[Press Conference: “Houston Recovery Efforts After Hurricane Beryl”]
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UH, ABOUT 24 HOURS AGO, WE WERE ON THE DIRTY SIDE OF A DIRTY HURRICANE.
I'LL EMPHASIZE FROM THE FIRST DAY WE LEARNED BURL, BUT, UH, WE'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH BURL.
NOW, WE YESTERDAY WERE IN A SHELTER IN PLACE MODE.
UH, LIFE SAFETY ISSUES WERE OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY AS THEY ARE TODAY, MATTER OF FACT.
AND I'M ASKING HOUSTONIANS TO NOT TO BECOME COMPLACENT BECAUSE WE HAVE CLEAR SKIES.
WE STILL HAVE DANGERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, BROUGHT BY BURL.
IN FACT, I WOULD LIKE TO NOW PAUSE AND IN OUR CONDOLENCES, IN OUR HEARTFELT SADNESS OVER THE LOSS OF THREE HOUSTONIANS, ONE INDIVIDUAL FROM A FIRE THAT WE BELIEVE IS RELATED TO THE STORM, ANOTHER FROM A FALLEN TREE.
BUT WE LOST A TIER ONE EMPLOYEE AT HPD RUSSELL RICHARDSON, COMING TO WORK AS A PUBLIC SERVANT AND WAS, UH, DROWNED IN WATERS AT HOUSTON AVENUE IN 45.
SO AT THIS MOMENT, I'D ASK Y'ALL TO PAUSE AND PRAY FOR HIS FAMILY, THE LOSS OF ALL THREE PRECIOUS LIVES.
WE JUST LEFT THE NERVE CENTER OF THE EMERGENCY CENTER.
YOU SEE THIS TEAM BEHIND ME OF DEDICATED PROFESSIONAL FIRST RESPONDERS, PUBLIC SERVANTS AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE PROUD AND, AND EXCITED TO BE A PART OF AN OPERATION THAT IS SO COMMITTED TO EACH AND EVERY HOUSTONIAN, EACH HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS.
IN FACT, EVERY RESIDENT OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO RESTORE INDIVIDUALS' LIVES, THEIR PROPERTY, TO SITUATION AND CONDITIONS PRIOR TO BUR PUBLIC SAFETY BEING OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY.
AND LET ME JUST ALSO EMPHASIZE RIGHT BEHIND PUBLIC SAFETY IS RESTORING CITY AND COUNTY SERVICES WITH THE HIGHEST PRIORITY OF ELECTRICITY AND ENERGY.
WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN TO SEE THAT YOUR ELECTRICITY IS RESTORED.
IT AFFECTS EVERYTHING WE TALK ABOUT TODAY, OUR SAFETY, OUR WORK, OUR CHURCH, OUR FAMILIES, OUR EDUCATION.
SO YES, WE'RE IN CONSTANT TOUCH WITH CENTER POINT.
WE'RE HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
I TALK TO THEIR ADMINISTRATORS EVERY FOUR HOURS FOR AN UPDATE, AND I AM CONVINCED THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO PUSH CENTER POINT TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE.
AND THEY'VE BROUGHT IN AN ADDITIONAL THOUSANDS, OVER 10,000 NOW WORKERS.
WE STARTED TALKING TO 'EM PRIOR TO THE STORM.
THEY HAD TO GET THE 10,000 PERSONNEL IN PLACE FROM ACROSS THE NATION.
THEY WERE HEADED THIS WAY, AND THEN THEY GOT HERE AND THEY HAD TO BE PREPOSITIONED.
SO YES, WE ARE HOLDING CENTER POINT ACCOUNTABLE.
I'VE HAD A COMMITMENT FROM THEM THAT THEY WILL RESTORE OVER A MILLION USERS OF ELECTRICITY BY THIS TIME TOMORROW.
BUT I'M CONFIDENT IF WE WILL ALL WORK TOGETHER, WE'LL GET THERE.
NOW, BACK TO HOUSTONIANS AND WHAT YOU CAN DO.
THERE ARE STILL HIGH WATER AREAS.
PARTICULARLY I ASK HOUSTONIANS AFTER DARK STAY AT HOME, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
WE HAVE TRAFFIC LIGHTS DOWN ACROSS THE CITY.
GO THROUGH AN INTERSECTION WHERE THERE'S A DOWN LIGHT AND NOT EXPOSE YOURSELF AND OTHERS.
SO PLEASE LIMIT YOUR TRANSPORTATION, LIMIT YOUR TRAVELING TO ESSENTIAL TRAVEL AFTER DARK.
LET ME ALSO ASSURE YOU THAT AFTER DARKNESS IS ALSO DANGEROUS BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL TAKE OPPORTUNITIES.
WE HAVE HPD TOTALLY MOBILIZED, TOTALLY
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MOBILIZED EVERYONE IN THE DEPARTMENT, ALL HANDS ON DECK TO PROTECT OUR PROPERTY AND OUR LIVES.THEY ARE ALSO BEING ASSISTED BY STATE TROOPERS THAT ARE COMING IN, PROTECTING OUR PROPERTY, LOOKING AT SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE NEIGHBORHOODS AND RETAIL STORES SUCH AS PAWN SHOPS, OTHER AREAS THAT WE KNOW INDIVIDUALS WILL PRAY IF, IF YOU'RE A CRIMINAL OUT THERE, LET ME SEND A MESSAGE ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE THAT CAN HEAR MY VOICE.
WE'RE PATROLLING NEIGHBORHOODS AND BUSINESSES, AND WE WILL HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE.
NOW, THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN JUST WITH CITY RESOURCES I'VE NEVER SEEN IN MY 50 PLUS YEAR OF PUBLIC SERVICE, THE COLLABORATION OF EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT.
WE HAVE COUNTY COMMISSIONER TOM RAMSEY HERE, ADRIAN GARCIA.
THANK YOU FOR THE COLLABORATION WITH DEBRIS PICKUP ALL THE RESOURCES AT THE COUNTY.
COMMISSIONER BRIANIS IS OUT IN THE FIELD AS WE TALK.
CONGRESSMAN WESLEY HUNTS REPRESENTED HERE.
I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW PROUD I AM THAT OUR CITY COUNCILMEN ARE WORKING WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
COUNCILMAN CAYMAN RAMIREZ, PECK, WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
NOW, LET ME EMPHASIZE HOW IMPORTANT THE STATE OF TEXAS IS.
I SAID WHEN I GOT ELECTED THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS AND HOUSTON WILL WORK TOGETHER LIKE NEVER BEFORE.
TODAY WE HAVE IN OUR NERVE CENTER, OUR OPERATION CENTERS, THE ACTING GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, OUR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DAN PATRICK.
HE IS BROUGHT WITH HIM, NIM KID, THE BEST EMERGENCY CENTER OPERATIVE IN THE COUNTRY.
JUST IN THE MEETING TODAY, WE'RE GETTING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IN THE FORM OF AMBULANCES AND OTHER RESOURCES.
AND GOVERNOR PATRICK, I WILL YIELD TO YOU TO GIVE US A STATUS REPORT AS IT RELATES TO THE STATE OF TEXAS, HOUSTON, AND EVEN THE WHITE HOUSE I YIELD TO YOU AT THIS TIME.
FIRST OF ALL, I'VE KNOWN MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR A LONG TIME.
HE DOESN'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER, AND IF SOMEONE DOESN'T HAVE AN ANSWER, HE TELLS 'EM TO GO FIND ONE AND A SOLUTION.
AND HE AND I ARE ALIKE ON THAT.
I DON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER EITHER.
IF THERE'S A PROBLEM, LET'S FIND A WAY TO FIX IT.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO LIFE AND DEATH ISSUES, ISSUES, FIX IT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
SO THE MAYOR AND I STARTED TALKING SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE THE STORM HIT BECAUSE WE BOTH HAD A CONCERN IT COULD COME CLOSER TO HOUSTON THAN WAS ORIGINALLY PREDICTED ON JULY 4TH.
JUST LAST THURSDAY, IT WAS HEADED TO MEXICO, ACCORDING TO ALL THE WEATHER FORECASTERS AND TO THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY.
AND THE MORE IT MOVED, THE MORE WE TALKED, THE MORE WE PREPARED AT THE STATE, THE MORE HE PREPARED AT THE CITY.
AND SO WE ARE READY TO TAKE ACTION ON EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
NOW THAT THE STORM IS OUT OF THE STATE AND OUT OF THE CITY FIRST.
UH, WE ARE SENDING 25 AMBULANCES BECAUSE WE HAVE A BACKUP IN OUR HOSPITALS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T DISCHARGE PATIENTS, BECAUSE PATIENTS CAN'T GO TO HOME IF THEY DON'T HAVE POWER.
SO BESIDES THOSE EXTRA VEHICLES, UH, NIM KID WILL TALK ABOUT THIS IN A MOMENT.
WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP A FACILITY, UH, AT NRG THAT WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE 250 BEDS SO THAT WE CAN MOVE THESE PEOPLE FROM THE HOSPITAL SO THAT THERE ARE ROOMS OPEN FOR THE NEW PATIENTS THAT COME IN.
NUMBER TWO, I TALKED TO PRESIDENT BIDEN TODAY AND I ASKED FOR A EMERGENCY DISASTER DECLARATION, WHICH WILL HELP PAY FOR 75% OF THE DEBRIS, CLEANUP COST AND OTHER COSTS.
AND NIM KID WILL GO THROUGH THAT LIST AS WELL.
THE PRESIDENT SAID, YES, I APPRECIATED THE PRESIDENT REACHING OUT.
THERE WAS NO DELAY FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, NO DELAY FROM US.
IN FACT, UH, FEMA HAS, UH, SEATS AT ALL OF OUR EMERGENCY MEETINGS IN AUSTIN.
I'VE BEEN WITH FEMA FOR THE LAST THREE DAYS.
UH, BUT THE TRUTH IS, BEFORE YOU CAN ASK FOR A DECLARATION, YOU HAVE TO GO MEET WITH PEOPLE IN THE IMPACTED AREAS TO SEE WHAT'S NEEDED AND THE LEVEL OF NEED.
AND SO I'VE BEEN IN COLLEGE STATION TODAY, I'VE BEEN IN LEAGUE CITY, AND OF COURSE WE CAME HERE TO BE WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
TOM RAMSEY, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY SAID EARLIER IN OUR MEETING THAT AS BIG AS THE LAST STORM WAS IN DEBRIS CLEANUP THAT COULD FILL A STADIUM, THE DEBRIS IN THIS STORM IS EVEN LARGER.
SO THE HELP FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED ON THOSE COST ITEMS. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM.
SO FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND FEMA TO THE STATE, TO OUR COUNTIES, TO OUR CITIES, UH, IT IS TOTAL TEAMWORK.
AND THE MAYOR IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
WHEN WE HAVE A CRISIS IN TEXAS,
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WE ARE ALL ONE.THERE'S NO POLITICS, THERE'S NOTHING THERE, THERE, THERE.
AND WHOEVER NEEDS HELP, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE.
I'M ALSO IN TOUCH WITH CENTER POINT.
I THINK I'VE COMMUNICATED WITH THEM FIVE OR SIX TIMES TODAY.
MY FOCUS IS RIGHT NOW TO GET POWER ON AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN TO THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE POWER.
WE'LL DECIDE AFTER THE FACT TO GO BACK AND LOOK.
COULD THEY HAVE DONE BETTER? COULD THEY HAVE BEEN POSITIONED BETTER? WE'LL FIGURE THAT OUT LATER.
RIGHT NOW, I DON'T WANT ANY CENTER POINT EMPLOYEE WORRYING ABOUT WHAT DID HAPPEN.
I WANT 'EM TO BE ON THE JOB UP IN THE BUCKETS, TRIMMING THE TREES, FIXING THE WIRES, THE ADMINISTRATION STAFF ANSWERING CALLS.
AND BY THE WAY, IF YOUR POWER IS OUT, YOU MAY NOT BE WATCHING US IF THE POWER IS OUT.
BUT IF YOU GET THIS MESSAGE, DO NOT CALL NINE ONE ONE.
DO NOT CALL 9 1 1 TO TELL US YOUR POWER IS OUT.
YESTERDAY, THERE WERE ALMOST 16,000 CALLS TO 9 1 1.
THAT SHOULD BE FOR CRITICAL LIFE AND DEATH ISSUES.
TODAY, THOSE CALLS ARE DOWN ABOUT 50%.
WE NEED TO CUT THOSE CALLS DOWN.
SO IF YOU HAVE A POWER ISSUE, CALL 7 1 3 2 0 7 2 2 2 2 DIRECTLY TO CENTER POINT.
THEY'RE GONNA WORK AS HARD AS THEY CAN, AND WE WILL BE ON THEM EVERY DAY, EVERY SEVERAL HOURS.
WHERE ARE YOU IN RESTORING POWER? UM, THE LAST THING I WANT TO ADD HERE IS, UH, THE MAYOR IS CORRECT.
UM, YOU COULD RUN INTO WATER STILL IN SOME AREAS.
BUT HERE'S THE OTHER THING, PLEASE DO NOT DIE FROM CARBON MONOXIDE IN YOUR HOME.
DON'T PUT THE GENERATORS IN YOUR HOME.
WE'VE ALWAYS ALREADY HAD I THINK, TWO DEATHS BECAUSE OF CARBON MONOXIDE.
THOSE ARE DEATHS THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING, BECAUSE YOU HAVE POWER TEXT OR EMAIL OR CALL YOUR FRIENDS, MAYBE THEY STILL HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO HAVE THEIR INTERNET UP AND THEIR CELL PHONES.
REACH OUT TO THEM AND GIVE THEM THE MESSAGE THAT WE ARE GIVING YOU TODAY BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE STILL IN THE DARK AND THEY'RE PRETTY HOT TODAY AND WE UNDERSTAND IT.
AND WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH THE MAYOR TO SET UP COOLING CENTERS.
WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU AS SOON AS NIM KID FOUND OUT TODAY, LITERALLY TODAY, OF THE NEED OF OUR HOSPITALS AND HOW THEY WERE BACKED UP.
WE FIXED THAT IN LESS THAN 60 MINUTES.
SO WE HEAR THE NEED WE'RE THERE FOR YOU, JUST LIKE THE MAYOR WHEN HE HEARS THE NEED IS THERE FOR YOU.
KIT NIM, YOU'VE EXPERIENCED THESE OCCASIONS BEFORE.
UH, YOU'VE ALREADY OPENED DOORS FOR US, AND WOULD YOU COME GIVE US A STATUS REPORT, UH, AS WE GO FORWARD? THANK, THANK YOU MAYOR.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS THAT, THAT I'VE BEEN AT THE STATE.
UH, I USED TO LIVE IN FRIENDSWOOD, SO THIS IS ALMOST HOME TO ME AS WELL.
THE MEN AND WOMEN STANDING BEHIND ME.
I'VE WORKED WITH FOR YEARS WHEN I WAS EITHER IN SAN ANTONIO OR AT THE STATE.
LISTEN, YOU'VE GOT A GREAT TEAM HERE THAT'S DOING AMAZING WORK.
OUR JOB IS TO SUPPORT THEM AND SUPPORT THEIR RESOURCE REQUESTS.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO.
UH, WE DO NOT MAKE DECISIONS FOR THE CITY OR THE COUNTY, BUT WE SUPPORT THEIR DIRECTION.
UH, THE ADDITIONAL AMBULANCES COMING IN, AS THE GOVERNOR SAID, WILL HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE WALL TIMES THAT YOUR CURRENT 9 1 1 SYSTEM IS EXPERIENCING.
AND THEN WORKING WITH THE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS. I TALKED TO THE TEXAS HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION A FEW MINUTES AGO.
THEY'VE ASKED FOR THIS ADDITIONAL RESOURCE TO HELP LOAD BALANCE THE HOSPITAL NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THERE'VE BEEN A, THERE'VE BEEN REQUESTS FOR GENERATORS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE.
WE HAVE NOT HAD A GENERATOR REQUEST COME IN YET THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO MEET.
ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, THAT WE WILL GET OUT OF THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION OR THE MAJOR DISASTER THAT THE PRESIDENT GRANTED IS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IF NEEDED.
AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO TAP THOSE RESOURCES.
AS GOVERNOR PATRICK SAID, UH, FEMA HAS BEEN WITH US IN OUR EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER SINCE APRIL.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THESE STORMS TOGETHER.
THEY HAVE A PERMANENT SEAT WITH US.
I TALKED TO OUR REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR USUALLY MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY.
AND YESTERDAY I HAD A CALL WITH THE FEMA ADMINISTRATOR TODAY, ANOTHER CONVERSATION WITH HER.
WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SUPPORT IN REACHING OUT.
AS WE CONTINUE TO DO DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS, WE WILL NEED HELP WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND I WOULD ASK ALL CITIZENS, WHEN YOU CAN GET EMAIL AND INTERNET, GO TO DAMAGE DOT T DEM.TEXAS.GOV AND WE'LL SEND THAT OUT TO Y'ALL SO YOU CAN PUSH IT OUT AND ENTER YOUR DAMAGE INFORMATION.
THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN GETTING ADDITIONAL FEDERAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE CITIZENS.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR CITIES AND OUR COUNTIES AROUND THE STATE TO DO THEIR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS.
WE TYPICALLY NEED $54 MILLION OF UNINSURED GOVERNMENT COST AND LOSS BEFORE THE PRESIDENT CAN GRANT A DECLARATION.
I DO BELIEVE WE WILL EXCEED OR HAVE ALREADY EXCEEDED THAT
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THRESHOLD.I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE ACTIONS OF, OF THE GOVERNOR AND THE PRESIDENT TODAY TO EXPEDITE THAT PROCESS FOR US ALL, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK AS ONE TEAM TO GET THIS SOLVED.
AS YOU CAN HEAR FROM THESE EXPRESSIONS, WE ARE CURRENTLY IN AN ASSESSMENT MODE AND WE WILL ENTER VERY SHORTLY IN A RECOVERY MODE.
BUT WE HAVE TO DO THE ASSESSMENT FIRST TO PLACE A VALUE ON OUR LOSSES ALSO SO WE CAN KNOW WHERE TO IMPROVE OUR, OUR RESOURCE IMPLEMENTATION.
SO AT THIS TIME, ONE OF OUR KEY DEPARTMENT HEADS IS OBVIOUSLY OUR CHIEF OF POLICE, UH, CHIEF SATTERWHITE.
WOULD YOU COME GIVE US A STATUS REPORT IN TERMS OF THE PRIORITIES OF HPD AND HOW THE PUBLIC CAN ASSIST IN THIS EFFORT? THANK YOU.
UH, THE FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO DO IS JUST TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR YOUR OUTREACH.
YOU KNOW, LOSING, UM, LOSING, UH, ONE OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS IS NEVER EASY.
AND WE LOST RUSSELL YESTERDAY, BUT THE OUTREACH FROM THE PUBLIC HAS JUST BEEN AMAZING.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM.
THE OFFICERS, WE'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF THEM.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF RUSSELL'S FAMILY AND HONOR HIM.
UH, BUT THANK YOU ALL IN THE PUBLIC FOR, FOR WHAT YOU HAVE SAID AND YOUR OUTREACH.
UM, SO WE WERE READY FOR THE STORM.
UH, WE HAD PRE-POSITIONED RESOURCES, PRE-POSITIONED BOATS, HIGH WATER RESCUE TRUCKS, EVERYBODY WAS LEANING IN.
AND THEN YESTERDAY WHEN IT HIT, WE WENT RIGHT INTO RESPONSE MODE.
I THINK WE DID 56 RECOVERIES, UM, I'M SORRY, RESCUES OF PEOPLE THAT GOT CAUGHT IN HIGH WATER.
UH, SO THAT WAS, UM, OUR TEAMS OUT THERE DOING THEIR JOB.
OUR OFFICERS WERE LEANED IN, RESPONDING.
WE BROUGHT EVERYBODY IN UNIFORM AND THEY JUST REALLY PERFORMED REMARKABLY YESTERDAY THROUGH THE STORM.
SO I'M REALLY THANKFUL FOR THAT.
UH, BUT AS OF TODAY, THIS MORNING AT 6:00 AM WE CONVERTED OVER TO A FULL MOBILIZATION.
WE DID NOT KNOW HOW MUCH OF THE, WE DID NOT ANTICIPATE THE AMOUNT OF POWER THAT WE WOULD LOSE.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE CITY IS VERY DARK RIGHT NOW.
AND CENTER POINT I KNOW IS WORKING AS HARD AS THEY CAN, UH, TO GET THE POWER BACK ON, GET THE LIGHTS BACK ON.
BUT IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT.
SO WE MADE THE DECISION, UH, YESTERDAY, WHICH IS, IS HOW WE WOULD NORMALLY DO IT.
UH, POST THE STORM AFTER WE SEE WHAT, WHAT WE WERE HIT WITH.
AND WE HAVE VERY QUICKLY MOVED OVER TO FULL MOBILIZATION TODAY.
SO YOU HAVE YOUR ENTIRE POLICE DEPARTMENT WORKING.
BASICALLY HALF OF IT IS WORKING DAY SHIFT AND HALF OF IT IS WORKING NIGHT SHIFT.
AND IT WILL CONTINUE IN THAT POSTURE UNTIL WE THINK THAT IT IS SAFE ENOUGH AND APPROPRIATE.
WHEN WE GET POWER BACK ON AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE VULNERABLE NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR COMMUNITIES AND EVERYBODY IS AS SAFE, UH, WE WILL STAY IN THAT POSTURE.
AND THEN UNTIL WE DEMOBILIZE, UH, UNTIL THAT TIME, I WILL, UH, THE MAYOR MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THE PREDATORS THAT WILL GO OUT.
SADLY, SADLY, WE WILL HAVE, WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT WILL GO OUT AND TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS SITUATION.
WE HAD THEM GO OUT LAST NIGHT AND WE MADE ARRESTS.
AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS, ONCE THEY'VE CLEARED THE, UH, A COUPLE OF THE, UH, PROCESSES THROUGH THE DA'S OFFICE AND FOR CHARGES, WE WILL ACTUALLY PUT THOSE, PICTURE THEIR PICTURES OUT, BECAUSE WE WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT WE WILL HOLD THOSE WHO ARE GOING OUT THERE AND HARMING OTHERS ACCOUNTABLE.
YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS GONNA WORK FOR YOU IN THAT REGARD.
FINALLY, UH, AGAIN, UH, IT WAS MENTIONED, UH, WHAT YOU COULD DO TO HELP.
OBVIOUSLY, UH, IF YOU SEE ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS, LET US KNOW.
UM, YOU KNOW, 9 1 1, CORRECT CORRECTLY SAID IS NOT FOR MY POWERS OUT, BUT IT IS FOR ANYTHING WHERE YOU THINK THERE'S SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS OR SOMEBODY IS BEING HARMED OR ANYTHING IS GOING ON.
LAST NIGHT WE HAD A DISTURBANCE CALL WHERE WE HAD TWO OFFICERS RESPOND BECAUSE A SUSPECT WAS ASSAULTING TWO ELDERLY, UH, PERSONS AT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.
THOSE OFFICERS SHOWED UP, WHICH IS WHAT WE DO WITHIN MINUTES, GOT ON THE SCENE AND WERE DIRECTED TO WHERE HE WAS.
AND WHEN THEY MOVED AROUND, HE WAS ARMED AND HE OPENED FIRE ON THEM.
STRIKING ONE OF OUR OFFICERS, THANK GOD HE'S IN STABLE POSITION, UH, CONDITION RIGHT NOW AT THE HOSPITAL.
BUT THAT'S JUST, I'M JUST TELLING YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS, WE WILL RESPOND.
YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, REGARDLESS OF HAVING TO GRIEVE OVER THE LOSS OF, OF, OF ONE OF OUR OWN, REGARDLESS OF ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT, THAT OUR OFFICERS FACE, AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN CHALLENGES 'CAUSE THEY HAVE FAMILIES AT HOME WITHOUT POWER JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
WE HAVE STRUGGLES JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT THEY ARE THERE.
THEY'RE, AND THEY'RE GOING TO DO THEIR JOB BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE ALL PROMISED YOU, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WILL DO.
SO WITH THAT, MAYOR, I WILL YIELD BACK TO YOU AND THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UH, YESTERDAY ABOUT 11 O'CLOCK, WE WERE IN STRATEGIC MEETINGS IN THE, THE NERVE CENTER, I CALL IT.
AND LIVE WAS A RESCUE ON 2 88 AT HOLLY HALL.
GENTLEMAN HAD GOT, I STALLED AND LOOKED LIKE HE WAS IN A RIVER, BUT ACTUALLY IT WAS 2 88.
AND WE THOUGHT, OH NO, HE WAS STANDING ON THE HOOD AND TOP OF HIS
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TRUCK, AND HERE COMES A HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT LADDER TRUCK.AND THROUGH THEIR TRAINING AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO SAVING LIVES, THEY EXTENDED THAT LADDER OUT ACROSS 2 88, GAVE HIM A LIFE JACKET AND OTHER SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT AND SAVE THAT GENTLEMAN'S LIFE.
I BELIEVE IF HOUSTON FIRE HAD NOT RESPONDED ACCORDINGLY, WE WOULD'VE LOST ANOTHER LIFE.
CHIEF PENA, WILL YOU COME GIVE US A STATUS REPORT AND HOW WE CAN YES, SIR.
HOW WE CAN ASSIST, UH, HOUSTON FIRE? YES, SIR.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND, UH, THANKS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND MARSHALING ALL THESE RESOURCES FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, LIFE SAFETY REMAINS OUR PRIMARY CONCERN.
AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA ENSURE THAT OUR RESOURCES REMAIN IN PLACE TO, FOR THE SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ARE EXPERIENCING AN INCREASE IN CALL VOLUME.
WE'RE UP ABOUT 50%, UH, FROM OUR NORMAL PACE AT THIS TIME.
WHAT, UH, WE'RE SEEING IS ISSUES WITH BROKEN GAS, LINES DOWN, POWER LINES, MEDICAL ISSUES, AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THE INCREASE IN CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING TYPE CALLS.
WE'VE HAD, UH, ABOUT A HUNDRED IN THESE LAST COUPLE DAYS ALREADY.
SO ON TOP OF THAT, WITH THE HEAT AND THE HUMIDITY RISING, WE'RE ALSO SEEING AN INCREASE IN HEAT EMERGENCIES.
SO HERE'S WHAT WE'RE DOING TO, TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
FIRST OF ALL, LET ME, UH, UH, EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO THE GOVERNOR AND MY PARTNER, UH, CHIEF KIDD FOR THE QUICK, FOR THE RESPONSIVENESS AND THE QUICK ACTION IN, IN GETTING US THE RESOURCES THAT WE REQUESTED.
UH, WE'RE BRINGING IN ADDITIONAL STRIKE TEAMS, AMBULANCE STRIKE TEAMS TO AUGMENT AND SUPPLEMENT OUR, UH, OUR LOCAL FIREFIGHTERS HERE.
UH, THEY'LL REMAIN IN PLACE UNTIL THE, UH, THE CALL VOLUME HAS, HAS RECEDED, AND WE FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT WE CAN SUPPORT THE, UH, ONGOING OPERATION WITH OUR CURRENT RESOURCES.
UM, WE HAVE OUR SAW TEAMS THAT ARE ALSO IN PLACE AND EMBEDDED WITH THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE CLEARING DEBRIS IN THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARES.
WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARES, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO THE, UH, TRIBUTARIES OF SMALLER STREETS TO GAIN ACCESS PRIMARILY FOR OUR, OUR FIRE TRUCKS AND THE SERVICES THAT THE, UH, CITY IS, IS, UH, LOOKING TO PROVIDE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE PERSONNEL, UH, READY TO SUPPORT THE, UH, THE, UH, CENTERS THAT THE MAYOR HAS DIRECTED FOR US TO, TO, UH, STAND UP IN ORDER TO SERVE OUR, OUR COMMUNITY DURING THIS TIME.
IT'S BEEN MENTIONED BEFORE, BUT 9 1 1, RESERVE THAT FOR EMERGENCIES.
IF YOU'RE GONNA REPORT DOWN POWER LINES OR BROKEN UTILITY LINES, USE 7 1 3 2 0 7 2 2 2 2, RESERVE 9 1 1 FOR TRUE EMERGENCIES.
NOW, IF ANY OF THOSE ISSUES ARE CAUSING A TRUE EMERGENCY, THEN CALL 9 1 1.
BUT, UH, WE WANT TO REMAIN, UH, HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY TO, TO, UH, ADDRESS ALL THE INFLUX OF NINE ONE ONES THAT ARE COMING IN.
THE OTHER THING IS BEWARE OF THE HAZARDS.
WE HAD HIGH WINDS THIS, THIS LAST COUPLE DAYS.
THE TREES THAT, UH, ARE NOT, DID NOT FALL.
SOME OF 'EM ARE IN PRECARIOUS POSITIONS.
SOME OF THE POWER LINE POLES, THEY CAN BREAK IF WE GET ANOTHER GUST.
PLEASE BE AWARE OF THE HAZARDS THAT ARE STILL PRESENT IN THE, OUT THERE IN THE STREET.
DON'T EXPOSE YOURSELF DURING THE, THE HEAT OF THE DAY.
SHOWERS DURING THE DAY HELPS TO MAINTAIN TEMPERATURE IF YOU DON'T HAVE ELECTRICITY AT HOME.
BUT, UH, MORE THAN ANYTHING, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES, TAKE CARE OF YOUR FAMILIES, AND PLEASE CHECK ON EACH OTHER AND CHECK ON YOUR NEIGHBORS.
THE EMERGENCY CENTER IS WHERE WE GATHER TO GET REPORTS AND TO MAKE IMPORTANT DECISIONS.
THE DIRECTOR'S, TOM MUNOZ, I WILL CALL HIM.
HE HELPS US COORDINATE ALL THESE VALUABLE RESOURCES.
GOVERNOR, CHIEF KIDD, UH, WANNA ECHO WHAT EVERYONE SAID, UH, MY COLLEAGUES WITH THROUGHOUT YOUR SUPPORT, THE SUPPORT, THE, THE SUPPORT THE PEOPLE NEED WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.
SO WE ARE STILL IN LIFE SAFETY MODE.
HOWEVER, PART OF THE RECOVERY IS SUPPORTING THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN NEED.
RIGHT NOW, THE BIGGEST CONCERN WE HAVE IS OBVIOUSLY NO ELECTRICITY, WHICH IS ALSO COMPOUNDED BY THE HEAT ADVISORIES THAT WE HAVE.
SO, WITH THAT SAID, WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER WITH ALL OUR STATE PARTNERS, OUR LOCAL PARTNERS, AND OUR NGOS TO GET THE BASIC NEEDS THAT PEOPLE NEED.
THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WATER, THE ICE AREAS OF COMFORT.
WE'RE WORKING ON COOLING CENTERS.
YOU CAN FIND THOSE IN OUR HOUSTON OEM.ORG.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR VULNERABLE POPULATION GROUPS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE SAFE.
AS THEY'VE MENTIONED, THE, THE HOSPITALS ARE NOW INUNDATED.
WE'RE WORKING ON ESTABLISHING THOSE MEDICAL, THOSE AREAS FOR THE MEDICALLY FRAGILE
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WE CAN WORK.WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT HAVE BEEN IN ANTICIPATION.
NOW THAT WE ARE AT THIS POINT, WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK.
SO TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE HAS THE CAPABILITY TO GET THE RESOURCES THEY NEED, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE ABLE TO SUPPORT.
AND AGAIN, WANNA ECHO WHAT CHIEF PENA WITH THE MAYOR, WHAT CHIEF, UH, SATTERWHITE HAS MENTIONED GOVERNOR CHIEF KIDD.
WITH, WITHOUT YOUR ASSISTANCE, THIS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE, AND I CANNOT EMPHASIZE THE GRATITUDE, UH, THAT IS GIVEN IN MAYOR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK DILIGENTLY TO THE END OF THIS EVENT.
UH, WE RECOGNIZE OUR FIRE IN POLICE AS FIRST RESPONDERS, BUT WHEN WE'RE IN A CRISIS LIKE THIS, MOST OF MY DEPARTMENTS, I CONSIDER FIRST RESPONDERS, CERTAINLY PARTS SOLID WASTE, PUBLIC WORKS.
PUBLIC WORKS IS SO VITAL TO A RECOVERY IN A RESCUE OPERATION.
UH, RANDY, WOULD YOU COME GIVE US A STATUS REPORT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO ASSIST YOU? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UH, I WANT TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE, OF COURSE, TO, TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS THAT ARE HERE WITH US TODAY.
THIS REALLY IS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK OPERATION.
CERTAINLY WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE ASSISTANCE OF THE STATE GOVERNOR, UH, CHIEF KIDD.
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN LENT SO FAR.
BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE I ALSO EXPRESS APPRECIATION TO TDOT, WHO IS CURRENTLY HELPING US TRY AND GET MANY OF OUR TRAFFIC SIGNALS, UH, OPERATIONAL.
UM, THE SCOPE OF THIS STORM, OF COURSE, WAS NOT ONE FOR WHICH WE WERE PREPARED.
YOU HEARD THE GOVERNOR TALK ABOUT, UH, HOW WE DIDN'T EXPECT IT TO FULLY COME THIS WAY JUST A FEW DAYS AGO.
REGARDLESS OF THAT, WE STARTED TO POSITION OURSELVES TO BE WELL PREPARED TO RESPOND IN THE EVENT THAT THE WORST WOULD HAPPEN.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S KIND OF THE SITUATION WE'RE FACED WITH.
OF OUR 2,500 SIGNALED INTERSECTION.
THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THEM HAVE SOME DAMAGE OF, OF SOME KIND, WHETHER THAT'S, UH, UH, TURNED MAST, ARMS DOWN, SPAN LINES, MISSING SIGNAL HEADS ALTOGETHER.
UH, BUT THE LARGEST CHALLENGE OF THAT IS, OF COURSE, THERE'S NO POWER.
IT'S THE SAME THING THAT MOST HOUSTONIANS ARE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE MORE THAN 1400 ACTIVE SERVICE REQUESTS FOR OUR TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG REASONS WE'RE ASKING FOLKS TO STAY HOME AS MUCH AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN.
THE ROADS CAN BE DANGEROUS WHEN THERE'S NOT AS MUCH ORDER TO THEM.
AND WHEN OUR SIGNALS AREN'T WORKING, THE ORDER STARTS TO JUST GO OUT THE WINDOW.
YOU CAN NOTICE THAT JUST IF YOU'RE OUT THERE TODAY AND YOU SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE DRIVING, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE CAUTIOUS, BE PATIENT.
MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE PATIENCE FOR OTHERS AROUND YOU, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT MAY NOT KNOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD AS WELL AS WE HOPE THAT THEY WOULD.
NOW, IN TERMS OF OUR, UH, OF OUR ROADS, THE WATER HAS BEEN RECEDING SIGNIFICANTLY.
IF YOU'RE FINDING THAT THERE IS STILL PONDING WATER ON ROADS, WE'D ASK THAT YOU CALL 3 1 1 AND REPORT THAT TO US.
MOST LIKELY THERE IS A BLOCKAGE OF THE STORM WATER INLETS AT SOME SPOT.
WE WILL HAVE OUR CREWS OUT THERE, AS THEY ALREADY ARE RIGHT NOW, RESPONDING TO CLEAR THOSE AREAS TO HELP THE WATER TO RECEDE AS QUICKLY AS IT POSSIBLY CAN.
WE'RE WORKING, OF COURSE, IN CONJUNCTION WITH SOLID WASTE WITH FIRE, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN CLEAR THE ROADWAYS FROM FALLEN TREES AND OTHER DEBRIS.
WE HAVE MORE THAN 750 SERVICE REQUESTS ONGOING RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK, AND THAT NUMBER WILL CONTINUE TO GROW OVER THE COMING DAYS AS WE COMPLETE OUR DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS.
I DO WANNA MENTION, OF COURSE, THE WATER SYSTEM, THE DRINKING WATER SYSTEM IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS SAFE.
UH, WHEN WE HAVE EVENTS LIKE THIS, WE OF COURSE KNOW THAT ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES IS WITH OUR WASTEWATER SYSTEM, BACKUPS THAT MAY OCCUR, SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS THAT HAVE OCCURRED.
THEY CERTAINLY OCCURRED DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM YESTERDAY.
AND FOR THAT REASON, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO.
POWER IS OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE WHEN IT COMES TO OUR WASTEWATER OPERATIONS ACROSS THE CITY.
RIGHT NOW, MORE THAN HALF OF OUR LIFT STATIONS AND SOME OF OUR SMALLER WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS ARE EITHER ON GENERATOR OR NO POWER AT ALL.
IT'S REQUIRING US TO BE VERY CREATIVE IN HOW WE FIND WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN KEEP THEM IN OPERATION SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THE WASTEWATER SYSTEM AT ITS AT ITS PEAK CAPACITY AS BEST WE CAN.
IF YOU'RE EXPERIENCING ISSUES, ONCE AGAIN, 3 1 1 IS YOUR BEST PLACE TO GO.
WE ARE PRIORITIZING CALLS THAT WE RECEIVE SO WE CAN MAKE SURE INVESTIGATORS RESPOND TO AND ADDRESS ISSUES WHERE WE CAN.
UM, AT THAT POINT, I WANNA, I JUST WANT TO, AGAIN, EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR ALL OF OUR PARTNERS HERE, AND ESPECIALLY FOR OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
WHILE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS HAS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THE, ON THE GROUND TODAY, WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE HELP OF EVERYONE ELSE.
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS HAS LEND ASSISTANCE TO US IN PROVIDING ADDITIONAL INSPECTORS.
WE'VE WORKED WITH A RA AND ALL SORTS OF OTHERS ALONG THE WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN KEEP THE SERVICES OF THE CITY, UH, AND RESTORE THEM AS QUICKLY AS WE AS POSSIBLE.
SO WE'RE GRATEFUL TO THEM AND GRATEFUL TO OUR FRIENDS AT THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
MAYOR, I TURN THAT BACK TO YOU.
UM, RIGHT ALONG WITH ELECTRICITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS DEBRIS PICKUP,
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GARBAGE RECYCLING, BUT THE REAL EMPHASIS RIGHT NOW IS CLEARING THE ROADS AND PICKING UP THE DEBRIS.I'D LIKE TO ASK MARK WOLFERT TO COME AND GIVE US A STATUS REPORT OF OUR DEBRIS PICKUP IN SOLID WASTE.
UH, THANK YOU MAYOR AND, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, UH, PREACH TO BE WORKING WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS HERE.
UH, AND I'VE ALSO LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK OUR SOLID WASTE EMPLOYEES WHO TOOK THE TIME TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES.
MANY OF MY EMPLOYEES WHO I SPOKE WITH TODAY INDICATED THAT THEY ARE STILL WITHOUT POWER.
TH THEY, THEY'RE STILL WITHOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU'VE BEEN HEARING US DISCUSS.
SO THEY HAVE MADE THE SACRIFICE TO COME IN AND HELP RESTORE NORMALCY TO THE CITY.
SO TO THOSE EMPLOYEES, I DEFINITELY, UH, WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS.
UH, TODAY WE HAD ABOUT 70% CAPACITY.
UH, BECAUSE OF THAT, UH, WE'VE ONLY FOCUSED ON PROVIDING GARBAGE, HOUSEHOLD GARBAGE COLLECTION.
MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS WHO WERE SCHEDULED TO HAVE COLLECTIONS ON MONDAY, WE MADE OUR BEST EFFORTS TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE TODAY.
HOWEVER, I WANT TO CAUTION EVERYBODY AND ASK FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLETE ALL OF OUR SCHEDULED ROUTES TODAY, BUT WE DO PLAN ON PROVIDING ALL SOLID WASTE COLLECTION SERVICES OR ALL GARBAGE COLLECTION SERVICES BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
UH, SO PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH US.
WE'VE ALSO BEGAN THE SECOND PASS OF OUR DERECHO STORM CLEANUP EFFORTS, WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY MERGE INTO HURRICANE BARREL CLEANUP EFFORTS.
UH, SO AGAIN, PLEASE BE PATIENT.
IF YOU NEED ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE USE THE THREE ONE ONE CALL CENTER OR UTILIZE OUR HTX COLLECTIONS APP THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.
AND ONE LAST THING, I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO CONTINUE TO BE SAFE AS THEY DO, UH, PRACTICE DEBRIS CLEARING IN THEIR HOMES AND MOVING THOSE ITEMS TO THE CURB.
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR CITY SERVICES IS CRITICAL TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THAT PEOPLE EXPECT.
UH, WE HAVE THE PARKS DIRECTOR HERE, WE HAVE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE CREATING COOLING CENTERS AT OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS.
SOME HAVE BEEN SLOW IN OPENING DUE TO LACK OF ENERGY AND A LACK OF A BACKUP GENERATORS.
AND I WILL TELL YOU AS WE DO AN ASSESSMENT EVALUATION AFTER THIS STORM, UH, GENERATION WILL BE A MAJOR TOPIC.
WE HAVE NINE FIRE STATIONS THAT ARE NOT OPERABLE BECAUSE OF LACK OF ENERGY AND NO BACKUP GENERATORS.
I CANNOT IMAGINE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS AT ANY TIME IN OUR LIVES TO BUILD A FIRE STATION, TRY TO OPERATE A FIRE STATION WITHOUT A BACKUP GENERATOR.
THAT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED GOING FORWARD.
IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST OUTRAGEOUS.
BUT WE ARE PROVIDING FIRE SUPPRESSION, EMS SERVICE, BUT IT'S JUST GREAT CITIES DO NOT HAVE TO CLOSE A FIRE STATION BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A BACKUP GENERATOR.
AND SO THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED.
ALL THE DEPARTMENTS I MENTIONED ARE CRITICAL SERVICES.
OBVIOUSLY, OUR PARTNERS WITH OUR SOCIAL SERVICES, THE RED CROSS, SALVATION ARMY, OUR FAITH COMMUNITY, WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
I JUST EMPHASIZED THE HOUSTONIANS.
WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE TO ASSIST YOU DURING THIS TIME OF A CRISIS.
WE ALSO ARE ASKING YOU TO ALLOW US TO HELP YOU BY HELPING US BY STAYING OFF THE STREETS AT NIGHT, LOOKING OUT FOR YOUR FAMILY, YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR PETS, AND CERTAINLY THE MOST VULNERABLE.
IF YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR A SENIOR CITIZEN, CARE FOR THAT SENIOR CITIZEN.
IF THAT PERSON'S IN AN INDEPENDENCE LIVING FACILITY, CHECK ON THEM.
LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN ASSIST HERE IN THIS EMERGENCY CENTER.
NEARLY EVERYTHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY INVOLVES ENERGY.
SO I WOULD ASK SENATOR POINT TO COME FORWARD RIGHT NOW AND GIVE US A STATUS REPORT IN SOME REASONABLE PROJECTION OF THE RELIEF THAT'S FORTHCOMING.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT AND EVERYBODY HERE ON BEHALF OF CENTERPOINT ENERGY.
I CAN SAY THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO RESTORING THE POWER AS QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES THAT BEING WITHOUT POWER CAN BE.
WHETHER IT'S THE MEDICINE IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR, BEING ABLE TO KEEP YOUR FAMILY'S COOL OR LOSING THE FOOD THAT YOU NEED TO FEED YOUR FAMILY.
AND IT'S OUR PURPOSE TO BE ABLE TO ENABLE ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS TO HAVE THE NECESSARILY, UH, QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND SO FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDE THE POWER.
SO I WANTED TO SAY THAT WE HAD BEEN WATCHING THE STORM AND WE HAD AN EYE ON IT AS SOON AS IT ENTERED THE GULF.
AND I CAN SHARE WITH FULL CONFIDENCE THAT WE WERE PREPARED.
AND IN FACT, WE SECURED RESOURCES,
[00:35:01]
MATERIALS, AND EQUIPMENT BEFORE THE STORM EVEN GOT HERE.SO, TO KEEP IN PERSPECTIVE, WE HAVE, UH, 10,000 FIELD RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE SECURED.
UH, BY THE END OF TOMORROW, WE'RE LOOKING AT 12,000.
AND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, IT HAS TO TAKE QUITE A LOT OF PLANNING AND PREPARATION.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO SHARE ALL OF THAT STUFF THAT TAKES PLACE BEFOREHAND TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
NOW, AS FAR AS OUR RESPONSE AND HOW THAT WORKS, WE HAVE A VERY SPECIFIED SPECIFIC PROGRAM WHEN WE EXECUTE OUR EMERGENCY OPERATION PLAN.
KEEP IN MIND, THIS IS ONE OF THE LARGEST METRO AREAS IN THE COUNTRY.
WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF LINEMEN WHO HAVE NEVER SEEN, TOUCHED, OR WORKED ON OUR FACILITIES.
AND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO DO IT SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY.
AND IT MEANS THEY HAVE TO COME IN AND THEY HAVE TO BE TRAINED.
ONE OF THE PARTICULAR ISSUES WITH THIS STORM IS THAT IT DIDN'T COMPLETELY LEAVE OUR TERRITORY UNTIL ABOUT 3:00 PM YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
ALL OF OUR INTERNAL RESOURCES WERE IN-HOUSE READY TO RESPOND TO THE STORM AS SOON AS IT CLEARED.
AND ONCE IT DID, WE WERE ALL HANDS ON DECK FOR OUR RESTORATION PROCESS.
AS THAT WAS TAKING PLACE, THE CREWS THAT WE HAD SECURED THAT ACTUALLY STARTED TO ARRIVE BEFORE THE STORM CAME, THEY WERE LOCATED IN AREAS SO THEY COULD RIDE OUT THE STORM, WHICH COULD BE POTENTIALLY NORTH OF WHERE THE STORM WAS GOING.
SO IT'S LATER FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE THROUGH.
ONCE IT WAS CLEAR FOR THEM, THEY WERE ABLE TO ARRIVE LAST EVENING.
SO AGAIN, FOR I, I GUESS TO HELP GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF OUR RESTORATION PROCESS, WITH THOSE THOUSANDS OF CREWS THAT WE HAD, THEY HAD TO BE TRAINED, ONBOARDED, FED, PUT TO BED, THOUSANDS OF HOTELS, MEALS, ALL OF THAT PREPARED AFTER 3:00 PM ONCE THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE, WE HAD STAGING SITES.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LARGE LAY DOWN YARDS WITH HUNDREDS OF POLES, TRANSFORMERS, EQUIPMENT READY FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND AT 5:00 AM THIS MORNING WHERE THEY SHOWED UP, GRABBED THE EQUIPMENT NECESSARY AND ABLE TO GO.
AS WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT WORK, WE'RE DOING OUR CUT AND CLEAR PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN DE-ENERGIZE OUR SYSTEM, MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SAFE FOR THOSE FOREIGN CREWS TO BE ABLE TO WORK AS EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.
ONCE WE GET THE RESULTS OF THAT, WE'LL START SEEING CUSTOMERS COME ON MORE QUICKLY.
AND AS FAR AS OUR RESTORATION EFFORT, AS AS GETTING AN IDEA OF WHAT THE RESTORATION TIMELINE IS, WE HAVE TO DO A COMPLETE ASSESSMENT OF OUR FACILITIES.
WE'RE LOOKING AT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MILES OF CIRCUITS THAT WE HAVE TO CIRCUIT MILES THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT.
WE HAD APPROXIMATELY 1,300 CIRCUITS THAT WERE OUT.
AND WE CAN TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT CIRCUITS ARE OUT.
WE CAN TELL YOU EXACTLY HOW MANY CUSTOMERS ARE OUT, BUT WE CAN'T TELL YOU THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE OF THAT PARTICULAR CIRCUIT UNTIL WE ACTUALLY WALK THE GROUND.
AND SO WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF FIELD ASSESSORS ARE TRYING TO GET THAT INFORMATION.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT AS QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE.
BUT KEEP IN MIND, WHEN THEY'RE OUT THERE LITERALLY WALKING BOOTS ON THE GROUND, THESE CIRCUIT MILES, IT COULD BE COVERED WITH DEBRIS SATURATED FLOODED.
SO WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET THAT AS QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE, AND THAT ONCE WE GO GATHER ALL THAT INFORMATION, WE'LL BE ABLE TO EXACTLY DETERMINE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS THE RESTORATION EFFORT.
SO I APPRECIATE THE PATIENCE, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S UNDERSTANDING.
WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO GET THIS RESTORATION DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO HAVE OVER A MILLION CUSTOMERS BY TOMORROW, BACK ONLINE.
CURRENTLY WE'RE AT 600, JUST OVER 650,000 RESTORED.
AND WE'RE HOPING THAT WE'RE GONNA START SEEING SOME MORE PROGRESS COME IN RATHER SOON.
AGAIN, I, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THE TIME, PATIENCE, UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE HAVE.
AND I DO WANT TO CONFIRM THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE HEARD SOME FEEDBACK ON REGARDING THE NUMBER OF RESOURCES THAT WE WEREN'T PREPARED OR THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY THAT, UH, NECESSARY, UH, THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES NECESSARY.
I CAN CONFIRM THAT THAT IS NOT TRUE.
WE HAVE HEARD SOME FEEDBACK THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MATERIALS, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH POLES, WE DON'T HAVE TRANSFORMERS.
I CAN CONFIRM THAT IS NOT TRUE.
AND THE REASON WHY THAT'S NOT TRUE, AGAIN, IS BECAUSE OF OUR PREPARATION, PLANNING, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO BEFORE THE STORM TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE WHAT WAS NECESSARY.
AND DESPITE THE FACT THAT ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAD, THAT THE STORM WAS NOT GONNA BE AS IMPACTFUL OR EVEN HEADING OUR DIRECTION, WE WERE FULLY PREPARED.
AND ONCE WE'RE ABLE TO GET AN IDEA OF EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE'LL HAVE A BETTER
[00:40:01]
INFORMATION THAT WE COULD SHARE AS WHAT OUR RESTORATION TIMELINE WILL LOOK LIKE.SO THEN AGAIN, THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE.
AND I'LL MAKE CENTER POINT AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS AS WE GO FORWARD.
UH, AS I'VE SAID, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF MY DEPARTMENTS ARE CRITICAL TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THAT WE ADDRESS ON A DAILY BASIS.
ANGELA BLANCHARD, THANK YOU FOR DIRECTORSHIP, A RESILIENCE AND DISCOVERY.
ANGEL TS THANK YOU MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
EACH AND EVERY OPERATION, EACH ELEMENT OF CITY GOVERNMENT IS AT, AT ALL HANDS ON DECK.
I DID SEE SENATOR CORN'S OFFICE REPRESENTED, AND THAT IS ANOTHER INDICATOR OF THE COLLABORATION AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT.
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE GOVERNOR PATRICK, OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, CITY OF HOUSTON, I CAN GO ON AND ON.
I'VE NEVER SEEN SUCH A JOINT EFFORT OF PUBLIC SERVANTS SERVING THE PUBLIC.
AND WITH THAT SAID, I'LL BE GLAD TO YIELD TO ANNA, WILL YOU COME SPEAK, UH, TO OUR SPANISH SPEAKING RESIDENTS AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS.
[00:45:14]
ENERGY ENERGY CENTER THANK YOU, IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN COUNTY GOVERNMENT, CITY GOVERNMENT WORKING TOGETHER.SINCE I WAS SWORN IN, I'VE HAD A FULL-TIME PARTNERSHIP WITH THESE TWO COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE HERE, WHETHER IT'S ROAD REPAIR, FLOOD CONTROL, AND CERTAINLY DEBRIS PICKUP, EVEN PARKS.
THEY OFFER TO HELP US MOW OUR CITY PARKS.
IT'S THE BEST USE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
WE'RE CUTTING OUT DUPLICATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
SO TOM RAMSEY, I WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK YOU AND ASK YOU TO, UH, ADVISE US ON HOW WE CAN GO FORWARD.
I APPRECIATE THE, UH, COLLABORATION.
UH, GOVERNOR PATRICK, APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT.
YOUR COLLABORATION, YOUR SUPPORT ALLOWS US TO FOCUS IN THE COUNTY, OUR RESOURCES TO GET SOME THINGS DONE.
ONE THING IS IMPORTANT, I THINK, TO POINT OUT WITH THIS STORM.
THIS IS THE THIRD DISASTER WE'VE HAD IN THIS REGION IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS.
SO OUR CONSTITUENTS TO OUR, UH, FOLKS OUT THERE IN THE FIELD, UH, I'M JUST AMAZED AT HOW RESILIENT THEY ARE IN GOING THROUGH ANOTHER STORM, YET ANOTHER STORM.
AND, AND THIS ONE WAS PROBABLY THE WORST.
I'VE SEEN MORE DAMAGE OUT OF THIS STORM THAN I CAN REMEMBER ON ANY THE, THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE IS EXTRAORDINARY.
SEVERAL THOUSAND TREES ARE STILL ON THE GROUND.
WE ARE IN A CLEARING MOOD IN THE COUNTY.
WE GOTTA KEEP THE THOROUGHFARES CLEARED.
THE INTERSECTION, UH, LACK OF, OF, UH, LIGHTS IS A MAJOR ISSUE THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY FOLKS, UH, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE FIRE MARSHAL, OTHER AREAS TO BE SURE THAT THOSE CITIZENS IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF HARRIS COUNTY, UH, ARE TAKEN CARE OF AND PROPERLY ADDRESSED.
SO MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
WE'LL TRY TO KEEP OUR EYE ON THE BALL.
OKAY, MAYOR, UH, THE GOVERNOR, PATRICK, UM, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, THE POLICE AND FIRE CHIEFS.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, ANGELA AS WELL.
AND CHIEF KIT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPECTIVE LEADERSHIP AND FOR THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE AS WELL.
MAYOR, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR FOSTERING AN ATTITUDE OF ALL OF GOVERNMENT RESPONSE AND APPROACH, UH, TO YET ANOTHER CHALLENGE BEFORE OUR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE ENTITY THAT HAS NOT YET BEEN MENTIONED, BUT WILL BE IN TOWN SHORTLY, IS THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION'S DISASTER RECOVERY, UH, RESOURCES, UH, WITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FRANCISCO SANCHEZ, UH, WHO WILL BE IN TOWN, UH, TO HELP YET BRING MORE FEDERAL DOLLARS TO OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
AND BUSINESSES ABSOLUTELY NEED TO BE SUPPORTED BY US.
UH, MAYOR, I, I WANT TO TAKE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING ANGEL PONTE.
I'VE KNOWN THIS YOUNG MAN FOR QUITE SOME TIME, BUT TO TAKE TIME TO RECOGNIZE THE DISABLED, UH, THE PRIORITY FOR THE DISABLED COMMUNITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN IMPORTANT FOR ME.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.
AND THIS INDIVIDUAL IS JUST PHENOMENAL, UH, IN HIS RESPECTIVE WORK FOR PRECINCT TWO.
JUST LIKE COMMISSIONER RAMSEY SAID, WE ARE FOCUSED ON PROVIDING, WE'VE ALWAYS STOOD UP SOME DISTRIBUTION CENTERS, UH, TODAY, UH, TO PROVIDE WATER AND RESOURCES TO THE COMMUNITY, SOME BOXED FOOD.
UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO AS RESOURCES ARE MADE AVAILABLE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY MOVE FORWARD.
ONE THING THAT I DID WANT TO, UH, POINT OUT IS PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE RESPECTIVE SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, FROM THE, UH, FOUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE THE CLOSEST TO THE GROUND, UH, TO STAY UP TO DATE, TO THE RECOVERY PROCESS THAT'S UNDERWAY.
[00:50:01]
DISTRIBUTION CENTERS, UM, RESOURCES THAT ARE, ARE, ARE GONNA BE MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU.PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO ALL OF OUR RESPECTIVE OFFICES SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH TIMELY UPDATES.
AND THEN ALSO, I WANNA POINT OUT HURRICANE IKE, UM, THE FLOOD DAY, UH, UH, THE, THE FLOOD DAY FLOOD, UH, OF 2015, ALL HAVE VERY SIMILAR MEMORIAL DAY FLOOD.
UH, ALL HAVE VERY SIMILAR, UH, IMPACTS TO WHAT WE JUST SAW.
YET IN THOSE RESPECTIVE OCCURRENCES, WE HAD ABOUT 3000 OR MORE STRUCTURES REPORTED FLOODED.
IN THIS ONE, WE'RE NOT EVEN GONNA GET CLOSE.
AND I THINK IT IS IN GREAT PART TO THE PHENOMENAL WORK THAT THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT HAS BEEN DOING.
THE HARVEY BOND IS PAYING FOR ITSELF AS WE SPEAK, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO WORK.
WE OBVIOUSLY KNOW THAT WE NEED, WE HAVE MORE TO DO AND WE'RE GONNA STAY FOCUSED, UH, ON THE BALL.
WE GOT A ENGINEER AND COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, WHO IS ALWAYS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING SHARP IN THAT REGARD, AND AN ADVOCATE FOR THE COMMUNITIES WHO NEED THOSE RESOURCES THE MOST.
AND ME AND COMMISSIONER BRIES, UH, TO THAT, UH, TO THAT POINT, THE TESTAMENT OF PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY, THE STATE OF TEXAS, OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS INCOMPARABLE.
UH, BUT WE DO NEED ONE THING FROM OUR CITIZENS, AND IT HAS BEEN TOUCHED ON BY ALMOST EVERYONE.
AND THAT IS THAT WE NEED YOUR PATIENCE.
WE ARE GOOD AT WHAT WE DO, AND WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH THIS QUICKLY BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS IN IT TOGETHER.
IT'S GONNA BE HOT, IT'S GETTING HOTTER.
UH, PLEASE DO NOT LET THOSE CONDITIONS GET THE BEST OF ANYONE.
GO TO THE COOLING CENTER TO COOL OFF
AND IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT THAT FOOD IN THE REFRIGERATOR, THROW A NEIGHBORHOOD PICNIC.
UH, INVITE YOUR NEIGHBORS OVER, MAKE GOOD USE OF THE FOOD.
BUT DO NOT LET THOSE FRUSTRATIONS, UH, BOIL OVER AND CREATE MORE CHALLENGES THAN WE ALREADY HAVE.
UH, AND AGAIN, FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FEED SO THAT WE CAN, UH, PROVIDE YOU ALL THE INFORMATION AS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND AS CURRENT AS POSSIBLE.
PATRICK IS THE THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IN CLOSING, UH, LET ME THANK YOU HOUSTONIANS FOR, UH, BEING RESILIENT.
[00:55:01]
I WANT HOUSTONIANS TO KNOW THAT THIS TEAM WILL BE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY AND HELP THEM IN A FULL RECOVERY.WE ASK YOU TO LOOK OUT FOR YOUR FAMILY, YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR PETS, YOUR SENIOR CITIZENS, AND WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND THIS IS HOW WE'RE GONNA COLLABORATE AND GET THROUGH.
AND EACH AND EVERY ONE, I COULD NAME EVERYONE, BUT, UH, THEY STAND OUT ON THEIR OWN, RIGHT? UH, WE CLOSE AT THIS TIME.
WE'RE GONNA GO BACK AND GO TO WORK AND DEAL WITH REALTIME INFORMATION.
SO IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? THIS QUESTION IS FOR THE CENTER POINT REPRESENTATIVE.
AND SIR, IF YOU DON'T MIND YOUR, UH, NAME AND POSITION.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF REGULATORY POLICY AT CENTER POINT ENERGY.
DID, WERE THERE GROUPS STAGED BEFORE MERRILL HIT? AND IF SO, HOW MANY CREW WERE ACTUALLY HERE STAGED.
AND WHERE WAS THAT? SO WHEN WE REACH OUT FOR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE, IT'S A, IT'S A LARGE GROUP OF OTHER UTILITIES, MUNICIPALITIES, CONTRACTORS.
AND SO WHEN WE GO OUT, WE MAKE A REQUEST FOR THOSE CREWS TO COME.
TRADITIONALLY, THE WAY THAT IT WORKS IS ONCE WE HAVE THAT, THOSE CREWS RESPOND POST THE STORM.
AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND AS THAT AS SOON AS A STORM HITS, YOU CAN'T SHOW UP AND JUST START GIVING THOUSANDS OF WORK ORDERS TO THOSE CONTRACTORS.
THERE IS A VERY SPECIFIC SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT WORK.
ONE, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE EVERYTHING SET UP.
YOU GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES.
YOU GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'VE COMPLETED THEIR SAFETY TRAINING.
AND THEN ONCE THAT TAKE TAKES PLACE, THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE FULLY ASSESSED, UH, UH, WORK FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO.
IT'S YOU, IT'S NOT AS JUST AS SIMPLE AS OVERNIGHT, BRINGING THEM IN AND HAVING THEM START TO WORK.
SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS WE REQUESTED THE CREWS, THEY STARTED TO HEAD OUR WAY PRIOR TO THE STORM.
IT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO FIND PLACES TO RIDE OUT BEFORE THE STORM, UH, TAKES PLACE TO GET REASONABLY CLOSE.
ONCE THE STORM PASSES THEN AND THEY'RE CONVENIENT OR IT'S, THEY'RE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO, UH, DRIVE SAFELY INTO OUR TERRITORY, THAT'S WHEN WE BRING THEM ONBOARD 'EM, TRAIN 'EM, THEN GET 'EM READY.
AND THEN SO WHEN THEY'RE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO DEPLOY, USUALLY FIRST DAY IS NOT, UM, GONNA WORK BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE NECESSARY WORK, UH, WORK ORDERS, UH, DEFINED REGIONS, AREAS THAT THEY NEED TO WORK.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE ALL THAT'S ORGANIZED BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT THE ACTUAL, UH, DAMAGE INFRASTRUCTURE IS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO GET AN IDEA OF ACTUALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THAT ASSESSMENT PROCESS IS.
SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE ABOUT 7,500.
OF THOSE 10,000, UM, RESOURCES THAT WE SECURED.
THE REST OF THEM SHOULD BE ONBOARDED TONIGHT.
AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER 2000 ON TOP OF THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BY TOMORROW.
BUT DID WE HAVE CREWS TOO PREVIOUS TO THE STORM HEADING OR ARE YOU SAYING THAT THAT'S NOT NECESSARY? I KNOW THAT THAT'S BEEN DONE IN THE PAST, NOT HERE AT CENTER POINT.
THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT PART OF OUR PROCESS.
SO THE CREWS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE STORM ARE INTERNAL RESOURCES BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S VERY SPECIFIC ON HOW WE DO THAT WORK.
WE HAVE TO DO WHAT'S DEFINED AS OUR CUT AND CLEAR PROCESS.
WE HAVE TO ASSESS WHAT HAS BEEN DAMAGED, THEN WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND WE HAVE TO DISCONNECT AND SEPARATE OUR FACILITIES FOR THOSE WORKERS TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON 'EM.
'CAUSE WE'RE OBLIGATED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SAFE AND DE-ENERGIZE FOR THEM TO WORK.
AND THAT'S NEVER GONNA HAPPEN ON DAY ONE.
THAT'S NEVER BEEN PART OF OUR PROCESS.
AND IT'S TOO LARGE OF A SCALE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO WE HAVE TO DEPLOY OUR INTERNAL RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
IT USUALLY APPEARS TO BE MUCH QUICKER BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE STORM.
UH, IN THE PAST, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE HURRICANE NICHOLAS WHEN IT CAME THROUGH WAS EARLY IN THE MORNING.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUR CREWS OUT, DO THAT CUT AND CLEAR PROCESS IMMEDIATELY.
UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THIS CLEARING OUR TERRITORY AT 3:00 PM ALL THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IS BRING THOSE CREWS IN, GET 'EM SET UP, GET 'EM TRAINED, ONBOARDED, READY TO GO.
SO THAT FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT.
ALSO, KEEP IN MIND, WHILE WE'RE BRINGING IN THOSE CREWS, WE HAVE TO, AS SOON AS THAT STORM PASSES THROUGH, THAT IS WHEN WE HAVE TO SET UP OUR LAY DOWN YARDS, OUR STAGING SITES WHERE WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO HAVE ALL OF THOSE FACILITIES SET UP AND READY TO GO.
YOU CANNOT DO THAT BEFORE THE STORM.
WE CAN'T HAVE EQUIPMENT LAYING OUT.
WE CAN'T HAVE EVERYTHING JUST READY TO GO PRIOR TO THE STORM AS FAR AS BEING SET UP AND DEPLOYED.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE THE FACILITIES READY
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FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO JUST SHOW UP, GRAB THEIR WORK ORDERS, GET THE MATERIAL THEY NEED, AND THEN GO OUT.SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, TO HAVE THE STORM PASS AT 3:00 PM IN THE AFTERNOON, HAVE THOSE CREWS COME IN IN THE LATE EVENING AND HAVE EVERYTHING READY BY 5:00 AM TO GO OUT AND GET OUT AND, AND, AND START THE WORKFORCE IS RATHER IMPRESSIVE.
'CAUSE WE'RE TALKING THOUSANDS OF CREWS.
SO CLEAR, THERE WERE NO CREWS STATED PREVIOUS TO THE STORM.
AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE EVER NOT WITHIN OUR TERRITORY.
I HEARD ONE ABOUT CITY FACILITIES THAT DON'T HAVE POWER, THAT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THAT'S THE FIRE STATIONS, THAT'S THE LIBRARIES, THAT'S THE PUMP STATION, MULTI CENTERS, MULTI SERVICE CENTERS USE TOOLING CENTERS.
WHAT, WHAT CENTER POINTS, I GUESS POSTURE TOWARD FOR STORING THOSE? IS THAT A PRIORITY THESE GUYS? YEAH, SO ACTUALLY THERE'S A LOT OF PRELIMINARY WORK THAT TAKES PLACE AND WE WORK WITH ALL OF OUR CITIES TO IDENTIFY THE CRITICAL CUSTOMERS IS WHAT WE REFER TO.
AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS SUCH AS THE, THE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, THE PUMP STATIONS.
UH, WE AGAIN, HAVE TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE OF OUR FACILITIES, GET AN IDEA OF WHAT IT TAKES ON OUR END TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT.
SOME OF THEM WE'RE ABLE TO WORK WITH, SOME OF THEM WE ARE NOT.
BUT FORTUNATELY BECAUSE OF THE LEGISLATION THAT WE HAD, COURTESY OF OUR, UH, TEMPORARY GENERATION, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE BACKUP GENERATION FOR THOSE FACILITIES.
HOW MANY
UM, I, I, I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD, UH, QUITE A FEW DEPLOYED, BUT I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.
AND HERE IS THAT CITY RESPONSE AT ALL.
IT'S NOT THE POWER TEAM FACILITIES, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT OUR FIRST RODEO.
SO WE LEARN FROM OUR EXPERIENCE, THERE ARE A PRIORITY OF FACILITIES SUCH AS HOSPITALS, OUR JAILS, OTHER CRITICAL NEEDS THAT CENTERPOINT IS AWARE OF.
AND, UH, WE COMMUNICATE THEM ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE, OBVIOUSLY, THE CITY DOES NOT RUN CENTER POINT, BUT WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER.
WE DO UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION OF FAMILIES.
I'VE HEARD FROM MY FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE CITY'S HIGHEST PRIORITY RIGHT THERE WITH PUBLIC SAFETY IS ENERGY.
WE WANT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO HAVE LIGHTS, WE WANT OUR TRAFFIC LIGHTS TO WORK.
SO ENERGY AND CENTER POINT IS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY RIGHT BEHIND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
SO YES, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD.