[Press Conference: “Hurricane & Emergency Preparedness”]
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I AM COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ, THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT D, WHAT I CALL THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
AND CERTAINLY AS I JUST EXPLAINED, WE WANT THIS TO BE THE DESTINATION DISTRICT, BUT WE DON'T WANT THE DESTINATION OF THE HURRICANES BECAUSE WE WANNA BE ABLE TO BE SAFE.
AND WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, HE HAS A VERY TIGHT SCHEDULE AND I'M VERY, VERY HONORED THAT THE MAYOR HAS COME TO JOIN US TODAY.
AND GIVE US A FEW WORDS AND JUST, JUST WANNA EXPRESS MAYOR, HOW MUCH I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING TODAY.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO SOME, BUT EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS MAN.
THIS IS OUR MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, JOHN WHITMEYER.
UH, CERTAINLY OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, BUT ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS AND CERTAINLY THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE AS MAYOR.
I COULD BE AT A HUNDRED PLACES RIGHT NOW, BUT THIS IS WHERE I WANTED TO BE OR THIS IS WHERE I NEED TO BE.
AND IT'S WHERE THE COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ HAS TOLD COUNCIL FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS THAT I WOULD BE HERE.
SO I LEARNED ABOUT IT, PROBABLY ABOUT THE TIME YOU LEARNED ABOUT IT.
BUT LISTEN, ON A VERY SERIOUS NOTE, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE APPROACHING HURRICANE SEASON.
WE DO KNOW THAT THE WEATHER IS VERY UNSETTLED.
WE'RE GIVING ADVANCED WARNING BY THE AUTHORITIES THAT WATER TEMPERATURES IN THE GULF, IN THE ATLANTIC ARE HIGHER THAN NORMAL.
THE ENERGY IN WHICH HURRICANES FEED OFF OF.
SO IT'S GREAT THAT WE COME TOGETHER IN THIS DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
I JUST CAME FROM THE GULFTON AREA.
EACH COMMUNITY IN HOUSTON IS JUST REACHING OUT SAYING WE WANT CITY SERVICES.
I AM STILL LEARNING SOME OF THE NEGLECT THAT I INHERITED.
FOR INSTANCE, DOES THIS BUILDING COUNCIL MEMBER HAVE A GENERATOR, A BACKED UP GENERATOR? I DON'T BELIEVE IT DOES BECAUSE WHEN WE WERE LOOKING FOR COOLING CENTERS DURING THE RECENT STORM THETO, WE WANTED TO OPEN AS MANY COOLING CENTER AS POSSIBLE.
THE LOGICAL PLACE, OBVIOUSLY IS THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER DIRECTOR.
WE FOUND OUT THAT OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS DO NOT HAVE BACKUP GENERATORS.
WE'RE REACHING OUT TO OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, WE'RE REACHING OUT TO COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
WE'RE COLLABORATING TO TRY TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM.
SO I'M HERE TO LISTEN TO YOU WHAT IN PREVIOUS STORMS WORKED AND WHAT DIDN'T WORK BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO ANTICIPATE THE STORMS. IN FACT, LET'S JUST PLAN ON ONE.
I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, FIRE POLICE COMING THROUGH THE RECENT STORMS. IN FACT, I WILL GO A STEP FURTHER AND SAY THAT SANITATION WORKERS ARE FIRST RESPONDERS AND FOR SURE PUBLIC WORKS AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
AND I'VE BEEN SO IMPRESSED AS THE MAYOR TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY CENTER, WATCH OUR DEPARTMENTS GIVE REAL TIME REPORTS.
HOW MANY FOLKS WE'RE SERVING FOLKS THAT NEED IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.
WE WERE IN EMERGENCY CENTER THREE WEEKS AGO ON A SUNDAY.
WE HEARD THAT A SENIOR CITIZEN RESIDENTIAL HALL, INDEPENDENCE HALL ON AIRLINE OFF OF 45 SENIORS WERE STILL WITHOUT ELECTRICITY, FOOD, WATER SOMEWHERE IN THEIR ROOMS WOULD NOT RESPOND.
HPD WITH FIRE WENT THERE, KNOCKED DOWN DOORS TO DO SOCIAL AND WELFARE, MENTAL HEALTH CHECKS.
SO I'VE PERSONALLY WITNESSED NOT ONLY AS A HOUSTONIAN, I DIDN'T HAVE TO BE MAYOR TO KNOW WHAT A SPECIAL CITY WE LIVE IN, BUT WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAYOR AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE AT THE EMERGENCY CENTER AND TO WORK WITH OUR DIRECTORS AND OUR FINE CITY EMPLOYEES, OUR FAITH COMMUNITY, OUR PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY, OUR FOUNDATION, THE SALVATION ARMY, THE RED CROSS METRO METRO PULLED UP BUSES AND ALLOWED FOLKS TO COOL OFF ON THE BUSES RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF INDEPENDENCE HALLS.
SO WE HAVE SO MUCH TO BE PROUD OF AS HOUSTONIANS GREAT PEOPLE, GREAT DIVERSITY, BUT DURING STORMS WE ALSO CELEBRATE COMING TOGETHER AND LOOKING OUT FOR EACH OTHER.
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OUR CRISIS IS SOMETHING THAT OTHER CITIES CANNOT MODEL.I KNOW I CAN LEARN FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE, YOUR LEADERSHIP.
BUT UH, I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW IT'S ONLY GONNA GET BETTER BECAUSE I'M GONNA PAINT A PICTURE FOR ALL OF HOUSTONIANS.
SEE, WE GOTTA QUIT TALKING TO EACH OTHER.
EVERYBODY LEAVING HERE TODAY HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO SPEAK TO FOLKS ACROSS HOUSTON.
THANK YOU, THE MEDIA FOR BEING HERE.
BUT IT'S NOT GONNA DO US EVERYTHING WE NEED TO DO IF WE JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER.
'CAUSE WE KNOW HOW GOOD EACH ONE OF US ARE.
WE NEED TO REACH OUT ACROSS HOUSTON AND LET FOLKS THAT ARE BLESSED PEOPLE THAT WEREN'T AFFECTED BY THIS RECENT STORM.
YOU KNOW, THE STORM CAME DOWN TWO 90 THROUGH SPRING BRANCH INTO THE HEIGHTS DOWNTOWN, THE EAST END OUT TOWARD THE BAY.
A LOT OF FOLKS IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON WERE NOT HARMED BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T IN A PATH TO THE STORM.
BUT THEY'RE SENDING ASSISTANCE FOLKS IN THE ALDEN AREA, FOLKS IN NORTH HOUSTON ARE SENDING AID TO US.
SO I PERSONALLY HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH.
THE FIRST CHALLENGE WAS THE FREEZE LAST WINTER.
THEN WE HAD THE TRAGEDY AT LAKEWOOD.
SHOOTING KINGWOOD WAS TERRIBLE.
WE LEARNED HOW WE'VE GOTTA WORK WITH CONROE OFFICIALS TO GET 'EM TO HOLD BACK SOME OF THAT WATER.
THEN WE HAD THIS RECENT STORM.
SO ALL I CAN SAY IS, HALLELUJAH, THAT WE'RE HERE, WE'RE A GREAT CITY, GREAT PEOPLE, AND TOGETHER WE CAN GET THROUGH ANY STORM OR CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
AND WE'RE JUST GONNA TAKE A MINUTE.
I KNOW THIS GENTLEMAN IS NOT JUST GQ, HE'S GC, HE'S
SO I'M GOING TO GET PASTOR DR.
MAX MILLER TO COME UP AND GIVE US A PRAYER BECAUSE AS MUCH AS WE PREPARE, WE MUST GO TO GOD TO MAKE SURE THAT HE COVERS US AS WELL.
SO IF YOU COULD COME FORWARD, SIR.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING ALL THE WAY FROM THE SUNNYSIDE.
UM, LET, LET US BOW WHO GOD, OUR FATHER, HOW EXCELLENT IS TH NAME.
WE COME MASTER THE FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR BEING BOTH GOOD AND GOD TO US.
WE THANK YOU MASTER THAT THIS LATEST STORM WAS NO WORSE THAN WHAT IT WAS.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER, BUT GOD ONLY YOU HAVE THE BLUEPRINT TO LET US KNOW.
SO WE THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US.
WE THANK YOU FOR COVERING US AND THEN MASTER THOSE THAT WERE NOT AS FORTUNATE.
WE ASKED YOU TO GIVE THEM THAT WHICH THEY REALLY NEED.
AND THROUGH IT ALL MASTERED, WE THANK OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, WE THANK OUR MAYOR, WE THANK ALL OF THESE FIRST RESPONDERS.
BUT MOST OF ALL, WE THANK YOU FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE RIGHT NOW.
WE ASK YOU TO KEEP US IN PERFECT PEACE.
GIVE US THAT WHICH KEEPS OUR MIND STAYED ON THEE.
'CAUSE WE UNDERSTAND YOU DON'T NEED OUR PERMISSION TO DO WHAT YOU DO, BUT GOD, WHEN YOU DO IT, JUST REMEMBER US.
IF WE HAVE TO HAVE POWER GO OFF, GIVE US THE POWER TO STAND.
IF ROOFS HAVE TO BE TAKEN OFF, GIVE US THE PEACE AND THE STRENGTH TO MAKE IT THROUGH.
AND THEN MASTER THOSE THAT ARE RISKING THEIR LIVES, COVER THEM IN THEIR FAMILIES.
AND WE ASK THIS NOT IN OUR NAME 'CAUSE OUR NAME IS NOT IMPARTED ENOUGH, BUT WE WILL ASK IT IN THE POWERFUL NAME OF YOUR SON JESUS.
AND FOR HIS SAKE, BLESS THIS MEETING.
UH, MAYOR DID, DID YOU WANNA ASK US SOME QUESTIONS? NOW I'LL BE GLAD.
QUESTION WHILE YOU'RE STILL HERE.
'CAUSE I KNOW YOUR TIME IS VERY SHORT.
WE DO HAVE, UH, DR. CYNTHIA WILSON HERE WHO WILL REMAIN WITH US, I BELIEVE, UH, WHO'S THE SENIOR ADVISOR.
YEAH, YOU'VE BEEN CALLED OUT SENIOR ADVISOR TO THE MAYOR.
BUT CERTAINLY WHILE THE MAYOR IS HERE, AND I'M AGAIN HONORED THAT HE IS, WE'RE GONNA ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE MAYOR, THAT HE'S GONNA STEP FORWARD AND BE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, THE CITY, THE CITY CONSIDERED TO WORK WITH THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PEOPLE.
SO SINCE WE'RE THE CLOSER, WE KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE, WE CAN, UM,
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HAVE COMMUNICATION WITH OUR COUNCIL, UH, SURE TO WHERE THE NEEDS ARE RIGHT AFTER THE, THE I I'M TOTALLY ON BOARD TO LISTENING TO THE RESIDENTS AND ANYONE THAT IS ORGANIZED SUCH A SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, PARTICIPANT TO GIVE ME INFORMATION.UH, I STRONGLY BELIEVE, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, MY LONG CAREER IN THE LEGISLATURE, UH, I LISTEN TO CONSTITUENTS.
SO OBVIOUSLY THAT'S ONE REASON I'M HERE.
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE VEHICLES, ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES TO HEAR FROM FOLKS.
SO DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO ME.
MY NAME IS GLENDA ZE WITH HOUSTON AREA URBAN LEAGUE, AND WE'RE A HUD APPROVED HOUSING COUNSELING AGENCY.
SO THE CITY HAS APPROXIMATELY 10 AND IT'S PART OF OUR HUD MANDATE TO ASSIST CITY, COUNTY, AND STATE IN ALL DISASTERS, THAT'S INCLUDING PREPAREDNESS AND RECOVERY.
SO WE DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
WE'VE AT HALL, HAVE WORKED IN DISASTER RECOVERY AND PREPAREDNESS SINCE 2001.
ALLISON, WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.
I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE URBAN LEAGUE, JUDSON ROBINSON.
I, I ALMOST SAID WE GREW UP TOGETHER
UH, THE URBAN LEAGUE IS AGAIN ONE OF THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT CAN EXPRESS THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO IT'S NICE TO MAKE YOUR ACQUAINTANCE, BUT THE URBAN LEAGUE AMONG OTHERS OR STAKEHOLDERS THAT DON'T WAKE FOR A STORM.
YOU COULD, UH, YOU COULD ASSIST ME TODAY WITH INFORMATION, BUT WE DO AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY, WANNA COLLABORATE FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE STORM? THANK YOU, MA'AM.
AND YOU HAVE AN EXCELLENT TRACK RECORD FOR DOING THAT.
I, I'D LIKE TO STEP IN AND JUST SAY SOMETHING.
WE HAD THIS LAST TORNADO, UM, INCIDENT AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS REALLY, REALLY DEVASTATING.
BUT I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR BECAUSE THEY HAD A VERY GOOD RESPONSE TEAM.
HE HAD STEVEN DAVID WHO REACHED OUT TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WE HAD ZOOM CALLS AT ALL TIMES OF THE NIGHT.
AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THINGS HAPPEN VERY QUICKLY.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR THAT.
AND CERTAINLY WE ARE THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT FOR DISTRICT D CONSTITUENTS.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT.
AND LET ME TELL YOU, YOU CAN GO TO MESSENGER, YOU CAN GO TO FACEBOOK, YOU CAN CHOOSE ANY OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA SITES BECAUSE WE MAY NOT BE IN THE OFFICE, BUT WE ARE VERY RESPONSIVE.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE SOMETHING ON SOCIAL MEDIA SAYING, AIN'T GONNA SAY NOTHING TO THAT, BUT THAT'S NOT HOW WE ROLL.
IF I SEE A CONSTITUENT HAS REACHED OUT IN ANY MANNER THAT THEY HAVE CHOSEN, THEN I DO THAT.
AND THEN CERTAINLY WE CAN REACH OUT TO THE MAYOR WHO IS VERY RESPONSIVE.
AND AGAIN, THOSE ZOOM CALLS WERE VERY, VERY INFORMATIVE TO HELP US TO BE ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE TO STAY SAFE.
I, I STRONGLY NOT ONLY BELIEVE, BUT I KNOW FROM MY EXPERIENCE, COLLECTIVELY WE'RE SMARTER THAN WE ARE INDIVIDUALLY.
SO IF WE WORK TOGETHER, WE WILL GET THINGS DONE.
ANYONE ELSE? I'VE GOT A ADDITIONAL, UH, PROGRAM I HAVE TO RUN TO.
AND, UH, YOU CAN CONTACT ME DIRECTLY OR CERTAINLY GO THROUGH YOUR VERY CAPABLE, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
WE OUGHT TO DO THIS MORE OFTEN.
AND, UH, WE WILL THANK YOU FOR THE CITY EMPLOYEES.
UH, UM, YOU KNOW, CITY EMPLOYEES ARE, WHAT ARE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT KEEP THE LIGHTS ON AND I JUST CAN'T EXPRESS ENOUGH HOW WE COULDN'T MAKE IT WITHOUT OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.
SO THANK YOU EVERYONE THAT IS A TEAM MEMBER.
COUNCIL, I'M GONNA PIECE WITH YOU MAYOR.
I, I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, IS RAMON MANNING, I THOUGHT I SAW HIM HERE.
THE CHAIR OF THE EMANCIPATION CONSERVANCY BOARD.
RAMON, IF YOU COULD GIVE US A WELCOME.
I KNOW WE KIND OF JUMPED AHEAD OF YOU 'CAUSE THE MAYOR HAS A TIGHT SCHEDULE.
AND, UH, I'M GONNA STEP TO THE SIDE.
IF YOU COULD GIVE A FEW WORDS.
I'M GONNA, DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN CHURCH? TWO MINUTES.
GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD AFTERNOON.
I WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO EMANCIPATION PARK.
I HAVE HAD THE DISTINCT PLEASURE OF CHAIRING THE BOARD FOR THE CONSERVANCY.
OUR JOB, WE'RE EFFECTIVELY THE CARETAKERS OF THESE BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.
AND YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT WE'RE IN A 30 YEAR COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT.
OUR JOB IS TO FUND THE MAINTENANCE, THE UPKEEP AND PROGRAMS HERE AT EMANCIPATION PARK.
AND I WANNA GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO MY
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PARTNER, PARKS DIRECTOR, KENNETH ALLEN.GIVE HIM A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY ONE THING.
I WANTED TO, UM, TELL THE COUNCILWOMAN HOW MUCH I REALLY APPRECIATE HER DOING THIS AT EMANCIPATION PARK.
BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE THINK ABOUT PARKS, THEY THINK ABOUT RECREATION.
THIS PARK WAS FOUNDED IN 1872 BY FORMERLY ENSLAVED AFRICAN AMERICANS.
THIS WASN'T FOUNDED FOR RECREATION.
IT WAS AN ANCHOR, A CENTERPIECE TO BUILD A COMMUNITY.
IT WASN'T JUST ABOUT RECREATION.
AND THE FOUNDERS KNEW THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE A CENTER TO BUILD A COMMUNITY.
ALL KIND OF THINGS TOOK PLACE HERE AT EMANCIPATION PARK, WEDDINGS, MEETINGS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZING.
AND I'M JUST ELATED THAT THIS IS HAPPENING HERE BECAUSE IT'S OPERATING IN THE SAME WAY THE FOUNDERS INTENDED FOR IT TO OPERATE.
AND I WANT TO BRING UP THE REAL CHAIR, MY VICE CHAIR, MS. JACQUELINE BOSTIC, THE GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER OF ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THIS PARK, REVEREND JACK YATES.
AS I MENTIONED, I HAVE THE DISTINCT TITLE OF BEING CHAIR, BUT NOTHING HAPPENS WITHOUT MS. JACKIE.
AND THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR FOR BEING HERE WITH US.
UH, AND ALL OF THE PERSONS WHO ARE HERE FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE TRULY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT EACH OF YOU DO EACH AND EVERY DAY FOR OUR CITY.
THIS IS A CITY THAT I THINK WE ALL LOVE.
WE ALL LIKE TO WORK TOGETHER AND PROBABLY MORE THAN ANY CITY IN THE UNITED STATES, WE'VE HAD MORE HURRICANES AND FLOODS AND YOU NAME IT.
BUT WITH EACH ONE, THE CITY HAS COME TOGETHER AND PEOPLE HAVE VOLUNTEERED AND WORKED TOGETHER, AND ALL OF THE FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE WORKED WELL.
AND SO I JUST BELIEVE THAT EVEN THOUGH WE HERE, WE ARE GOING TO MAYBE HAVE A, A LARGE HURRICANE SEASON THIS YEAR, MAYBE WE ARE BECAUSE GOD CONTROLS THAT, WE DON'T.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WITH THE MAYOR OF OUR CITY AND ALL OF HIS DIRECTORS AND THE FIREFIGHTERS AND THE POLICEMEN AND ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS FOR SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE VOLUNTEERED SO MANY YEARS, I SAY OODLES TO EVERYONE FOR YOU HAVE DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB.
AND I KNOW THAT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS THIS YEAR, WE ARE GLAD THAT YOU CAME TO VISIT US HERE AT EMANCIPATION PARK.
BUT WE'RE EVEN MORE THAN HAPPY TO KNOW THAT WE ARE ALL TOGETHER, WORKING TOGETHER FOR THIS, OUR CITY, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND THANK YOU.
AND BEFORE SHE, SHE WALKS AWAY TOTALLY.
JUST IN CASE YOU ALL DON'T KNOW HER GREAT-GRANDFATHER WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE EMANCIPATION PARK.
EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT I LOVE JACKIE YATES, RIGHT? THAT'S MY HIGH SCHOOL JY FOR LIFE.
BUT CERTAINLY EVERY TIME I SEE MRS. BOSTIC, MY HEART BURST BECAUSE SHE IS SUCH A WONDERFUL PERSON.
SHE HAS BLESSED US IN SO MANY WAYS, AND I THANK HER FOR TAKING HER TIME TO COME AND, AND GIVE A FEW WORDS TO THE COMMUNITY.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA SWITCH THIS AROUND A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOME PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT LEADERS.
NOW IF YOU LOOK ON THIS ROLE RIGHT HERE, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF LEADERS, DIRECTORS, CHIEFS AND WHATEVER.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT OUR INTERIM CHIEF, CHIEF SATTERWHITE IS HERE AND HE'S GONNA COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE HIM.
AND HOPEFULLY HE CAN COME ON AND GIVE US A FEW WORDS AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL HEAR FROM SOME OF THE OTHERS.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THANK YOU CHAIR AND MS. BOSEK.
IT IS AWESOME TO SEE AND AWESOME TO BE HERE.
SO, UM, YEAH, AND TO THE MAYOR, THANKS.
YOU KNOW, UM, AS HE WAS TICKING OFF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY FACED THIS YEAR WHEN HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE FREEZE OR THE LAKEWOOD ACTIVE SHOOTER OR KINGWOOD GETTING HIT BY THE FLOODING OR JUST WITH THE, JUST ON, JUST ON THE 16TH OF MAY, JUST JUST OVER TWO WEEKS AGO, UH, THE STORM THAT ROLLED IN AND DID SO MUCH DAMAGE AND, AND REALLY AFFECTED PEOPLE.
AND SOMETIMES OUR F FOLKS THAT ARE JUST ALREADY ON THE MARGINS.
SOME HE MENTIONED INDEPENDENCE HALL AND THERE WAS SOME OTHER PROPERTIES THAT GOT HIT AND THEY WERE WITHOUT, THEY WERE WITHOUT PROPERTY, UM, WITHOUT POWER FOR, FOR DAYS AND, AND WONDERING WHERE THE NEXT MEAL WAS COMING AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, THROUGH ALL THAT, WE RESPONDED, UH, AND, AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WAY THE CITY CAME TOGETHER
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TO HELP EVERYBODY OUT.AND YOUR FIRST RESPONDERS ALL RESPONDED.
WE WERE ON THE GROUND THAT NIGHT IMMEDIATELY, UH, AND PLANNING AND RESPONDING.
SO, AND THAT'S WHAT GIVES ME A LOT OF PRIDE.
UH, THE LAST MAJOR STORM TO HIT HOUSTON IN TERMS OF THE, THE THING THAT WENT AROUND THE WORLD WOULD BE PROBABLY HURRICANE HARVEY IN 2017.
IN THAT STORM, THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE WERE SOMEWHAT PREPARED FOR MAJOR HURRICANE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE HAD FIVE HIGH WATER RESCUE TRUCKS.
A COUPLE OF THEM DIDN'T RUN, BUT WE DID HAVE 'EM.
UH, WE HAD, WE HAD SOME OFFICERS TRAINED AND HIGH WATER RESCUE.
WE HAD OTHER THINGS, BUT WE HAD, WHAT WE HAD THEN MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, WAS A LOT OF HEART, A LOT OF MEN AND WOMEN THAT WERE GONNA PUT IT ON THE LINE ALONG WITH OUR FIRST RESPONDERS THAT ARE BEHIND ME IN FIRE AND, AND PUBLIC WORKS AND EVERYBODY ELSE.
AND EVERYBODY PITCHED IN AND MADE THAT HAPPEN.
BUT AFTER THAT STORM, UH, THE, THE DETERMINATION WAS BY US THAT WE WILL NOT GET HIT LIKE THAT AGAIN AND NOT BE BETTER PREPARED.
WE NOW, TODAY, I WON'T TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME.
WE NOW HAVE 21 HIGH WATER RESCUE TRUCKS.
WE HAVE UPWARDS OF 30 BOATS THAT WE CAN PUT INTO THE WATER.
WE GOT BOATS THAT CAN BE IN, IN, IN THE BIG WATER AND THE CHANNELS, BUT WE GOT BOATS THAT CAN BE DROPPED IN, IN TWO FEET OF WATER TO GO AND GET PEOPLE OUT OF HARM'S WAY.
WE HAVE OFFICERS, HUNDREDS OF OFFICERS THAT HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN SWIFT WATER RESCUE AND ALL KINDS OF ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT.
WE, WE TOOK HURRICANE HARVEY, WE DID AWESOME.
AND IT WAS AN AWESOME THING FOR THE CITY AND AWESOME THING AROUND THE WORLD.
HOUSTON STRONG, THAT'S WHAT WE SHOWED.
BUT WE ALSO KNEW THE NEXT ONE IS COMING.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN PREPARING EVER SINCE.
SO I WILL TELL YOU THAT GOING INTO THE, WE THINK IS GONNA BE ANOTHER MAJOR STORM SEASON THIS YEAR.
BUT GIVEN WHAT ALL THE FORECASTERS ARE TELLING US, WE ARE BETTER PREPARED TODAY THAN WE WERE THEN.
AND YOU KEEP, UH, LIFT UP OUR FIRST RESPONDERS BECAUSE THEY PUT THEMSELVES IN HARM'S WAY WHILE WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUTTA HARM'S WAY.
NEXT WE'LL HAVE, UH, MR. SAMUEL PENA, WHO IS THE CHIEF OF THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT.
IT'S REALLY GOOD TO SEE ALL OF YOU TONIGHT.
AND, AND I'M, UH, HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL.
I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THESE, THESE EVENTS TOGETHER.
I SEE THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
I SEE, YOU KNOW, I SEE T DM OVER HERE.
I SEE REALLY EVERYBODY THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S KEY, A KEY STAKEHOLDER IN PREPARATION.
I CAN, UH, SAFELY AND PROUDLY SAY THAT THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT IS TRAINING, PREPARING, AND COLLABORATING WITH, UH, THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, OEM AND ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE REPRESENTED HERE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PREPARING EFFICIENTLY FOR ANY STORM RESPONSE.
BUT THAT'S ONLY ONE PART OF THE EQUATION.
THE OTHER PART IS THE PREPARATION THAT YOU ALL MAKE.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS, UH, LAST MONTH.
IT DOESN'T TAKE A TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE TO HAVE, UH, SOME SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE IN HERE.
UM, I WAS MENTIONING TO TO MY FRIEND, UH, LARRY SATTERWHITE, THAT I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY THAT HURRICANE SEASON IS NOW RUNNING SCRIMMAGES.
AND SO I DON'T, I HOPE THAT THAT'S, THIS IS NOT A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME, BUT KNOW THAT WE ARE PREPARING APPROPRIATELY.
UH, WE HAVE 140 MEMBER WATER STRIKE TEAM THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED SINCE HURRICANE HARVEY.
MUCH LIKE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE'VE AUGMENTED AND ACTUALLY STAFFED UP OUR HIGH WATER VEHICLES.
WE HAVE 15 OF THOSE NOW IN PLACE.
WE HAVE BOATS, WE HAVE JET SKIS, WE HAVE THE THINGS THAT WE THINK, UH, THAT WE WILL NEED TO ENSURE A SAFE RESPONSE.
BUT IT ULTIMATELY STARTS WITH THE PREPARATIONS THAT YOU ALL DO.
UM, FLOOD INSURANCE IS THE KEY TO RECOVERY.
AND FLOOD INSURANCE A LOT OF TIMES TAKES 30 DAYS FOR IT TO KICK IN.
SO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THOSE PREPARATIONS.
AND WE REALLY SHOULD BE PREPARING EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR.
WE HAD A STORM IN THE WINTER, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, THE HIGH HEAT THAT, THAT'S EXPECTED.
SO EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR IS TIME TO PREPARE.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR PLANS AND YOUR DOCUMENTS APPROPRIATELY STORED AND IN A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN QUICKLY GRAB THEM.
IF YOU NEED TO GO, MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE PERISHABLE, UH, OR NON-PERISHABLE FOODS AND WATER TO LAST YOU FOR UP TO THREE DAYS.
HAVE ENOUGH CHARGERS, BATTERIES, UH, AND CASH TO ENSURE THAT IN CASE WE LOSE POWER, YOU'RE ABLE TO PROCURE AND BUY THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
AND IF YOU'RE GONNA USE A GENERATOR, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE BE EXTRA CAUTIOUS IN HOW YOU USE THOSE THINGS.
DON'T USE THEM ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR HOME.
HAVE 'EM AT LEAST 20 FEET FROM ANY OPENING DOOR, UH, WINDOW.
EVEN IF THE DOOR'S OPEN DURING THIS LAST, UH, STORM THAT WE HAD, WE RESPONDED TO OVER A HUNDRED INCIDENTS OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING.
IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH FOR THAT TO ACCUMULATE AND CAUSE SIGNIFICANT, UH, DAMAGE OR EVEN DEATH.
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SO WITH THAT, LOOK, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, ENSURING THAT WE REMAIN PREPARED, BUT WE WANT TO BE A RESOURCE TO YOU ALL.AND AGAIN, THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABA AND THE MAYOR FOR THE SUPPORT THAT HE HAS GIVEN US IN ENSURING THAT WE'RE PROPERLY EQUIPPED AND PROPERLY TRAINED TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND.
BUT ULTIMATELY WE WANNA BE A RESOURCE TO YOU ALL TO HELP YOU ALL PREPARE EFFICIENTLY.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE VENDORS THAT ARE AROUND THE ROOM.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES AND A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR YOU.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO SECURE YOUR DOCUMENTS BECAUSE ONCE THEY ARE DESTROYED, YOU ARE AT A REAL LOSS.
AND I'M GONNA SAY THIS, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THE GENERATORS, GENERAC AND THOSE ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.
BUT IF IT'S ANY WAY YOU CAN WORK THOSE INTO YOUR BUDGET, THEY ARE WELL WORTH IT.
THEY HAVE GIVEN ME A LOT OF CONFIDENCE.
I'M ALMOST OUTSIDE LIKE, WHAT GOING TO DO? WHATCHA GONNA, BUT NO, I'M KIDDING ACTUALLY, BECAUSE A LITTLE THUNDER COULD TAKE ME OUT A LITTLE.
LIGHTNING COULD, COULD TAKE ME OUTTA COMMISSION.
BUT CERTAINLY IF, IF YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THEM, AND I'M NOT ADVERTISING FOR ANYONE, BUT A LOT OF THEM WILL WORK OUT A PAYMENT PLAN FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO GET THOSE IF YOU'RE ABLE TO.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO CHIEF THOMAS MUNOZ, OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS ON THIS STORM, UH, CENTER POINT HAD 922,000 CUSTOMERS WITHOUT SERVICE.
UM, HPD HAD 3000 CALLS THAT DAY.
HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, 21,000 SERVICE CALLS IN A MATTER OF THREE DAYS.
AND ONE OF THE AREAS THAT I OVERSEE NOW IS THE NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER.
THERE WERE OVER 15,000 CALLS FOR HELP TO GIVE YOU JUST AN INDICATOR OF THE SIZE OF THE STORM.
UM, AS FAR AS OUTAGES TALKING TO CENTERPOINT, THIS RANKS THIRD AS FAR AS NUMBER OF OUTAGES, RIGHT? HOWEVER, CONSIDERING IT WAS A NO NOTICE EVENT THAT DAY, IT CAME IN, WE WERE JUST GETTING SOME WEATHER UPDATES.
AND THIS WAS NO NOTICE TO GET, THIS WAS CALLED, THEY SAY DERECHO, BUT IN SPANISH IS DERECHO, WHICH MEANS STRAIGHT LINE.
AND UH, THE LAST TIME WE HAD AN EVENT THAT HAPPENED NEAR HERE WAS 1986, UH, IN LAKE LIVINGSTON, I THINK IT TOOK OUT TWO HOUSES, RIGHT? BUT WHEN YOU COME HERE, OVER A THOUSAND WINDOWS DOWNTOWN WERE TAKEN OUT.
SO OUR OFFICE OVERSEES THE PLANNING, THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION, THE MESSAGING.
ONE THING I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO DO IS CALL THE STEER PROGRAM THE STATE OF TEXAS EMERGENCY ASSISTANT REGISTRY PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE MEDICALLY FRAGILE THAT NEED THAT EXTRA HELP ALERT HOUSTON, UH, PLEASE REGISTER FOR THAT TO GET OUR MESSAGES.
AND WE'RE, ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT WE'RE TAKING, THAT WE'RE DOING THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF OUR OFFICE IS WE'RE DOING OUR MESSAGING AND MULTIPLE LANGUAGES, INCLUDING A SL ALL OUR LANGUAGES THAT WE'RE DOING, WE WORK WITH THE GENERAL CONSULATES AS FORCE MULTIPLIERS.
TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, THIS LAST WEEK WE WORKED WITH 90 DIFFERENT CONSULATES IN MEXICO FROM, FROM HERE WITHIN THE, IN OUR, IN OUR CITY.
SO IT WENT OUT TO DIFFERENT 90 COMMUNITIES, RIGHT? YOU ARE THE FORCE, FORCE MULTIPLIERS, UM, THAT WE NEED OUR HELP WITH, RIGHT? WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOR.
THERE'S AN ASSUMPTION THAT EVERYBODY LIVES WITH SOMEONE.
THERE'S THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE CAN ALL GET OUT.
ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF IS I GOTTA POINT IT TO THE NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD OR COUNCIL FOR FEMA.
AND ONE OF THE KEY THINGS I KEEP ON INSISTING, IT'S REAL EASY TO SAY, EVACUATE OR GET READY, BUT THAT'S EXPENSIVE.
HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER AS AN, AS A COMMUNITY? SO OUR OFFICE DID RESPOND.
UH, WE DO WORK 24 HOURS, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, DEPENDING ON THE STORM.
THEN IT BECOMES MORE OF AN IMPORTANCE.
SO IT'S ONE THING THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF TOO, AND I'M EXCITED, I'LL SAY THAT IS THE NEW LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAVE SUCH AS COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND EVERY TIME THE COUNCIL MEMBERS CALL, ONE OF THE KEY THINGS, AS I ALWAYS END MY CALL BY SAYING, THANKS FOR CARING AND THANK YOU FOR CARING COUNCIL MEMBER, THIS IS WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS.
I SEE ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS I SAW CENTER POINT, I SAW OUR AMERICAN RED CROSS.
OVER 65,000 MEALS WERE SERVED.
OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE SLEPT IN AREAS IN SHELTERS, FOR EXAMPLE.
OUR OFFICE, DEFINITELY THE BIG UNDERLYING COMPONENT OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IS COMPASSION.
'CAUSE IF WE DON'T HAVE COMPASSION, I'M IN A WRONG BUSINESS.
[00:30:01]
UH, I'M GONNA SPEAK A LITTLE BIT IN SPANISHI'M SAYING I'M VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A DIVERSE STAFF THAT THE MAYOR TALKS ABOUT.
AND WITH THAT SAID, WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE'RE HERE EVERY DAY, 24 7.
WE TAKE THE WORDS CIVIL SERVANT TO A NEW LEVEL.
AND THAT'S 'CAUSE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WE HAVE, THE MAYOR THAT PERSONALLY WALKS THE STREETS.
WE WENT TO THE INDEPENDENCE HALL.
I TOLD OUR PEOPLE, I RETIRED AS THE COMMANDER FROM THE, FROM THE COAST GUARD WALKING INTO A FACILITY THAT HAD FATALITIES.
'CAUSE IT WAS NOTHING CARE OF.
I TOLD OUR TEAM, AND WE TAKE THIS APPROACH NOT UNDER OUR WATCH, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, WE MADE OVER 3000 CALLS IN THE STEER PROGRAM.
WE KNOCKED ALONG WITH HPD AND HFD AND ALL THE OTHER VOLUNTEER GROUPS, 800 DOORS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WERE SAFE.
AND WE DO LEARN FROM EVERY EVENT.
BUT AS THE MAYOR SAYS, EVERY TIME WE'RE HERE TO, WE WORK FOR YOU.
AND HE ALWAYS SAYS, LET'S GET YOUR WORK.
SO THANK YOU S AND WE'RE HERE FOR YOU.
AND IT'S SO VERY IMPORTANT THAT HE'S INTERPRETING AS WELL BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH ARE AT A LOSS BECAUSE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON OR WHAT THEY CAN DO.
AND SO, AND JUST TO REITERATE, THIS IS OUR FOURTH ANNUAL PREPAREDNESS WORKSHOP AND WE'VE HAD THEM IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY.
AND SO I'M GLAD TO SEE SOUTH UNION REPRESENTING HERE TODAY.
AND I HAVE SUNNYSIDE AND OTHER AREAS OF DISTRICT D UH, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND WHATEVER YOU GET HERE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO TAKE IT WITH YOU TO A NEIGHBOR, PARTICULARLY A NEIGHBOR WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET AROUND LIKE YOU, UH, CER CERTAINLY MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE GETTING THE DISTRICT D NEWSLETTER AND CERTAINLY MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE GETTING THE ROBOCALLS BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO SEND THINGS OUT, UH, THROUGH THE ROBOCALL THAT THAT HAPPEN VERY QUICKLY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THE PHONE USUALLY STAYS ON EVEN IF THE TELEVISION GOES OUT.
AND SO CERTAINLY WE CAN BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU INFORMATION IN THAT MANNER.
AND SO NEXT WE ARE GONNA HAVE THE SBA REPRESENTATIVE.
ONE, ONE WAY TO REMEMBER THAT IS JAPANESE FOOD WITH AN L UH, COUNCIL MEMBER.
APPRECIATE IT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
UH, A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, YOURSELF, MADAM, UH, FOR INVITING A FEDERAL PARTNER TO THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT PREPAREDNESS.
I'M A VETERAN OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.
AND WHEN THE GOVERNOR ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE FOR THE MOST RECENT DISASTER THAT IS HAPPENING IN TEXAS, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A BAD WEATHER EVERY DAY WE WERE CALLED IN ALONGSIDE OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, WHICH IS FEMA.
SO OUR ROLE IN A DISASTER IS ON THE RESPONSE SIDE.
BUT I WANNA SHARE A FEW TIDBITS OF PREPAREDNESS WITH ALL OF YOU.
I AM SURE ALL OF YOU'RE WELL VERSED IN HOW TO PREPARE, BUT THE COUNCIL MEMBER MENTIONED THAT THE ELDERLY DEMOGRAPHICS IS A POINT OF CONCERN FOR HER.
BUT BEFORE I START MY PRESENTATION, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE TWO OF MY COLLEAGUES IN THE AUDIENCE.
MR. MCDO, WOULD YOU MIND STANDING UP SIR? HE'S MY RECOVERY COORDINATOR.
AND MY COLLEAGUE BARBARA NIUS, SHE'S ALSO PART OF MY TEAM.
AT THE END OF MY PRESENTATION, SHE'LL BE HANDING OUT A FLYER THAT I PRINTED OUT FOR ALL OF YOU FOLKS, AS MANY AS I HAVE.
AND HE TALKS ABOUT WHAT IS IT THAT THE ELDERLY, MY PARENTS ARE ELDERLY, MY UNCLE AND NOW ARE ELDERLY.
I'D REACHED 60 A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, SO I CONSIDER MYSELF IN THAT BRACKET TOO, EVEN THOUGH IT'S IN NEW THIRTIES.
WELL, YOU KNOW, SOME DAYS I FEEL LIKE 30 OTHER DAYS I'M 75.
UM, HAVING SAID THAT, HAVING A PLAN IS KEY.
AND WHEN I SAY HAVING A PLAN, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE IT WRITTEN DOWN SOMEWHERE AND EXECUTE THE PLAN SO THAT IT IS ROTE MEMORY, NO POINT IN HAVING OR I THINK I KNOW WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO WHEN DISASTROUS STRIKES.
ONE OF MY EARLIER SPEAKERS MENTIONED THAT THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING QUITE FREQUENTLY.
AND I WANNA QUOTE A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
[00:35:01]
SPOKESMAN WHO I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SITTING WITH.SHE SAID TO ME THAT THESE DAYS STORMS ARE FORMING ABOUT 24 TO 36 HOURS PRIOR TO STRIKING LAND.
AND BEFORE THEY'VE HAD A CHANCE TO EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT'S INVOLVED, IT'S UPON US.
I REMEMBER I WAS IN OKLAHOMA WITH THE TORNADOES THERE WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
I REMEMBER WATCHING HOUSTON AS A SECOND HOME FOR ME.
I GREW UP IN NEW ORLEANS, BUT I'VE BEEN COMING TO HOUSTON SINCE 1983 WHEN I WAS A SOPHOMORE, ONE OF MY FAVORITE CITIES IN THE COUNTRY.
AND I REMEMBER WATCHING ON MY APP WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN HOUSTON.
AND WHEN I HEARD STRAIGHT LINE WINDS GOING THROUGH HOUSTON, IT BROKE MY HEART.
SO BEING PREPARED IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE.
AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? A COUPLE OF BULLET POINTS, AND I'M GONNA TAKE THE MOMENT TO READ RESEARCH FROM THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION DEMONSTRATES THAT MOST ELDERLY ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE PRE DURING POST DISASTER.
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS THAT THEY'RE EXPOSED TO IS MUCH TO BEAR FOR MOST.
SO ONE OF MY FIRST RECOMMENDATIONS TO ALL OF YOU IS TO SIGN UP FOR SMART 9 1 1.
MY EMERGENCY BRETHREN FROM T DM FROM THE CITY, BRENT, YOU TWO MY FRIEND, RIGHT? POLICE CHIEF AND EVERYONE ELSE.
THEY'LL BE THE FIRST ONES TO TELL YOU IF THEY KNOW THAT YOU ARE IN A PARTICULAR VULNERABLE SITUATION, THEY'LL PASS THAT INFORMATION ON TO THE POLICE AND THE FIRE AND EVERYONE ELSE.
SO PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO LIST IT.
THE FIRE CHIEF MENTIONED ABOUT SUPPLIES AND PERISHABLES.
PLEASE MAKE SURE WE TAKE FOOD AND WATER BOTTLES FOR AT LEAST THREE TO SIX DAYS.
AND I WANNA QUIZ THE PUBLIC HERE FOR A FRACTION OF A SECOND.
WHAT IS THE SECOND MOST THING THAT YOU NEED TO CARRY WITH YOU IN A DISASTER? ANYBODY? ID, ID? RADIO ID.
ATMS ARE DOWN THE AVERAGE TIMEFRAME BASED ON CERTAIN STUDIES WHICH HAVE BEEN PERFORMED.
DEMONSTRATE THE UTILITY COMPANIES ARE NOT ABLE TO TURN ON THE ELECTRICITY ANYWHERE BETWEEN FIVE TO SEVEN DAYS.
ROADS ARE IMPASSABLE, ATMS ARE DOWN, CASH IS KING.
MADAM, YOU MENTIONED MEDICATIONS.
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU WRITE THAT DOWN FOR SOMEONE ELSE.
TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS AND IF YOU HAVE SOME MEDICAL EQUIPMENT THAT YOU NEED BE CARRYING AROUND, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT SMART 9 1 1 KNOWS WHAT THAT HAPPENS TO BE AND MAKE A PLAN.
NOW THIS IS GOING TO BE LAUGHABLE IN MY HUMBLE OPINION BEFORE ANYBODY LAUGHS AT ME.
ANY PLACE IN HOUSTON TAKES AN HOUR.
CORRECT? THAT'S A STANDARD JOKE, RIGHT? RIGHT.
SO PLAN YOUR EVACUATION ROUTE AND A BACKUP PLAN INSTEAD OF RELYING ON THE OLD WAYS IT SHOWS 36 MINUTES.
BUT IMAGINE DURING A STORM THAT 36 JUST BECAME 72.
AND THE WORST THING YOU'RE GONNA BE DOING IS IF YOU ARE IN A CAR, IN A STORM, OUTSIDE IN THE ELEMENTS, PLEASE MAKE COPIES OF YOUR INSURANCE CARD.
KEEP A COPY OF YOUR DECLARATION POLICY.
AND I'M FROM LOUISIANA, SO FOLKS, I'LL TELL YOU THIS, WHEN I TELL THEM TO PUT THINGS IN THE CLOUD, THEY'LL LAUGH AT ME.
THEY'RE LIKE, WHAT? CLOUD? WHAT DO YOU MEAN UP THERE? NO, NO, NO.
SO I'VE MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, COMPUTERS, THIS, THAT, AND THAT.
VERY SIMPLY PUT, PUT IT IN A PLASTIC ZIPLOC BAG AND LEAVE IT WHERE YOU'RE GONNA REMEMBER IT AND GIVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE.
TELL A FRIEND, TELL A NEIGHBOR, HEY, BY THE WAY, I'M DIABETIC BY THE WAY.
TALK TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT PLAN IS WHERE SOMEBODY CAN GET AHOLD OF IT.
WHAT'S THE POINT? SOMETHING MORE BASIC.
HOW MANY KEYS DO YOU HAVE TO YOUR HOME MA'AM? RANDOMLY, HOW MANY KEYS TO, TO YOUR HOME DO YOU HAVE? JUST ONE, I SUPPOSE, RIGHT? TWO.
MAKE SURE A NEIGHBOR HAS ANOTHER ONE.
MAKE SURE LOVED ONE'S ANOTHER ONE.
'CAUSE WHAT'S THE POINT OF YOU BEING THE ONLY ONE HAVING THE KEY AND THEY CAN'T COME THROUGH THE DOOR TO HELP YOU?
[00:40:01]
SO HAVING SAID THAT, THESE ARE SOME OF MY TIDBITS OF INFORMATION OF VALUABLE FACTOIDS BECAUSE HERE'S MY PARTING SENTENCE.WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, MY MOM ALWAYS USED TO SAY, AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN A POUND OF CURE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT INFORMATION.
AND LET ME TELL YOU, SOME OF YOU MAY BE LIKE ME, I'M A ANIMAL LOVER.
I HAVE NO CLUE WHO THEIR PARENTS ARE.
BUT CERTAINLY PROVIDE FOR YOUR PETS AS WELL.
MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE FOOD FOR THEM.
UM, MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THEIR, THEIR CHIPS AND THEIR TAGS SO IF THEY GET LOST FROM YOU, THEY CAN MAKE THEIR WAY BACK HOME AS WELL.
AND I BELIEVE BARK IS HERE TODAY.
AND NOW WE'RE GONNA TAKE TIME FOR A DRAWING AND I'M GONNA ASK THAT YOU COME UP SO THAT WE COULD, I BELIEVE EVERYBODY GOT A TICKET.
WE HAVE LISA BUTLER AND FLYNN ANDREY.
HE SAID, I WASN'T GONNA BE ABLE TO SAY HIS NAME.
UH, FROM THE CHURCH OF, UH, JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS.
AND THEY, WE ARE DOING A DRAWING WHERE YOU CAN GET TWO EMERGENCY KITS.
SO TAKE YOUR TICKETS OUT, LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS,
OKAY? THE FIRST ONE IS 0 2 0 0 2 9 0 2 0 0 2 9.
AND THE NEXT ONE IS, WHAT IS THAT? 6 8 3 6 2 0 9 RIGHT HERE.
AND I GUESS IT'S KIND OF FITTING, UH, MR. CAVE ONE.
AND NOW I'M GETTING READY TO INTRODUCE HIS SON,
HE'S WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND HE'S GONNA COME UP AND TALK.
AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ENGAGE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
YOU SEE THIS HIGH GRASS AND ON THE ABANDONED VEHICLES AND THOSE THINGS.
AND CERTAINLY I'M GONNA REITERATE HOW WE DO THE TWO STEP IN DISTRICT D.
IF YOU SEE SOMETHING CALLED 3 1 1, THEN THEY SAY, OH, WELL WE DO THAT.
IT, YOU KNOW, NOBODY DOES ANYTHING, BUT WE HAVE A TWO STEP PROCESS.
ONCE YOU CALL THREE ONE ONE, THEN PLEASE CALL THE DISTRICT D OFFICE.
THEN WE TAKE OWNERSHIP OF IT AND WE MOVE FORWARD.
THAT'S HEAVY TRASH OR ANYTHING THAT HAS NOT BEEN PICKED UP, RIGHT? WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THE RIGHT DEPARTMENTS ENGAGED AND CERTAINLY DUMPING.
IF YOU SEE THAT, PLEASE CALL 3 1 1 AND WE WILL MOVE EXPEDITIOUSLY TO GET THOSE THINGS DONE.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE'RE GONNA HAVE RASHAD CAVE.
THANK YOU RASHAD, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IT'S TRULY AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
AND I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN A PART OF THE OTHER LAST FOUR.
SO TO SEE IT GROWS TRULY AWESOME UNDERNEATH DISTRICT D, UH, D FOR THE DESTINATION.
UH, WANT TO GIVE, UH, ELDRIDGE A HAND? IF YOU ALL COULD JUST WAVE TO ELDRIDGE RIGHT HERE, ONE OF OUR, OUR GREAT, UH, MAYOR ASSISTANCE OFFICE.
HE'S HERE AND HE'LL BE HERE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE NIGHT.
UH, I JUST WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH ONE OR TWO TIDBITS.
NUMBER ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE SEEN INSIDE THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ESPECIALLY WHEN DAMAGE HAS TAKEN PLACE, IS THAT WE ARE SO EAGER TO GET THE DAMAGE FIXED THAT WE FORGOT TO TAKE PICTURES.
WE FORGET TO TAKE THE PROPER DOCUMENTATION, NOT ONLY FOR OURSELVES, BUT FOR OUR INSURANCE COMPANY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DEPARTMENT NEIGHBORHOOD DOES SPECIFICALLY IPS, IS THEY DO THE EVALUATION FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THAT EVALUATION IS IMPORTANT 'CAUSE THAT'S THE INFORMATION THAT WE GET, THAT WE SEND TO THE CITY, THAT GOES TO THE STATE, SO THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN TRULY UNDERSTAND HOW DEVASTATING THE F THE, THE FLOOD OR THE NATURAL DISASTERS ARE.
SO WE ENCOURAGE TO SAY WITHIN, IF YOUR HOUSE HAS TRULY BEEN DAMAGED, IF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS TRULY BEEN DAMAGED, BE VERY TACTFUL.
UH, AND BE VERY CAREFUL BEFORE TRANSITIONING AND TRYING TO FIX IT.
BECAUSE THAT INFORMATION ON THAT TREE, HITTING YOUR ROOF, THE INFORMATION OF THAT TREE, DAMAGING YOUR CARS, UH, THE INFORMATION OF YOUR HOUSE FOUNDATION, LEANING OR POSSIBLY PUSHING TO THE SIDE, IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO DOCUMENT, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT HAS TAKEN PLACE HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, WE ARE ALSO TO THE GOVERNING ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS WITH SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO WHETHER IT'S SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS MAYOR, CITIZENS ASSISTANCE OFFICE, OR ANY OTHER DIVISION, MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THAT DEPARTMENT NEIGHBORHOODS IS HERE FOR YOU.
WE APPRECIATE YOU AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.
NEXT WE WILL HAVE REMARKS BY SEAN SCHULTZ, CEO OF TEXAS, GULF COAST REGION, AMERICAN RED CROSS, WHICH WE HAVE ALL HEARD OF THE RED CROSS, AND THEY DO A PHENOMENAL JOB WITH HELPING US TO RECOVER.
SO IF YOU COULD COME UP AND, AND GIVE US A FEW WORDS.
[00:45:01]
YOU, THANK YOU.I'M GONNA SHARE SOME NUMBERS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE DID UP HERE, BUT MOSTLY I'M JUST BLESSED TO GET TO TALK TO YOU TODAY AND HOPEFULLY YOU'LL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MANY THINGS THAT WE OFFER.
YOU'LL CALL YOUR, YOUR OEM, YOU'LL CALL YOUR LOCAL COUNCILWOMAN.
YOU'LL CALL YOUR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS AND TELL THEM WHEN YOU NEED HELP AND WHERE YOU NEED HELP SO WE CAN GET OUT THERE AND SUPPORT.
WE MENTIONED EARLIER 60,000 MILLS WERE SERVED.
THERE WERE 80,000, UH, CLEANUP KITS THAT WERE DISTRIBUTED ALONG WITH OTHER KITS, UH, JUST DURING THIS DURIO AND SOME OF THE OTHER STORMS THAT DURING THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, UH, WE ALSO SHELTERED MORE THAN, WELL THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF, UM, WORTH OF, OF ANIMALS THAT WERE SHELTERED AS WELL.
SO IF YOU DO GET INTO THAT SITUATION WHERE MAYBE YOU HAVE A PLACE TO STAY, BUT YOUR ANIMAL MAY NOT GIVE US A CALL AS WELL, LET US SUPPORT WITH THAT.
THE BIG THING FOR US IS THE RED CROSS IS HERE TO PREVENT AND ALLEVIATE HUMAN SUFFERING IN THE FACE OF EMERGENCIES, REGARDLESS OF HOW BIG OR SMALL THEY ARE.
60, 60,000 EMERGENCIES A YEAR.
WE WORK CONSTANTLY WITH CHIEF PENA AND THE TEAM TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE THERE WHEN THERE'S A HOME FIRE.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ONE, IF YOU KNOW SOMEBODY WHO HAS ONE, CALL US.
I THINK AS WE PREPARE FOR HURRICANE SEASON, WE SEE THIS AS A, A MEGA EMERGENCY FOR US.
AND HOW ARE WE READY TO SUPPORT? THE NUMBER OF BILLION DOLLAR DISASTERS HAS INCREASED BY ABOUT 85% IN THE LAST DECADE.
THAT MEANS THAT ABOUT 2.5 MILLION PEOPLE WERE, UM, UH, EXCUSE ME, WERE FORCED OUT OF THEIR HOME IN 2023 AND SOME OF THEM FOR MORE THAN 30 DAYS.
HE HAD NO PLACE TO GO, NO PLACE TO LIVE.
LOTS OF SHELTERING, LOTS OF SUPPORTING.
AND WE THINK WITH THE FORECASTING WITH THE, WITH THE, UH, LA NINA WINDS THIS YEAR AND THE WARMING SEA TEMPERATURES THAT ARE ALREADY UP TO 90 DEGREES, THAT THE NUMBER OF STORMS THAT COULD HIT THE UNITED STATES IS GONNA BE EXPONENTIALLY HIGHER.
UM, COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY, WHO PRODUCES THE NUMBER OF STORMS THAT COULD COME OUT THEIR, THEIR MAIN DOCK CAME OUT THIS, THIS LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS AND SAID THAT HE FORECASTED THAT THIS COULD BE THE SEASON OF HURRICANE SEASON FROM HELL.
AND FOR HIM TO SAY THAT IS AN AMAZING THING.
'CAUSE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF THOSE AND WE DON'T NEED ANYMORE.
WE DON'T NEED ANYMORE STORMS LIKE THAT.
THE AMERICAN RED CROSS, WE'VE BEEN WORKING A LOT WITH THE LOCAL OFFICIALS AND EMERGENCY MANAGERS TO FIGURE OUT, WELL, HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD? HOW DO WE SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY? AND I THINK THE BIGGEST THING WE'RE DOING IS CONFIRMING THAT WE HAVE PRE-STAGE RESOURCES READY TO GO IN THE COMMUNITIES.
WE'RE OUT THERE MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE POTENTIAL SHELTERS READY TO GO.
CONFIRMING AVAILABILITY AND CAPACITY.
I THINK IT'S SO, IT'S OKAY TO HAVE A SHELTER, BUT IF YOU CAN'T HOLD THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WITHIN IT, THEN IT JUST BECOMES A PLACE THAT A COUPLE OF PEOPLE CAN COME TO.
AND THERE'S PEOPLE OUTSIDE WAITING AND WE DON'T WANT TO GET THERE.
'CAUSE WHAT COMES WITH A HURRICANE, THE HEAT, THE HEAT, THE HUMIDITY, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT CAN, THAT CAN KILL PEOPLE.
AND WE DON'T WANT THAT IN HOUSTON AND WE DON'T WANT THAT FOR ANYONE IN THE UNITED STATES.
UH, WE PROVIDE TRAINING FOR THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN SHELTERING.
WE'RE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAMS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ACTIVE DURING DISASTERS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALIGNING WITH OUR CAPABILITIES.
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO SUPPORT.
WE NEED THE COMMUNITIES TO STEP FORWARD AND SUPPORT THAT.
WE DON'T DO IT EVER BY OURSELF.
IN AMERICAN RED CROSS, ONLY ABOUT 50 STAFF MEMBERS WORK IN THE 51 COUNTIES AND 10 MILLION PEOPLE ALONG THE COAST OF TEXAS.
THE STAFF MEMBERS, THE REST OF THEM ARE ABOUT 3,600 VOLUNTEERS.
SO IF YOU EVER SEE A RED CROSSER, IT'S PROBABLY A VOLUNTEER OUT THERE SUPPORTING ON THEIR TIME TO HELP YOU.
UM, AND, AND WE'RE SO PROUD OF WHAT THEY DO EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I WOULD SAY THAT IF YOU HAVE TIME, IF YOU WANNA SUPPORT, IF YOU WANNA LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT THE AMERICAN RED CROSS, WE'RE ALWAYS AVAILABLE@REDCROSS.ORG.
IF YOU NEED SOMETHING, IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO NEEDS SOMETHING, WE HAVE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS, PLEASE REACH OUT.
LET US FEEL BLESSED TO HELP YOU.
LET LET US BLESS YOU WHERE WE CAN.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
AND THEN REALLY, THE EMERGENCY APPS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, WE HAVE ONE AS WELL@REDCROSS.ORG.
AND IT ALLOWS YOU TO GET VERY SIMILAR TO A, UM, TO A SILVER, SILVER ALERT OR, UH, ONE OF THE ALERTS THAT COMES ON YOUR PHONE TO TELL YOU THAT A HURRICANE'S COMING, A TORNADO'S COMING, A FLOOD IS COMING, OR A LOCAL, UM, SEVERE STORM.
SO IF YOU HAVE THE TIME, GO OUT TO RED CROSS.ORG AND DOWNLOAD THAT.
I FEEL VERY BLESSED TO BE HERE TODAY AND THANKS FOR HAVING ME HERE.
SIR, WILL YOU, THE AMERICA RED CROSS DOES IS A BLESSING AND CERTAINLY IF YOU CAN VOLUNTEER, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T GIVE MONEY, BUT YOU CAN GIVE YOUR TIME.
HUMAN CAPITAL IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK WE'RE GETTING READY TO CONCLUDE THIS PRESS CONFERENCE.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
I THINK I LOST MOST OF MY BACKING, BUT CERTAINLY
[00:50:01]
UH, WE DO HAVE, WE DID HAVE, UH, DIRECTOR WILL FALK HERE EARLIER.HE'S, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF SOLID WASTE.
AND I WANNA REITERATE, IF YOU SEE DUMPING OR ANYTHING IN THE DISTRICT, PLEASE CALL 3 1 1 BECAUSE IT IS A GREAT, GREAT, CAN DO IT TO GET TO US.
IT'S THE WAY THAT WE GET THE DATA BECAUSE YOU ARE THE EYES AND THE EARS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T BE EVERYWHERE.
BUT IF YOU MAKE THE PHONE CALL AND FOLLOW UP OR EVEN HOLD ON AND TELL THEM TO TRANSFER YOU TO DISTRICT D, THEN THAT WILL BE VERY HELPFUL FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, BUT I GUESS I'M THE ONE.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME, PLEASE DON'T ASK ME.
AND WE HAD THE CUNY HOMES OVER HERE, SASHA.
ALL RIGHT,
ANYWAY, UH, IF YOU, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GO AROUND TO THE TABLES AND I, AND, AND JUST A, A NAME THAT WAS CALLED, BUT I CAN'T REITERATE HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE.
ELDRIDGE, RIGHT OVER THERE AT THAT TABLE, HE IS AN ANGEL.
HE, I THINK YOU'RE HOUSED IN THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, UH, BUT CERTAINLY VERY, VERY RESPONSIVE.
YOU, YOU HAVE COREY HERE, UM, WHO NEVER WANTS YOU TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT HIM.
BUT IF ANYBODY KNOWS COREY, COREY, HE GETS THINGS DONE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE MY CHIEF OF STAFF, STEVEN, HE WAS WALKING AROUND HERE.
AND THEN INGRAM, MY CONSTITUENTS, UH, DIRECTOR.
AND SO CERTAINLY REACH OUT TO ANY OF US.
UH, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU SUBSCRIBE TO THE DISTRICT D EMAIL AT DISTRICT D@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
AND I MEAN, LIKE I SAY, I HAVE A GENERAC AND I'LL TAKE IN AS MANY PEOPLE AS I CAN.
BUT AFTER THAT, WE, WE, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN.
BUT AT ANY RATE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN DEVIN SHABAZZ, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT D, WHAT I CALL THE DISTRICT OF WHAT ALL THANK YOU.