I HAD MORE TIME, I'D TALK ABOUT IN ANOTHER DAY.
OUR WATER PLANTS ARE FRAGILE BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN NEGLECTED FOR YEARS AND IT'S A HIGH PRIORITY.
BUT TODAY, DURING THE STORM, OUR WATER IS SAFE TO DRINK.
IF THERE'S ANY CHANGE IN THE DAYS TO COME, WE'LL CERTAINLY LET YOU KNOW.
NOW, I DON'T WANNA PLAY FAVORITES BECAUSE IT'S YOUR PRESS CARD, BUT YOLANDA JONES HAS A VERY VITAL MESSAGE ABOUT THE HOMELESS AND THE CONDITIONS THEY'RE FACING DOWNTOWN.
SO I DON'T WANT TO CAN JUST, NOT TO DELAY BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA GET OUTTA LINE, BUT SHE'S GOT A REAL CONCERN.
[00:20:01]
THAT'S HER DISTRICT AND THE GLASS IS EVERYWHERE.AND IT'S KIND OF THE PURPOSE OF ME BEING HERE IS TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO KNOW THE CONCERNS WE HAVE AND HOW YOU ADDRESS, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY.
I, LET'S TAKE QUESTIONS AND THEN WE CAN HAVE YEAH, JUST REALLY QUICKLY, WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS.
NO, NO, BUT I ACTUALLY WENT DOWNTOWN BECAUSE IT'S IN MY DISTRICT.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THIS, YOU NEED TO STAY AWAY FROM DOWNTOWN.
I LITERALLY JUST CAME FROM THERE.
BIG GLASS 'CAUSE BUILDINGS, GLASS HAVE FALLEN.
AND I'M EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE HOMELESS POPULATION BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE SHOES, YOU'RE GOING TO THREAD YOUR FEET.
AND IF YOU HAVE ON FLIP FLOPS, SO JUST STAY AWAY.
I KNOW PEOPLE ARE THERE SORT OF LIKE WATCHING A BAD ACCIDENT TO TAKE VIDEO.
DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? MAYOR WHI WAS GONNA ASK YOU, YOU MENTIONED A POSSIBLE FIFTH FATALITY.
CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT? WHAT PART OF TOWN IS? IT IS UNDER INVESTIGATION.
THAT'S ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS, UH, WHEN, WHEN I SHOWED UP BEFORE SUNUP, UH, IT WAS STILL FOUR FATALITIES AS IT WAS WHEN I LEFT MID-MORNING DURING THE NIGHT.
UH, BUT WE'RE NOT READY TO RELEASE THAT BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO DETERMINE IF IT'S, UH, WEATHER RELATED.
SO I'LL LET YOU KNOW AS SOON AS, UH, I SAW THE, THE FIRE CHIEF WAS HERE.
I'M SUPPOSED TO MEET CHIEF SATTERWHITE A FEW MINUTES AGO, UH, TO DO AN ASSESSMENT DOWNTOWN.
SO I THINK THEY'RE ACTUALLY ARRANGING WHEN WE FINISH HERE FOR A PRESS AVAILABILITY TO DISCUSS, UH, FURTHER CITY BUSINESS AND CONCERNS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, FOLKS? MAYOR, IS THERE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THE KNOWN FOR, UH, PEOPLE THAT DIED DUE TO THE STORM, ESPECIALLY RELATED TO THE ONE
I I WAS, I WAS BRIEFED LAST NIGHT, UH, HORRIBLE, UH, ACCIDENT WITH A FAMILY TREE FELL, WENT RIGHT THROUGH THE DRIVER'S COMPARTMENT WITH CHILDREN IN THE BACK.
SO THAT'S WHERE I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
WE SLOW DOWN AND REMEMBER THOSE THAT HAVE SUFFERED SO MUCH, UH, ALLOW OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, THE AREAS ARE BEING INVESTIGATED.
THEN THERE WAS A TIRE THAT FELL ON A, ON A, A MAINTENANCE MAN.
SO THE OTHER, UH, WAS A TREE FATALITY AGAIN.
SO WE'RE YOU, IT IS AMAZING WHEN YOU TRAVEL ACROSS THE CITY, TIMBER GROVE, WHERE THE COMMISSIONER IS, TREES NEXT DOOR TO ME.
IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY PEOPLE CAME SO CLOSE TO LOSING EVERYTHING.
AND, UH, WE NEED TO KEEP 'EM IN OUR THOUGHTS AND, AND THE DETAILS ADDRESSES AND OTHERS WILL BE FORTHCOMING.
BUT AT THIS POINT, THEIR INVESTIGATIONS.
WHAT WAS THE HIGHEST WIN YOU GUYS REPORTED YESTERDAY WHEN YOU CALLED? IT WAS, YOU SAID IT WAS A TORNADO.
IT WAS CONFIRMED AS A TORNADO TO SHARE THE, THE NATIONAL WEATHER FOLKS ARE TELLING, THERE WAS, THERE WAS TWISTERS.
THEY DON'T NECESSARILY CALL IT A TORNADO.
WHAT'S AMAZING, AS THE JUDGES POINTED OUT, IT JUST CAME DOWN TWO 90 THROUGH NORTHWEST HOUSTON, THROUGH THE HEIGHTS INTO THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT AND HEADED TOWARD THE BAY GOING, LITERALLY, THAT'S THAT FOOTPRINT RIGHT THERE.
80, 90, IT HIT A HUNDRED MILES PER HOUR, WHICH YOUR HURRICANE TYPE, UH, INTENSITY.
AND, UH, WHAT, WHAT IS SO SHOCKING, AND I WAS OUT IN IT, IS THE SUDDENNESS THE INTENSITY AND IT, WHAT YOU, YOU DIDN'T FEEL SAFE IN A CAR, OF COURSE YOU'RE IN A CAR WHEN WE WERE LEAVING THE BALLPARK.
SO WHAT DO YOU DO? SO WE JUST PULLED OVER IN THE PARKING LOT.
PEOPLE WERE FINDING COVER ANYWHERE.
THE, THE CAR WASHES, PEOPLE WERE PULLING IN SERVICE STATIONS.
UH, IT WAS SO DANGEROUS AND I WAS ABLE TO WORK MY WAY TO THE EMERGENCY CENTER GOING DOWN PINE MONT TWO SUGGESTER AND PINE MOUNT WAS COMPLETELY BLOCKED BY LARGE TREES.
SO JUST SHOWS YOU, YOU KNOW, WE LOVE OUR TREES, BUT BOY, DURING THE STORM, YOU GOTTA, YOU GOTTA BE PREPARED.
UM, JEFF, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? OFFICIALLY THE HIGHEST WIND WE'VE HAD SO FAR IS SEVEN, EIGHT MILES AN HOUR.
THAT WAS RECORDED AT I 10 IN THE SAN JACINTA RIVER, US COAST GUARD CUTTER.
EXCUSE ME, WOULD YOU GET THE MIC PLEASE? SORRY, SORRY.
THE HIGHEST WIND RECORDED SO FAR HAS BEEN 78 MILES PER HOUR AT I 10 AT THE SAN JACIN RIVER WITH THE US COAST GUARD.
DAMAGE SURVEYS ARE ONGOING FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SURVEY TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS TORNADOES.
THE TRACK, THE INTENSITY OF THOSE LOCATIONS THAT THEY'RE SERVING.
ONE IS IN NORTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY IN THE BRIDGELAND AREA.
THE OTHER ONE IS IN THE BAYTOWN AREA, I BELIEVE ENA PARK IN THE ENA PARK, BAYTOWN AREA.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE LOOKING AT SOME STUFF AROUND DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
WHAT I HAVE SEEN OVERNIGHT, IT WAS A LOT OF STRAIGHT LINE
[00:25:01]
WIND, ESPECIALLY IN THE URBAN CORE IN THIS AREA.OAK FOREST, TIMBER GROVE, SPRING BRANCH INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
EVERYTHING IS IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
BUT I'LL LET MR. EVANS WITH THE WEATHER SERVICE TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE SURVEYING.
UH, JEFF EVANS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, UH, AS JEFF SAID, UH, WE'RE OUT TODAY.
UH, WE HAVE TO DETERMINE LOOKING AT DAMAGE WHETHER OR NOT TORNADOES OCCURRED OR NOT.
WE HAVE NOT CONFIRMED ANY TORNADOES AS OF YET THIS MORNING.
UH, WE ARE, UH, AS JEFF SAID, WE HAVE TEAMS IN PARTICULAR UP THERE IN NORTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY, IN NORTHERN WALLER COUNTY TO LOOK FOR, UH, UH, TORNADO.
WE DID HAVE SOME VIDEO THAT SEEMED TO SUGGEST THAT IT CAN LOOK LIKE ON RADAR.
THE MAJORITY OF THIS DAMAGE IS STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.
UH, IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO COMPREHEND, UH, THAT THIS WAS NOT A TORNADO CONSIDERED THE MAGNITUDE OF THE DAMAGE THAT WE DEALT WITH.
UH, BUT, UH, WE DO AND EXPECT TO FIND 80 TO A HUNDRED, MAYBE A HUNDRED PLUS MILE AN HOUR.
WIND SPEEDS IS WHAT, UH, TRACKED ACROSS A BIG PART OF OUR METROPOLITAN AREA LAST NIGHT INTO DOWNTOWN.
UH, AS YOU GET HIGH RISES, UH, THE WINDS GET STRONGER AS YOU GET AWAY FROM THE FRICTION, UH, EFFECTS OF THE GROUND.
UH, WE WERE MESSAGING, UH, FOR THE DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS, UH, TO, TO SEEK A LOWER LEVEL AND TO MOVE AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
UH, FOR THAT REASON, UH, AFTER THIS PRESS CONFERENCE, I'M GONNA GO DOWNTOWN I AND, UH, AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE DAMAGE DOWN THERE.
SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE NOT CONFIRMED ANY WHEN WE DO OR IF WE DO CONFIRM A TORNADO, WE WILL BE, UH, SHARING THAT OUT, UH, TO EVERYBODY HOPEFULLY HERE IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS.
THIS MAY BE A QUESTION FOR CENTER POINT, BUT JUST YOU SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION LINES ARE DOWN.
I KNOW, I MEAN, PEOPLE WANNA KNOW, HOW DO I FIND OUT IF MY HOUSE IS TIED TO THESE TRANSITION LINES? LIKE IS IT ME THAT'S GONNA BE OUT OF POWER FOR TWO JEEPS? LIKE WHAT'S YOUR MESSAGE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SITTING IN THE DARK? MY MESSAGE IS WE'RE STILL ON PAUL LOCK WITH CENTERPOINT ENERGY, WE'RE, IT'S GONNA TAKE US ANOTHER DAY TO ASSESS.
WE'VE GOT 10 TRANSMISSION LINES DOWN ACROSS OUR FOOTPRINT, SEVEN OF WHICH ARE IN HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, WE HOPE TO HAVE OUR OUTAGE TRACKER BACK UP AND RUNNING SOON, BUT THIS IS GONNA BE A, RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT A MULTI-DAY EVENT, AND AS THE JUDGE SAID, WE'VE GOT 4,000 MUTUAL ASSISTANCE FOLKS IN ROUTE TO HELP US.
BUT, UH, IF, IF YOU DEPEND ON LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT, YOU NEED TO MAKE PLANS NOW TO, UH, FIND ANOTHER PLACE TO STAY.
ARE MOST OF THOSE, LIKE IN THE HEIGHTS SPRING BRANCH AREA? LIKE THE PLACES THAT ARE KIND OF BLACKED OUT RIGHT NOW? BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER PARTS OF TOWN THAT HAVE POWER, BUT IT'S SMALLER PATCH? YOU KNOW, I, I I I, I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT INFORMATION AND EVERYTHING I'M TELLING YOU IS AS OF EIGHT O'CLOCK THIS MORNING.
DO YOU WANNA TELL THEM ABOUT NOT TO CHECK THE TRACKER? I FORGOT THAT EARLIER.
YEAH, THE, THE, THE TRACKER'S DOWN RIGHT NOW.
IT'LL BE BACK UP HOPEFULLY SOON.
AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO, FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, I WOULD SAY IF YOU SEE A POWER LINE THAT'S DOWN, WALK AWAY, PLEASE CALL US AT (713) 207-2222.
IF YOU SMELL NATURAL GAS INSIDE YOUR HOME, WALK OUTSIDE FOR AND GO TO A SAFE DISTANCE AND CALL US AND ALERT US AS WELL.
ONE MORE QUESTION FOR THE MAYOR AFTER GAME TONIGHT TO AVOID DOWNTOWN, IN FACT, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA BE HONEST WITH YOU, I'VE BEEN SO BUSY.
AND WE'LL ADDRESS THAT WHEN WE LEAVE.
WE, WE DEALT WITH IT LAST NIGHT, UH, DURING THE RESCUE, UH, LEADING INTO OUR RECOVERY, WE NOTIFIED THE FANS BY PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT.
DO NOT TRY TO GO BACK WEST THROUGH DOWNTOWN.
UH, HPD SET UP SOME BARRICADES REQUIRING PEOPLE TO GO EAST, OF COURSE, BUT THE EAST END WAS HIT REALLY HARD.
BUT TO GO EAST FROM THE STADIUM AND, UH, USE I 10 OR GO THROUGH, UH, EMANCIPATION, UH, DRIVE AND GO TO 45 TO STAY AWAY FROM THE WEST SIDE.
BUT DOWNTOWN, UH, I'M HEADED THAT WAY TO DO A DAMAGE ASSESSMENT WITH THE FIRE CHIEF PUBLIC WORKS AND, UH, POLICE CHIEF.
AND AS, UH, REPRESENTATIVE JONES SAID, THE HOMELESS, UH, VULNERABILITY, UH, IS GREAT DUE TO JUST THE, THE GLASS.
BUT WORKERS NEED TO GET IN THERE AND REPLACE THE WINDOWS.
AND, UH, I WOULD ASK THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL IN, UH, ALLOWING THEIR EMPLOYEES TO WORK AT HOME OR, UH, BE SENSITIVE TO THE, THE DANGERS OF DOWNTOWN.
I'LL, I'LL, I'LL LET YOU KNOW.
WHEN I TALKED TO THE ASTROS HERE IN LITTLE WHILE, UH, I WAS EVEN CURIOUS THIS MORNING, IF YOU DON'T HAVE POWER WHERE THE TEAM IS STAYING, NOT A HOME TEAM, BUT THE VISITING TEAM, IT'D BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THEY FUNCTION.
BUT THAT'S NOT MY HIGHEST PRIORITY.
BUT, UH, IT IS AN INTERESTING POINT.
IF YOU'RE GONNA TRY TO CONDUCT A GAME TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M SITTING HERE TELLING PEOPLE STAY OFF THE ROADS AND, UH,
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PEOPLE LOVE THEIR ASTROS.THEY'RE ON A PRETTY GOOD STREAK RIGHT NOW.
SO, UH, IT'S GONNA BE TEMPTING TO BE DOWNTOWN, BUT I WILL BE TALKING TO THEM.
I'M CERTAIN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL WILL MAKE THAT DECISION, BUT I'LL CERTAINLY DO MY PART TO EXPRESS CAUTION.
THERE ARE THINGS, THINGS MORE IMPORTANT THAN A BALL GAME TODAY.
WE GOT FIRST RESPONDERS EXPOSED.
I WATCHED FIREFIGHTERS ON TWO 90 AT ABOUT 6 45 LIVE, UH, GETTING WIRES AND CABLES AND TRANSMISSION LIGHTS OFF OF TWO 90.
I MEAN, THAT TAKES TRAINING, TAKES A LOT OF GUTS.
AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND WE SHOULDN'T WAIT TILL WE'RE IN A CRISIS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM.
WHAT THEY DID IN KINGWOOD WAS AMAZING AND SAVE LIVES.
SO ANYWAY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THEN I'VE GOTTA GO TO WORK.
HAVE YOU, HAVE YOU GOTTEN A SENSE OF WHAT IMPACT, IF ANY, THIS SEVERE WEATHER IT'S HAD ON FUEL AND GAS STATIONS? HAVE PEOPLE BEEN ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, AS I WAS TRAVELING DOWN SHEPHERD WHILE AGO, MOST OF THE SERVICE STATIONS AND FAST FOOD ESTABLISHMENT ARE WITHOUT POWER.
SOME WILL BE ON GENERATION, WILL, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED SOME MORE DIESEL OVER AT THE EAST SIDE WATER PLANT.
WE'VE ALREADY ORDERED LARGE AMOUNTS OF DIESEL TO COME IN TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON.
UH, BUT THE LIFELINE SERVICES SUCH IN AND HE B'S ALREADY KICKED INTO PROVIDE ICE AND WATER FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO, UH, IT, IT IS JUST THE RECOVERY MODE THAT WE FIND OURSELF IN.
I, I CAN ASSURE YOU MIGHT HAVE TO TRAVEL TO A LARGER, AND IN FACT, IT'S, IT IS INTERESTING AS THE WEATHER REPORT WAS, WE HAVE POCKETS OF POWER ACROSS HOUSTON, SO THERE MAY BE SOME NEED TO, UH, SEEK OUT THE STATION, BUT, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE IN A CO RECOVERY MODE.
EVERYONE'S WORKING AS HARD AS THEY CAN AND, UH, LET'S BE SAFE.
I, I RAISED MY KIDS TO TELL 'EM, REMEMBER THE MISERY FACTOR? YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT THE MISERY FACTOR IS.
YOU REMEMBER HOW MISERABLE YOU ARE AFTER YOU'VE MESSED UP, AND YOU TRY TO REMEMBER THAT BEFORE YOU DO IT.
SO I WOULD ASK HOUSTONIANS TO REMEMBER THAT MISERY FACTOR.
IF YOU GO OUT WHERE THERE'S LIVE WIRES AND YOU TAKE CHANCES, YOU'RE GONNA BE MISERABLE.
BE PROACTIVE IN YOUR THINKING.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT I'M GONNA GET OUTTA HERE? LET MARK SLOAN ANSWER ANSWERED THAT ONE TOO FOR THE COUNTY.
THANK YOU, MAYOR JUDGE MARK SLOAN.
I'M THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR FOR HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, ON FUEL IN ALL LIFELINE SECTORS.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY EVALUATING, UH, THE STATUS OF THOSE.
SO AS YOU'RE OUT AND ABOUT, YOU'RE GOING TO RUN ACROSS AREAS WITHOUT POWER.
THEY, THE CONVENIENCE STORE MAY NOT HAVE POWER AND IS NOT OPEN.
UM, BUT AS YOU SEE THE SWATH OF DAMAGE IN THE AREA, AND AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, THE JUDGES MENTIONED THERE ARE AREAS THAT HAVE POWER.
SO THE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE, THE SUPPLY IS AVAILABLE, AND ONCE THOSE STORES AND CONVENIENCE STORES AND GAS STATIONS COME BACK ONLINE, UM, THEY WILL BE REPLENISHED AND THEN YOU CAN ACCESS THOSE.
BUT AGAIN, LIFE SAFETY IS OUR FIRST AND FOREMOST PRIORITY.
IF YOU DON'T NEED TO GO OUT, DON'T STAY HOME, WAIT IT OUT, AND THEN YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET AROUND AS NEEDED, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE IN THE IMPACTED ZONES.
IS CYPRESS ALSO AN AREA TO AVOID RIGHT NOW? YES.
SO IT'S, IT'S, UM, IT'S PRETTY HARD HIT AND ESPECIALLY, WELL, YOU KNOW, BRIDGELAND IS RIGHT THERE.
THANKFULLY, FROM WHAT WE'VE HEARD SO FAR, UM, IT SEEMS THAT IT WASN'T SO MUCH ON THE STRUCTURES AS MUCH AS THE TREES.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M OUT THERE IN THAT COMMUNITY OFTEN RIDING MY BIKE AND SO I REALLY, I FEEL FOR EVERYONE.
BUT, BUT CERTAINLY THINKING OF MY FRIENDS OUT THERE, UM, IN TERMS OF CYPRUS, MY, MY FRIENDS ARE ALL WITHOUT POWER OUT THERE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THEY COULD BE THE ONES THAT ARE CONNECTED TO THOSE, UM, TO THOSE TRANSMISSION LINES.
UM, JUST HANG TIGHT 24 HOURS FOR US TO SORT THAT OUT.
BUT I KNOW FOLKS ARE GOING THROUGH A TOUGH TIME.