[Mayor’s Press Conference on July 10, 2024. ]
[00:00:18]
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TO ALLOW THE, UH, COMMUNITY OF BAKERS HOME AND SURROUNDING AREAS TO KNOW THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN CENTER.
REOPEN IT THIS AFTERNOON BECAUSE OF LACK OF ENERGY AND, UH, A BACKUP GENERATOR, WHICH I'M LEARNING ACROSS THE CITY.
CITY FACILITIES HAVE NOT BEEN EQUIPPED FOR GENERATORS, SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE MUST FIX AFTER ARE CRASHES.
ABOUT 48 HOURS AGO, AS WE ALL KNOW, WE EXPERIENCED A VERY DIRTY SIDE OF A DIRTY HURRICANE.
CAME IN, UH, BIG PART A SUNDAY NIGHT.
I LEFT THE STREETS AT TWO O'CLOCK WITH THE POLICE CHIEF AND I TOLD PEOPLE SUNDAY EVENING, WHEN YOU GO TO BED, BE A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU WAKE UP.
THAT WAS A VERY ACCURATE STATEMENT.
CITYWIDE ACROSS THAT REGION, 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE LOST THEIR ENERGY AND WE'RE SEEING THE HARDSHIP, THE LOSS OF ELECTRICITY CAUSES.
WE ALSO HAVE A VERY SERIOUS DEBRIS PROBLEM, WHAT WE DO AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TO REACH OUT TO EVERY COMMUNITY.
WE'RE VERY FOND OF ACRES HOMES BECAUSE I REPRESENTED THIS DISTRICT FOR 50 YEARS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE, ONE OF OUR REALLY HISTORICAL SPECIAL COMMUNITIES.
LET ME POINT OUT THIS AFTERNOON, WE ARE PREPARED WITH OUR PARTNERS OF HEB, THE FOOD BANK, OUR FAITH COMMUNITY, TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE PREPARED TO FEED 600 PEOPLE IN THIS DRIVE THROUGH PICKUP.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO USE THE ACRES HOME MULTI SERVICE CENTER AS A COOLING CENTER.
THIS WILL BE THE FIRST OF SEVERAL STOPS, BUT, UH, THE MOST VULNERABLE AMONG US SENIORS, OTHER SOCIAL, ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED INDIVIDUALS NEED OUR SPECIAL ATTENTION.
THAT'S WHY WE START IN ACRES HOME.
THANK FOR TAR JACKSON AND HER CHIEF OF STAFF FOR BEING WITH US.
REVEREND PRESTON, LONGTIME FRIEND, COMMUNITY LEADERS, MEMBERS, MEMBER OF METRO.
UH, WE'RE ALL COMING TOGETHER.
I WANT EVERY HOUSTONIAN TO KNOW THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ALL OF ITS DEPARTMENTS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, HERBERT SIMS, IS HERE WITH ME THIS AFTERNOON.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET TREES OFF HOUSES OFF THE STREETS, PICK UP THE DEBRIS WITH SOLID WASTE, WORKING LONG HOURS PUBLIC SAFETY.
WHEN IT'S THE LIGHT'S OUT, IT'S DARK AND DANGEROUS.
PLEASE LIMIT YOUR DRIVING AFTER DARK.
WE HAVE TRAFFIC LIGHTS ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY, CERTAINLY UP AND DOWN DURHAM AND SHEPHERD THAT ARE OUT.
IT'S DANGEROUS TO APPROACH THESE INTERSECTIONS AFTER DARK.
STAY AT HOME, LIMIT YOUR DRIVING.
WE'VE LEARNED THIS AFTERNOON THAT WE HAVE POLICE CHIEFS ACROSS THE STATE OFFERING THEIR ASSISTANCE.
WE'VE HAD OVER A HUNDRED POLICE OFFICERS FROM DALLAS, SAN ANTONIO, AND AUSTIN, A TOTAL OF, UH, OVER A HUNDRED RELOCATING TO HOUSTON.
THE DPS SENDS US 40 DPS OFFICERS PER SHIP.
WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN.
WHAT WE'RE FACING IS MUCH NEGLECT FROM CITY GOVERNMENT WITH ITS RESOURCES.
FOR MANY YEARS, WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THAT, BUT INSTEAD OF LOOKING BACKWARDS, LET'S LOOK FORWARD.
WE'RE HOLDING CENTER POINT ACCOUNTABLE.
CENTER POINT'S GONNA HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB.
THEY COMMITTED TO ME BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON.
FIRE CHIEF OPINION BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON, CENTER POINT WILL HAVE REDUCED THAT 2.3 MILLION BY A MILLION INDIVIDUALS.
500,000 PEOPLE IN HOUSTON AT LUNCH TODAY.
STILL NEEDED ELECTRIC SERVICES.
WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN.
CHIEF PENA WORKING AS PARTNERS WITH HPD PUBLIC WORKS, SOLID WASTE.
EVERY DEPARTMENT, ALL HANDS ON DECK.
WITH THAT SAID, I WANNA MEET THESE RESIDENTS, TELL 'EM THAT, UH, EVERY EVERYONE CARED IS IMPORTANT.
EVERY COMMUNITY ACROSS THE CITY, TOTAL EQUALITY, NO ONE IS GONNA BE UNDERSERVED.
IF THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S GOT ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT, WE'RE TAKING RESOURCES TO THE COMMUNITY.
[00:05:01]
AND ANNA, WOULD YOU EXPLAIN TO OUR SPANISH SPEAKING RESIDENTS WHAT SERVICES WE ARE PROVIDING? OF COURSE, THE ACRES HOMES, MONTGOMERY ROAD FOOD BANK.UH, THE STORM ARRIVED 48 HOURS AGO.
I'VE NEVER SEEN SUCH COMING TOGETHER OF OUR COMMUNITY, DIFFERENT LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, OUR COUNTY PARTNERS, OUR STATE, AND EVEN OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS.
I SPOKE TO THE GOVERNOR, THE GOVERNOR, I SPOKE TO PRESIDENT BIDEN DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY.
SPOKE TO THE GOVERNOR YESTERDAY.
WE'RE NEED, WE'RE IN NEED OF RESOURCES.
WE NEED GENERATORS SO WE CAN HAVE COOLING CENTERS.
WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE.
THE EMERGENCY CENTER IS AT PINE MOUNT AND SHEPHERD.
WE'VE BEEN LOCATED THERE SINCE SATURDAY.
WE HAD EMERGENCY CENTER EMPLOYEES SPENDING THE NIGHT AROUND THE CLOCK TO MONITOR EVENTS AND DISTRIBUTE THE RESOURCES.
REVEREND PRESTON, ANYTHING THAT, UH, WILL, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME, LET ME TALK TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, THEN I WANNA WRAP UP WITH OUR FAITH COMMUNITY CHIEF PENA, YOU WANT TO COME ADVISE PEOPLE ON SAFETY PRECAUTION, CERTAINLY AS IT RELATES TO GENERATORS.
AND, UH, LET BEFORE I, BEFORE I GET INTO THAT, LET ME JUST SAY THIS.
UH, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR MARSHALING ALL THE RESOURCES.
WE MADE SOME PHONE CALLS TODAY, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR SOME ASSISTANCE IN, UH, IN GETTING THESE, THESE TRUCKS OUT HERE.
MR. ARMANDO PEREZ FROM HEB, MR. JJ ISBELL FROM TEXAS TRANS EASTERN, AND MR. TILLMAN FERTITA JUST, WE MENTIONED THE MAYOR'S NAME AND THEY WERE RIGHT ON IT AGAIN.
MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THEM.
UM, WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN OUR CALL VOLUME.
WE'RE OVER THREE TIMES OUR NORMAL CALL VOLUME.
WE'VE SEEN OVER 200 CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING CALLS IN THE LAST 24 HOURS.
IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT, UH, IF WE'RE GONNA USE THESE GENERATORS, THAT WE USE THEM THE RIGHT WAY.
DON'T HAVE 'EM ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR HOME, ANYWHERE NEAR AN OPENING OR DOOR, BECAUSE THE ACCUMULATION OF CARBON MONOXIDE CAN BE DEADLY AT LOW LEVELS.
THE OTHER THING WE'RE SEEING IS INDIVIDUALS TURNING ON THEIR CARS TO CHARGE THEIR, THEIR CELL PHONES OR MEDICAL DEVICES INSIDE THE GARAGE THAT HAS THE SAME EFFECT.
IT ACCUMULATES CARBON MONOXIDE.
YOU CAN'T SMELL IT, YOU CAN'T SEE IT.
AND BEFORE YOU REALIZE IT, THAT HAS, UH, OVERCOME YOUR PETS OR YOUR FAMILY.
AND THEY COULD BE DEADLY IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS LIKE NAUSEA, DIZZINESS, FATIGUE, IF YOU FEEL FAINT, THOSE COULD BE SYMPTOMS OF CARBON MONOXIDE.
THEY CAN ALSO BE SYMPTOMS OF DEHYDRATION.
WE, UH, WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN CALLS FOR MEDICAL EMERGENCIES THAT ARE HEAT RELATED.
AND PLEASE MAINTAIN YOURSELVES HYDRATED.
STAY OUT OF THE HEAT DURING THE HOTTEST PARTS OF THE DAY.
LIMIT YOUR ACTIVITIES TO THE EARLY MORNING OR LATE AFTERNOON BECAUSE YOU CAN DEHYDRATE QUICKLY IF YOU DON'T HAVE ELECTRICITY.
WE RECOMMEND YOU STAY IN THE SHADES, STAY INDOORS, TAKE COOL SHOWERS THAT CAN HELP REGULATE YOUR TEMPERATURE.
DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO STAY HYDRATED BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS OVERLOADED.
THE MAYOR MAY HAVE MENTIONED ALREADY THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH THE
[00:10:01]
HOSPITALS.THERE ARE SEVERAL HOSPITALS THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME EFFECTS OF THESE LACK OF ELECTRICITY.
AND IT'S LIMITING OUR, OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER PATIENTS INTO THOSE HOSPITALS.
THE SYSTEM IS OVERWHELMED WITH OUR, OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ARE DOING OUTSTANDING WORK TO RESPOND TO THESE EMERGENCIES.
BUT WE ASK THE PUBLIC TO, UH, DO THEIR PART AS WELL.
MAINTAIN THEMSELVES SAFE, MAKE GOOD DECISIONS.
DON'T PUT YOURSELVES AT RISK AND IT'S GONNA HELP, UH, EVERYBODY.
AND AGAIN, WITH ALL THE RESOURCES THAT THE MAYOR'S MARSHALING AND THE, AND THE, UH, PARTNERS ARE MARSHALING THE FAITH COMMUNITY, WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER.
BUT IF WE ASK THAT, UH, THAT YOU PUT YOUR PART AND, AND DO THINGS TO MAINTAIN YOURSELF SAFE.
THE CHIEF WAS EMPHASIZING HELP US HELP YOU BY HELPING YOURSELF STAY OFF THE STREETS.
MAKE CERTAIN THAT YOUR GENERATOR'S IN A PROPER LOCATION.
IF IT'S NON-EMERGENCY EMERGENCY SHOULD GO TO 9 1 1.
LET ME JUST URGE YOU, WE DO IT SO WELL IN HOUSTON.
LOOK OUT FOR YOUR FAMILY, YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR FRIENDS, AND PARTICULARLY THE MOST VULNERABLE SENIOR CITIZENS.
IF YOU HAVE A LOVED ONE IN AN ASSISTED LIVING OR INDEPENDENT LIVING LOCATION, CHECK ON THEM.
MAKE SURE THE MANAGEMENT IS DOING THEIR JOB.
REPORT THEM IF THEY'RE NEGLECTFUL.
LOOK OUT FOR YOUR PETS, YOUR NEIGHBORS.
EVERYONE WANTS TO GET TO YOUR ISSUES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE'RE HOLDING CENTER POINT ACCOUNTABLE.
I GET A REPORT EVERY FOUR HOURS.
AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO DOUBLE DOWN AND GET ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO OUR COMMUNITY? THE FAITH COMMUNITY HAS BEEN OUR PARTNERS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
LONGTIME CIVIC LEADER, YALE STREET BAPTIST MINISTER, METRO BOARD MEMBER, MY FRIEND, PASTOR PRESTON.
WE JUST WANT TO REEMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER AND AS WE STAND TOGETHER, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE LET EVERYONE KNOW WHERE DISTRIBUTIONS ARE TAKING PLACE.
IT'S NOT A TIME TO CRITICIZE, BUT IT'S A TIME TO PUBLICIZE, TIME TO PUBLICIZE ALL OF THE LOCATIONS WHERE EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CITIZENS.
THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, FOR BEING OUT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE WANT THE WOMEN, INFANTS, CHILDREN, OUR SENIORS TO COME AND BE PARTAKERS OF WHAT'S BEING DISTRIBUTED TO YOU.
WOULD YOU COME, UH, SPEAK SPANISH FOR OUR SPANISH SPEAKING RESIDENTS ON THE ADVISING COUNCIL OF THE MINISTER AND ALSO REINFORCE THAT THE FAITH COMMUNITY IS OUR PARTNERS, BUT FOR CERTAIN THE PUBLIC SAFETY ASPECTS AND LIFESAVING, UH, PRACTICES.
I WANT TO THANK THE RANK AND FILE OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN DEDICATED.
[00:15:01]
ACCIDENT, ONE TO A FIRE IN SOUTHEAST HOUSTON, AND THEN MR. RICHARDSON, CITY OF HOUSTON, HPD CIVIL EMPLOYEE COMING TO WORK THE MORNING OF THE STORM, TOOK 45 EXIT ON THE HOUSTON AVENUE, GOT CAUGHT UP IN DEEP WATER IN ONE OF THE MORE DIFFICULT THINGS THAT I'VE HAD TO OBSERVE AS A GROWNUP, NOT JUST AS MAYOR TO WATCH HBT RETRIEVED ONE OF THEIR COLLEAGUES, ONE OF THEIR FRIENDS, A DEDICATED CITY EMPLOYEE FROM 14 FOOT WATER RIGHT THERE AT HOUSTON AVENUE.THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE.
AND LET ME PUT DOWN ON THE SHORT TOP OF THE LIST, WE'VE GOT TO WARN PEOPLE ABOUT HIGH WATER.
WE'VE GOTTA DO RAILROAD TYPE CROSSINGS AT THE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED 49 LOCATIONS ACROSS HOUSTON WHERE WATER STANDS IN GREAT DEPTH.
WE'VE GOT TO NOT PUT CONES OUT LIKE THE CITY DID ON HOUSTON AVENUE USING THEIR OLD MODEL.
THIS GENTLEMAN WORKING, COMING TO WORK RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STORM, LOST HIS LIFE.
IT WAS VERY SAD TO WATCH THE EXPRESSIONS AND THE SADNESS OF HPD EMPLOYEES RETRIEVING ONE OF THEIR OWN CIVIL EMPLOYEE.
EVERY DEPARTMENT AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THERE'S 22 OR ACTIVATED ALL HANDS ON DECK.
HPD WENT INTO FULL MOBILIZATION YESTERDAY EVENING.
EVERY EMPLOYEE OF HPD IS WORKING TWO 12 HOUR SHIFTS TO COVER THIS CITY.
THEY'RE GETTING OTHER RESOURCES, FIRE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN.
CONCERNED ABOUT THE SHORTAGE OF AMBULANCES.
YESTERDAY AT ONE POINT OF AVAILABLE AMBULANCES OF OUR RESOURCE OF AMBULANCES, THERE WAS ONLY 4% AVAILABLE BACKED UP AT OUR REGIONAL HOSPITALS.
THE, THE STATE HEARD THAT Y EVENING IN THE EMERGENCY CENTER IMMEDIATELY SENT US 25 MORE AMBULANCES.
AND WE'RE MONITORING THAT VERY CAREFULLY.
THE COLLABORATION WITH COMMISSIONER BRIANIS, RAMSEY AND GARCIA HAS BEEN ONE OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE STATE, THE FEDS AND OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
HERBERT SIMS HERE REPRESENTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD DEPARTMENT.
HIS PEOPLE ARE OUT HERE THIS AFTERNOON HELPING OUR RESIDENTS.
SO LET ME CLOSE BY SAYING WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH THIS.
IT'S WHEN HOUSTON DOES ITS BEST WORK TO UNITE, RESPECT EACH OTHER, LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER, AND LET'S, UH, THIS MAKE THE NATION RECOGNIZE WHAT A GREAT CITY WE HAVE GREAT CITY, GREAT PEOPLE, BUT WE HAVE CHALLENGES.
AND WHEN WE GET THROUGH THIS CRISIS, WE'RE GONNA LOOK FORWARD AND SEE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE.
WITH THAT SAID, I'M WILLING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THERE SAID 600 PEOPLE AT THIS LOCATION.
DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA AS TO HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY COME THROUGH? I UNDERSTAND WHEN I GOT HERE 15 MINUTES AGO, 200 PEOPLE HAD SHOWED UP AND WE'RE PREPARED TO GO TO 600 AND WE WILL AND WE WILL AND WE WILL ACTUALLY REGROUP AFTER THAT IF NECESSARY.
THE HEB, THE FOOD BANK AND THE STATE EMERGENCY CENTER HAD RESOURCES PRE-POSITIONED MOST OF THEIR FOOD TRUCKS WITH ICE WERE LOCATED AT NRG WAITING FOR THE RESPONSE THAT WE ASKED FOR IT.
WHAT'S THE LAST THING YOU HEARD FROM CENTER POINT, SIR? WHAT'S THE LAST NAME YOU HEARD FROM CENTER? WE, WE HAD A BRIEFING FROM CENTER POINT AND COUNCIL, WHICH ENDED ABOUT ONE O'CLOCK.
THEIR PERSON THAT'S BEEN IN THE EMERGENCY CENTER SINCE BEFORE WHEN THE STORM GOT HERE, SPOKE TO COUNCIL, EXPLAIN SOME OF THEIR DIFFICULTIES, WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THEY HAVE TO WALK LIKE MILE UPON MILE.
THEY HAVE TO SEE WHAT THE DAMAGE IS BEFORE THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT RESOURCE YOU GOTTA REMEMBER AS THEY REMIND US OF COUNCIL, WE'RE DEALING WITH LIVE WIRES.
SO THEY PREPOSITION PEOPLE, BUT THEY CAN'T DECIDE UNTIL AN ASSESSMENT'S DONE OF WHAT REPAIRS NEED TO TAKE PLACE.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOTTA WORRY ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.
YOU PLEASED WITH THAT
WELL OBVIOUSLY I THINK ALL OF US CAN DO, DO BETTER.
I EXPRESS THAT TO 'EM ON A REGULAR BASIS.
I EXPECT MORE FROM CENTER POINT.
THEY'VE GOT A HUGE TRANSMISSION CENTER NEXT TO THE HILTON HOTEL NEAR THE GEORGE BROWN.
IT WAS PLACED THERE WHEN THAT WAS JUST A PARKING LOT.
I'VE INSISTED THAT THEY RELOCATE IT.
THAT'S THE MOST VALUABLE PROPERTY IN HOUSTON NEXT TO THE GEORGE BROWN.
SO JUST BE ASSURED, I'M A CAN-DO PERSON AND I EXPECT OTHERS TO BE, CAN-DO INDIVIDUALS AND CORPORATIONS AND QUITE FRANKLY, ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT GENERATORS OBVIOUSLY.
UM, AND I KNOW YOUNG KIDS SAID YESTERDAY THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO MEET EVERY REQUEST THAT THEY'VE NOT IN FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS AS THEY HAVE GENERATORS
[00:20:01]
ON STANDBY.WHY ARE THOSE PUBLICITY OR, AND WHY NOT? IF THEY'RE, ARE THEY COMING TO THE CITY? WE'RE RECEIVING GENERATORS AS WE TALKED FEMA AND THE PRESIDENT IS RELOCATING SOME, UH, GENERATORS.
CENTER POINTS DONATED SOMETHING.
THE PROBLEM IS OFTEN ON CITY FACILITIES.
THEY WEREN'T DESIGNED OR BUILT TO USE GENERATORS.
SO, YOU KNOW, I GET REALLY, REALLY UPSET WHEN I LEARNED THE CITY OF HOUSTON DOES NOT HAVE GENERATORS AT ESSENTIAL SERVICES LIKE A FIRE STATION.
WE HAVE NINE FIRE STATIONS CLOSED, HAD TO RELOCATE BECAUSE WHEN THE POWER WENT OUT, THEY DIDN'T HAVE GENERATORS.
CITIES DO NOT OPERATE LIKE THAT.
IT'S SEVERE NEGLECT AND WE'RE GONNA FIX IT AS WE GO FORWARD.
SO ARE YOU SAYING THOSE FIRE STATIONS AND MAYBE THE SERVICE CENTERS, YOU CAN'T EVEN GET GENERATORS IN BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT DESIGN CAN'T DO WHAT THOSE SERVICE CENTERS AND THOSE FIRE STATIONS ARE YOU SAYING EVEN IF YOU HAD A GENERATOR FOR THEM, THEY CAN'T USE IT FOR THAT DESIGN? THEY, THEY DO HAVE, THEY THEY, THEY DO 'EM TO SCALE.
THEY, THEY DO THE GENERATOR TO SCALE, BUT IT DOESN'T DO THE COMPLETE JOB.
IN FACT, THEY CAN'T OPEN WITHOUT ELECTRICITY.
MOST DO NOT HAVE GENERATORS BUILT BY DESIGN.
ALE IS IN THE PROCESS, BUT WE GOT LIKE A 10, THE ONLY WAY ACRES HOME, WE HAD NO POWER AND NO GENERATION WAS WE GOTTA HOLD OF CENTER POINT.
THE GENTLEMAN ASKED ME, DO WE TALK TO CENTER POINT REGULARLY? WE MADE THIS A PRIORITY.
NOW WE'RE MOVING TO THE OTHERS.
THE, UH, WEST GRAY CENTER, WE'LL LEAVE HERE.
THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS ARE OUR LIGHTHOUSE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT THEY'VE GOT TO HAVE POWER.
AND UNFORTUNATELY WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE POWER, THEY HAVEN'T HAD GENERATORS.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE CONDUCTING THIS.
OF COURSE THE DRIVE THROUGH OF THE FUSE.
BUT WE'RE GONNA GO IN THERE AND TALK TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND RESIDENTS AND SEE WHAT THE ADDITIONAL NEEDS ARE.
WE HAVE A GREAT CITY, GREAT PEOPLE.
IT'S THE REASON I RAN FOR OFFICE, RAN FOR MAYOR.
BUT DURING A CRISIS IT, IT EXPOSES THE CITY'S LACK OF MAINTENANCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND CITY SERVICES.
WE'RE GONNA CORRECT THAT GOING FORWARD WITH THAT.
DO YOUR JOB AND LET THE PUBLIC KNOW ONE BE SAFE.
WE'RE DOING EVERYTH EVERYTHING WE CAN, WE'RE HOLDING CENTER POINT ACCOUNTABLE.
AND WHEN THIS STORM IS OVER, WE'RE GONNA DO AN ASSESSMENT OF WHAT THE NEEDS OF THE CD ARE GOING FORWARD.
AND THEN NUMBER TWO, IT'S GONNA BE ENERGY.
WE'VE GOT TO GET A RELIABLE ENERGY SOURCE AND BACKUP UP GENERATORS.
AND THEN POINT OUT THAT THE SALES, IF THEY NEED TO GET THEIR CELL PHONES CHARGED, THEY, THERE'S A LIFT PROGRAM.
COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, UH, WHOSE DISTRICT WE'RE, WE'RE PROUDLY IN.
COUNCIL MEMBER TAHA JACKSON REPRESENT ACRIS HOMES DISTRICT B.
THE FIRST RESPONDERS FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING.
MY LIGHTS JUST CAME ON LAST NIGHT.
UM, TRYING TO DEAL WITH MY DAD.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS I RECOGNIZE IS THAT CELL ISSUES, YOU KNOW, CELL PHONES WE CAN'T GET THROUGH EVEN IF WE HAVE LIGHTS, WE HAVING PROBLEMS LIKE COMMUNICATING.
AND SO, BUT THE FOLKS IN ACRE HOMES, THERE IS A LIFT PROGRAM.
DO THEY REACH OUT TO THE LIFT PRO? COME ON.
DO THEY REACH OUT TO GET A RIDE HERE TO CHARGE THEIR PHONES? YEAH, METRO LYFT IS WORKING BY THE WAY.
SO, UM, YOU CALLED MY COME ON, GO AHEAD.
SO, UM, FOR ANYBODY WHO'S LOOKING FOR A RIDE TO YOUR NEAREST COOLING CENTER, YOU NEED TO CALL 3 1 1 SO THAT WAY THEY CAN COORDINATE A FREE RIDE.
METRO LIFT IS WORKING AS WELL.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE COMING TO THE ACRES HOME CENTER SPECIFICALLY, THERE IS A LIFT ZONE WIFI THAT IS FREE OF CHARGE.
OKAY? YOU JUST NEED TO SIGN IN AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE AWARE THAT CELL PHONE TOWERS ARE NOT FULLY WORKING.
SO THERE ARE DEAD ZONES WITHIN ACRES HOMES AND OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO MAKE YOUR WAY TO A COOLING CENTER WITH THE WIFI SO YOU CAN STAY UP TO DATE.
AND I JUST WANT TO ECHO THE MAYOR.
I'M PRETTY SURE YOU SAID CALL 3 1 1 AND NINE ONE ONE IS EMERGENCY.
'CAUSE WE GETTING A LOT OF CALLS WITH PEOPLE HAVING TREES ON THEIR ROOF.
CALL 3 1 1 OR NINE ONE ONE AND THEN THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THE SITUATION.
AND MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ALL OF THIS.