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WE ARE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW THE DIRTY SIDE OF A DIRTY HURRICANE.
BURL HAS CERTAINLY TAKEN ITS PATH, ITS EYE ACROSS WEST HOUSTON, AND MOST OF THE CITY IS EXPERIENCING THE DIRTY SIDE OF A VERY SERIOUS HURRICANE.
AS I SAID YESTERDAY, WHEN I WAS ASKING EVERYONE TO BE PREPARED, LOOK OUT FOR EVERYONE, THAT WHEN THEY WENT TO BED LAST NIGHT, THEY WOULD WAKE UP TO A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT, DIFFERENT SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND WEATHER THIS MORNING.
CERTAINLY THAT WAS AN ACCURATE STATEMENT.
WHEN I TURNED IN AT TWO THIS MORNING AFTER RIDING THE STREETS OF HOUSTON WITH THE POLICE CHIEF AT TWO O'CLOCK, IT HAD NOT ARRIVED.
AND CERTAINLY THIS MORNING AT SIX, A NEW SET OF WEATHER CONDITIONS ARRIVED DURING THE NIGHT.
VERY SERIOUS AMOUNT OF WATER AND EXCESSIVE 10 INCHES ACROSS MOST OF OUR CITY, APPROACHING 90 MILES PER HOUR WINDS, HURRICANE CONDITIONS.
WE HAD THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS WITH US YESTERDAY.
WHEN I SPOKE TO THE PUBLIC, EVERYONE WAS PRE-POSITIONING ITS RESOURCES, AND OF COURSE, ONE OF OUR MAJOR CONCERNS IS ALWAYS ENERGY, ELECTRICITY.
WE HAVE OVER 2 MILLION IN OUR REGION WITHOUT POWER, OVER 700,000 HOUSTONIANS.
WHAT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE IN THIS BRIEFING IS PLEASE HOUSTONIANS, ANYONE THAT CAN HEAR MY VOICE, SHELTER IN PLACE, SHELTER IN PLACE.
WE'RE IN AN EMERGENCY, WE'RE IN A RESCUE MODE, LIFE SAFETY.
WE'RE LITERALLY GETTING CALLS ACROSS HOUSTON RIGHT NOW, ASKING FOR FIRST RESPONDERS TO COME RESCUE INDIVIDUALS IN DESPERATE LIFE SAFETY CONDITIONS.
WE'VE BEEN IN THE CONTROL ROOM MONITORING HOUSTON FIRE, SAVING A LIFE ON 2 88 AND HOLLY HALL, LITERALLY SAVING A PERSON'S LIFE.
WE HAVE FIRES THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING, SO SHELTER IN PLACE.
WE'VE HAD INDIVIDUALS SHOW UP AT THE LBJ HOSPITAL RESIDENTS IN THE LOBBY, SEEKING OUT SAFETY.
WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN.
THESE DEPARTMENT HEADS, THE FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR AIRPORTS ARE NOTING RIGHT NOW, BUT DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO GET OPERATIONS BACK.
NOW, WHERE DO WE STAND? WE'RE IN A RESCUE MODE.
AS I SPEAK TO YOU, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS IN ABOUT 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR, IT SHOULD START IMPROVING.
WE WILL BE OPENING UP CENTERS.
THE RED CROSS IS IN CONTACT WITH US.
WE HAD LOCATIONS IDENTIFIED, BUT NOW WE'VE GOT TO DO AN ASSESSMENT.
MOST OF THE CITY MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS, EVEN THE GEORGE BROWN, ARE WITHOUT POWER.
WE'RE LOCATING SITUATIONS WHERE THE GENERATORS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FUNCTION.
WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGES IN THIS CITY.
THE BIOS, MOST OF THEM I COULD NAME ARE OUT OF THEIR BANKS.
CERTAINLY WHITE OAK IS CREATING SOME LIFE THREATENING CONDITIONS ALONG HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
WHITE OAK IS FAR REACHING AS HOUSTON AVENUE RAISED BYS OUT OF ITS BANK, WHITE OAK.
WE'RE ACTUALLY MONITORING GREENSBORO ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE.
OUR FRIENDS IN THE COUNTY, CYPRESS CREEK AND OTHERS, WE'RE MONITORING THE SAN JACINTA RIVER.
SO ALL I WANT TO DO IS URGE EVERYONE I PLEAD WITH YOU TO SHELTER IN PLACE.
DO NOT PUT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS IN FURTHER DANGER.
OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ARE MAKING CALLS OVER 409 1 1 CALLS IN THE LAST HOUR.
WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING OUR, WE POSSIBLY CAN STAY OFF THE ROADS.
I TRAVELED FROM MY HOME EARLY THIS MORNING, BARELY.
THE MAYOR WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET TO THE EMERGENCY CENTER.
THAT'S HOW DANGEROUS OUR STREETS, OUR TRAFFIC LIGHTS ARE OUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SO LET ME JUST SAY, I'M GONNA GET SOME REAL TIME REPORTS FROM THESE OUTSTANDING DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, BUT MY MESSAGE TO THE PUBLICIST, SHELTER IN PLACE,
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STAY OFF THE ROADS.TAKE CARE OF YOUR LOVED ONES, YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR PETS.
BARK WITHOUT POWER GENERATOR DID NOT KICK ON.
WE HAVE A LOT TO DO WHEN WE ASSESS THINGS IN FUTURE DAYS, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S LIFE SAFETY.
ALL WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS PROTECTING LIVES.
WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE COUNTY JUDGE.
WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE STATE GOVERNMENT, AND THE WHITE HOUSE HAS REACHED OUT TO US OFFERING ASSISTANCE.
WE LITERALLY ALMOST DIDN'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS PRESS CONFERENCE BECAUSE WE'RE SO BUSY TAKING INCOMING CALLS FOR RESCUE FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.
SO ALL I CAN SAY IS WE'VE PREPARED FOR THIS MOMENT.
WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN IN THE COMING DAYS.
WE WILL RESTORE ALL THE RESOURCES, THE POWER, OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS WILL BE PREPARED.
WE HOPE CENTER POINT WILL CONTINUE TO DO THEIR OUTSTANDING JOB.
THEY'RE BRINGING IN THOUSANDS OF ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE, LINE PERSONNEL, VEGETATION PERSONNEL, CLEARING OUR STREETS AND LINES AND GETTING THE POWER BACK ON IS ONE OF OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY.
WE'RE ALL LIVING THIS TOGETHER.
COLLABORATION WITH EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, WITH EVERY SOCIAL AGENCY, WITH THE FAITH COMMUNITY, AND WITH THESE OUTSTANDING FIRST RESPONDERS.
I'M GONNA ASK OUR FIRE CHIEF TO COME GIVE US A REAL TIME REPORT OF HIS OPERATIONS AND WHAT WE CAN DO GOING FORWARD.
I THINK, UH, WELL, THE MAYOR NAILED IT.
UH, HE SUMMARIZED ESSENTIALLY WHAT, UH, WHAT WE WANNA COMMUNICATE TO OUR, TO OUR RESIDENTS AND TO OUR COMMUNITY IS, IS STAY HOME, PROTECT YOURSELVES, PROTECT YOUR FAMILIES.
UH, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SEE STREET LEVEL FLOODING, BUT I'M GONNA REPORT REALLY QUICKLY ON OUR RESPONSE POSTURE, OUR FOCUS, OUR SERVICE DEMAND, AND OUR RESOURCE STATUS FOR, FOR THIS OPERATIONAL PERIOD.
AS THE MEN THE MAYOR MENTIONED, OUR FOCUS RIGHT NOW IS LIFE SAFETY.
THE LIFE SAFETY IS, UH, POSTURE IS WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON RIGHT NOW.
AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THIS UNTIL THIS STORM PASSES, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO THE RECOVERY AND CONSEQUENCE MANAGEMENT.
BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, OUR RESOURCES ARE COMMITTED TO EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
UH, WE'VE HAD ONE FIRE FATALITY THAT HAPPENED EARLY THIS MORNING AT A HOUSE FIRE IN THE SOUTHEAST, UH, PART OF OUR CITY, THE HIGH WATER RESCUE CALL TYPES AND THE LIVE WIRES.
THE DOWN WIRES ARE A PRIMARY SERVICE DEMAND.
WE SAW VIDEO EARLIER OF FIRE CREW EVACUATING AND RESCUE RESCUING AN INDIVIDUAL THAT GOT STUCK IN A, IN A, UH, HIGH WATER SITUATION.
IF EVERYBODY COULD, COULD SEE THAT VIDEO.
YOU SEE HOW RESOURCE INTENSIVE THOSE TYPE, UH, CALL TYPES ARE.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO SERVICE EVERY, UH, CALL TYPE THAT SAME WAY.
SO WE ASK THAT YOU DO THE RESPONSIBLE THING.
IF YOU DON'T NEED TO BE ON THE STREET, STAY OFF THE STREET.
IF YOU ARE ON THE STREET, DO NOT DRIVE OVER FLOODED ROADWAYS.
IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH FOR YOUR CAR TO BE, UH, UH, THE, THE, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO BE OVERCOME.
AND YOU'RE DEAD IN THE WATER, ESSENTIALLY.
HE, THE WARNINGS STAY OFF THE FLOODED ROADWAYS.
UM, WHAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING IS, IS, UH, WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES.
IF YOU'RE GONNA USE YOUR GENERATORS, PLEASE DO SO RESPONSIBLY, KEEP THOSE AWAY FROM YOUR HOME.
CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING IS A REAL CONCERN.
FOLLOWING THESE, THESE TYPES OF STORMS. USE YOUR THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM FOR EMERGENCIES ONLY.
IF YOU NEED TO REPORT ANY OTHER SERVICE, NEED 3 1 1 OR 2 1 1, UH, IS THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO DO SO.
SO RESERVE 9 1 1 FOR TRUE EMERGENCIES.
AND, UH, AGAIN, STAY OFF THE STREETS.
STAY OFF THE STREETS BECAUSE, UH, THERE IS A LOT OF RISK.
HIGH WINDS ARE STILL IN THE AREA, UH, STREET LEVEL FLOODING THE MAYOR MENTIONED ABOUT THE, UH, CONDITION OF THE BAYOU.
IF THOSE OVERFLOW, WE'RE GONNA SEE SOME STRUCTURAL FLOODING THAT WILL, UH, REQUIRE OUR RESPONSE AS WELL.
SO PLEASE DO THE RESPONSIBLE THING.
DON'T EXPOSE YOURSELF, YOUR FAMILY, AND FIRST RESPONDERS TO THE ADDITIONAL RISK.
LOOK OUT FOR YOURSELF AND LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER.
P THE, THE, THE REAL CLEAR STATEMENT IS, HELP US HELP YOU BY STAYING IN PLACE, SHELTER, AND IN PLACE YOU WILL ASSIST THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE NEED OUR RESOURCES ADDRESSING THE MOST SEVERE SITUATIONS.
WITH THAT COMMENT, I WANNA RECOGNIZE CHIEF HARDEN TO GIVE US AN HPD STATUS REPORT.
I, I CANNOT REITERATE ENOUGH WHAT THE MAYOR AND CHIEF PENA HAVE SAID AS THIS WEATHER PASSES, WHICH HOPEFULLY IT
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WILL IN THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO, AND WE BEGIN TO, OR CONTINUE TO RESPOND TO THESE RESCUE CALLS.PLEASE HELP US BE PART OF THE SOLUTION AND NOT PART OF THE PROBLEM.
STAY HOME SO THAT WE CAN UTILIZE OUR RESOURCES TO HELP THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY NEED IT.
RIGHT NOW, FOR HPD RESOURCES, WE HAVE OUR HIGH WATER TRUCKS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE ALL NIGHT, ALONG WITH OUR FIRE PARTNERS AND PUBLIC WORKS.
WE SO FAR HAVE MADE 50 50 HIGH WATER RESCUE CALLS RES RESCUING EIGHT INDIVIDUALS.
UH, OUR TRUCKS ARE OUT AND ABOUT COMING UPON PEOPLE WHO ARE, DON'T EVEN HAVE CELL SERVICE, SO THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CALL.
AS WELL AS RESPONDING TO CALLS FOR SERVICE.
WE'RE CO-LOCATED WITH OUR FIRE AND PUBLIC WORKS PARTNERS, AS WELL AS OUR OTHER PARTNERS AND THE OEM AND OUR EOC, AND DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO RESPOND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
EVERY SINGLE TIME WE HAVE AN EVENT LIKE THIS WHERE WE HAVE POWER OUT POWER OUTAGES, YOU ALWAYS HAVE A SELECT FEW OF OUR POPULATION THAT TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SITUATION.
WELL, LET ME TELL YOU THAT WE ARE PUTTING THE FULL WEIGHT AND FORCE OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT BEHIND HELPING THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON.
THAT INCLUDES STAFFING PEOPLE AND OFFICERS THAT YOU CANNOT SEE AT PLACES WITHOUT POWER.
SO WE WILL BE IN AND ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY, BOTH IN OUR HIGH WATER VEHICLES, OUR MARKED POLICE CARS, AND OUR UNMARKED CARS THAT YOU CANNOT SEE.
STAY HOME SO WE CAN HELP THE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT MOST.
THE EMERGENCY CENTER WHERE WE'RE LOCATED RIGHT NOW IS THE NERVE CENTER OF THE CITY DURING EMERGENCIES.
THEY'VE BEEN PREPARING THE LAST 48 HOURS.
THEY'RE THE BEST PROFESSIONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM IN THE COUNTRY.
WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE, AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN EMERGENCY AND ALL HANDS ON DECK RIGHT HERE.
I WOULD ASK OUR DIRECTOR TOM MUNOZ TO COME GIVE US A STATUS REPORT AND HOW THE PUBLIC CAN ASSIST THE EMERGENCY CENTER GOING FORWARD.
I WANNA REITERATE WHAT OUR, MY, UH, COLLEAGUES BEHIND ME.
THE MAYOR HAVE SAID, LIFE SAFETY.
THAT IS AT THE STAGE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.
AGAIN, WANNA EMPHASIZE THE MESSAGE, STAY OFF THE ROAD, STAY AT HOME, SHELTER IN PLACE.
WE'RE CURRENTLY AT A LEVEL ONE NOW.
WE'RE WORKING WITH STATE AND LOCAL AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE.
WHAT WE ARE DOING IS IDENTIFYING THOSE VULNERABLE AREAS, ASSISTED LIVING HOMES, NURSING HOMES.
WE HAVE ALREADY THOSE IDENTIFIED.
WE'LL BE MONITORING THAT SITUATION VERY CLOSELY TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE ARE SAFE AND AGAIN, THAT THE REST OF THE CITY, THE, THE RESIDENTS ARE SAFE AS WELL.
WE ARE GONNA BE WORKING DILIGENTLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND THE NIGHT TILL THIS IS OVER.
BUT ONE TO KEEP, ONE TO ONE THING THAT I WANT ALL HOUSTONIANS TO KNOW IS THAT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER, HAVE BEEN WORKING THE LAST FOUR DAYS TO ENSURE EVERYONE'S SAFETY MITIGATION PLANS ARE IN ALREADY SET IN PLACE.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE GONNA GO AFTER, WE, WE WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE ARE GONNA BE IN THE RECOVERY PHASE AFTER THE LIFE SAFETY AS CHIEF PENNY HAD MENTIONED.
SO WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION, WE'RE MONITORING CLOSELY AND AGAIN, WANT TO EMPHASIZE, STAY OFF THE ROADS, SHELTER IN PLACE.
WE HAVE THE WHOLE CITY ALREADY UNDER THE WATCH.
UM, I DON'T MIND BEING REDUNDANT AT THIS POINT.
OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ARE RESPONDING.
RANDY, WHY DON'T YOU COME UP AND LET US KNOW THE STATUS OF YOUR PUBLIC WORKS.
WASTE WATER AS WELL BACKED UP BY GENERATORS.
SO WE'RE MONITORING OUR WATER SUPPLY AND I'M GONNA LET OUR DIRECTOR, UH, GIVE US A REAL TIME REPORT ON PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, AGAIN, IN THE INTEREST OF REDUNDANCY, I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH HOW IMPORTANT IT'S TO STAY OFF THE ROADS.
UM, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, UH, THE WATER SUPPLY IS GOOD.
WE'RE, WE'RE DOING WELL THERE RIGHT NOW.
ALTHOUGH WE ARE STILL FACED THERE WITH THE SAME POWER CHALLENGES THAT EVERYONE ACROSS THE CITY IS FACED WITH.
MOST OF OUR FACILITIES ARE USING BACKUP GENERATOR POWER TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THINGS THOUGH TO ENSURE THAT, THAT WE STAY ABOVE ALL OF THE NECESSARY THRESHOLDS FROM A REGULATORY STANDPOINT.
WE ARE WELL ABOVE THOSE THRESHOLDS AT THIS POINT.
SO OUR DRINKING WATER SUPPLY, OUR WASTEWATER IS ALL OPERATING WITHIN, UH, THE REGULATORY PARAMETERS AS FAR AS OUR STREETS ARE CONCERNED.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO REMEMBER.
THE PRIMARY DRAINAGE MECHANISM THROUGHOUT THIS CITY IS OUR STREETS.
UH, FOR BETTER OR WORSE, THAT IS THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION.
AND SO WHILE WE SEE OUR STREETS FILL UP WITH WATER, A LOT OF THAT IS
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BY DESIGN SO THAT IT CAN BE CONVEYED OUT TO THE APPROPRIATE, UH, OUTFALLS AND DRAINAGE, UH, CHANNELS THAT ARE NECESSARY.WHEN WE HAVE AN EVENT LIKE THIS, OUR STREETS ARE GONNA NATURALLY DRAIN SLOWER THAN WE ARE USED TO.
AND SO WE ASK PEOPLE TO BE VERY PATIENT AS THEY DO THAT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'D LIKE YOU TO STAY HOME AS LONG AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN, TO ALLOW THE STREETS FOR TIME TO CLEAR.
ONCE THEY CLEAR OF THE WATER, WE'RE GONNA FIND OTHER HAZARDS THAT ARE GONNA BE THERE.
AND SO ONCE, UH, THE STORM PASSES AND IT'S SAFE FOR OUR CREWS TO BE ABLE TO DO SO IN CONJUNCTION WITH FIRE AND POLICE, WE'LL BE OUT ON THE STREETS.
WE'LL BE OUT THERE WITH SAW CREWS CLEARING DEBRIS.
WE'LL BE MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS OPERATIONAL FROM THE RIGHT OF WAY.
YOU CAN HELP US BY REPORTING POWER OUTAGES AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND INTERSECTIONS THAT YOU SEE.
WHETHER IT'S FLASHING OR THE INTERSECTION IS DARK ITSELF.
THAT HELPS US MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THE APPROPRIATE PRIORITIES THERE.
WE'LL BE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS, OF COURSE, AT TXDOT LIKE WE DID JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, TO HELP RESTORE POWER TO THE INTERSECTIONS AS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
BEWARE OF, UH, OF LIVE WIRES THAT MAY HAVE COME DOWN AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THE DEBRIS THAT WE FIND IN THE CITY.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, STAY SAFE.
STAY OFF THE ROADS AS LONG AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN.
AND AFTER WE TRANSITION FROM LIFE SAFETY AND RESCUE, WE'LL DO AN ASSESSMENT.
WE WILL SEE WHERE OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS CAN OPEN TO ASSIST RESIDENTS.
AND THEN, UM, WE WILL ALSO BE WORKING WITH THE FAITH COMMUNITY AND OUR SOCIAL SERVICES.
UM, WHAT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE TO EVERYONE IS COLLABORATION.
IF WE'RE UNITED, WE LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO COME OUT OF THIS, UH, AS SAFE AND SOUND AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.
WE LITERALLY HAVE RESCUES GOING ON AS I SPEAK TO YOU RIGHT NOW.
FIRST RESPONDERS ARE PUTTING THEIR LIVES AT RISK, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE TRAINED FOR.
BUT IF EVERYONE WILL HELP US, HELP THEM LOOK OUT FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE, WE'VE IDENTIFIED NURSING HOMES, INDEPENDENT LIVING.
IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CERTAINLY CALL NON-EMERGENCY CALLS TO THREE ONE ONE EMERGENCIES, 9 1 1.
AND HERE'S SOMETHING I KNOW IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO EXPRESS, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE PATIENCE IN THESE SITUATIONS.
WE HAVE TO PRIOR PRIORITIZE OUR RESCUES AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
SO WE'RE THERE, WE'RE GONNA BE HERE ALL DAY.
WE'LL DO AN UPDATE MID-AFTERNOON.
WE'LL BE HERE ALL NIGHT LONG, AND WE WILL NOT REST UNTIL EVERY HOUSTONIAN, EVERY COMMUNITY IS SERVED BY THE FIRST RESPONDERS, HEALTH PUBLIC WORKS, AND EVERY SERVICE THAT A GREAT CITY PROVIDES.
WITH THAT SAID, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
WE'RE GOING, WE'RE, WE'RE JUST ABOUT THERE,
I WOULD ASK CHIEF PENA TO COME GIVE A STATUS REPORT IN SPANISH.
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EARLIER, THIS HAD HAPPENED LAST NIGHT.SO WHAT I MENTIONED, UH, IS THAT WE UNFORTUNATELY HAD A FIRE FATALITY EARLY THIS MORNING.
IT HAPPENED, UH, AROUND FIVE 30 THIS MORNING.
WE STILL DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A, AS A RESULT OF THE STORM OR IF IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE OR ACCIDENTAL, BUT, UH, OUR ARSON DIVISION IS OUT THERE INVESTIGATING AND WE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION AS SOON AS THAT CAUSE AND ORIGIN IS DETERMINED.
ANYTHING ELSE, MAYOR? YES, SIR.
UH, WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER BRIEFING ABOUT MID AFTERNOON.
AT THAT TIME, WE'LL HAVE A STATUS REPORT CONCERNING CITY EMPLOYEES AND CITY SERVICES, UH, GOING FORWARD THROUGH DE MARK.
UH, WE'RE GONNA DO AN ASSESSMENT AS SOON AS WE CAN HIT THE STREETS, BUT, UH, AT THIS POINT, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN.
WE ASK THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR COOPERATION.
SHOULD YOU THE MOST RIGHT NOW, CONCERNS ME.
LIFE AND SAFETY OF EVERY RESIDENT AND EVERYONE IN OUR SURROUNDING, UH, COMMUNITIES, LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER.
ALLOW US TO HELP YOU BY YOU STAYING SHELTERED IN PLACE.
OUR TRAFFIC, UH, LIGHTS ARE DAMAGED, IS GONNA TAKE HOURS IF NOT DAYS TO GET THEM BACK.
YOU CAN'T GO THROUGH AN INTERSECTION.
YOU HAVE TO STOP WHEN THERE'S NO LIGHTS TRAVELING HERE EARLY THIS MORNING, WE SAW IN SHEPHERD PEOPLE SPEEDING THROUGH 34TH STREET, 43RD STREET, UNACCEPTABLE.
IF IT'S A CENTRAL TRAVEL, GO SLOW.
THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND IT WILL BE DANGEROUS FOR SEVERAL MORE HOURS IN TERMS OF SEVERE WEATHER.
THEN ALLOW US TO GET OUT AND DO AN ASSESSMENT AND LET OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, PUBLIC WORKS, DO THEIR JOB.
BUT TO DO OUR JOB LIKE YOU EXPECT, YOU'VE GOT TO DO YOUR PART BY STAYING AT HOME ONLY, ESSENTIAL WORKERS, TRAVELING.
WE'RE GONNA BRING IN ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL RESOURCES, AND WE'RE GONNA GET THERE.
WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE FIXING TO LEAVE THIS BRIEFING AND GO BACK TO THE NERVE CENTER, TAKE CALLS, COLLABORATE WITH ALL OF OUR RESOURCES, AND MAKE THINGS GET BETTER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WE ALL KNOW WE WANT ENERGY, WE ALL KNOW WE WANT
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ELECTRICITY.ONE OF OUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES CENTER POINT IS RECRUITING RESOURCES AS WE TALK.
WE'VE BEEN THERE BEFORE WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
NOW WE'VE GOT TO REMEMBER, LOOK OUT FOR LIVES, LOOK OUT FOR SAFETY, AND ALLOW OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND CITY RESOURCES TO DO THEIR JOB.
I URGE EVERYONE, DO YOUR PART BY STAYING AT HOME, LISTENING TO THE PRESS, HUGGING YOUR LOVED ONES AND LET'S GO FORWARD.