[Press Conference: “New HEC Quiet Room”]
[00:00:14]
UH, TODAY WE'RE COMING TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THE COMPLETION OF THE DECOMPRESSION IN QUIET ROOMS FOR OUR NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKERS AND HOUSTON EMERGENCY CENTER EMPLOYEES.
UH, THIS UPCOMING WEEKEND IS LABOR DAY, UH, AND I REALLY WANNA HIT THAT HOME BECAUSE TODAY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE WORK OF OUR CITY UNION'S, SPECIFICALLY HOPE, UH, AND I WANNA SPOTLIGHT THEIR SERVICE AND DEDICATION.
SO, TODAY I AM HONORED TO BE JOINED BY 9 1 1 TELECOMMUNICATOR KIM LOT, KIM WAVE HOPE PRESIDENT SONYA RICO, AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HOPE, JOSEPH WINDHAM, UH, GSD DIRECTOR CJ MESSIAH.
UH, OUR HEC DIRECTOR RODERICK JACKSON, HPD, CHIEF DIAZ, HFD, CHIEF MUNOZ, UH, OEM DIRECTOR BRIAN MASON.
AND, UH, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO KIND OF PASS THE BATON, UH, WITH OUR CITY, UH, COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY TO CHAIRWOMAN PECK.
SO IT'S SUCH A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU HERE WITH US.
AND OF COURSE, CHIEF SATTERWHITE.
NOW THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY, OUR NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKERS ARE HERE FOR ALL OF US.
WHEN WE ARE AT OUR WORST, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY HAVE GOING ON IN THEIR LIVES, THEY ARE HERE FOR US.
UH, THEY ARE THAT DIRECT CONNECTION TO SOMEBODY IN NEED, AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT THOSE CALLS GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO, WHETHER THAT'S TO POLICE, FIRE, EMS, UH, OR ELSEWHERE.
IN THE PAST, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH HOPE ON PASSING THE CITY'S FIRST PRENATAL WELLNESS AND PAID PARENTAL LEAVE PROGRAM.
AND ONCE WE GOT THAT ONE, UH, THROUGH THE FINISH LINE, WE SAID, OKAY, WHAT'S NEXT? AND OUR HOPE EMPLOYEES SAID, WE REALLY NEED SUPPORT OVER AT HECK.
UH, THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT WORK WHEN, UH, AN EMERGENCY SUCH AS A DISASTER KICKS IN.
THEY'RE WORKING 12 PLUS HOUR SHIFTS ALONGSIDE POLICE AND FIRE AND OUR OEM STAFF.
THEY ARE OFTEN THE UNSUNG HEROES.
UH, BUT LIVES ARE SAVED BECAUSE OF THEIR WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND THANKS TO THE ADVOCACY OF HOPE, UH, WE HAVE COME TOGETHER.
I, MY OFFICE FUNDED THESE ROOMS, BUT IT WAS REALLY EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY THAT CREATED AND SAID, THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE IN THESE ROOMS. I DON'T KNOW OF ANYBODY THAT COULD SIT FOR HOURS TAKING THE KINDS OF CALLS THEY DO AND NOT HAVE A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GO TO TAKE A BREATH TO PRACTICE SELF CARE WHEN YOU'RE UNDER THAT MUCH STRESS.
UH, SO AGAIN, THE IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE PAINTING THE WALLS, FURNITURE, WELLNESS ITEMS, ALL BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE COLLECTED FROM THEM.
AND THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT, UH, DIRECTOR MESSIAH, YOUR ENTIRE TEAM.
UH, WE CAME UP WITH THIS WILD IDEA AND YOU SAID, OKAY, LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN.
UH, ESPECIALLY, UH, YOUR DIVISION MANAGER, LEE LOPEZ.
UH, OF COURSE, KIM, YOU WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS.
AND, UH, HECK MANAGER, ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER, JOE LOUD.
UH, I ALSO WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO CHIEF MUNOZ.
UH, WHEN HE WAS AT OEM, HE REALLY SUPPORTED, UH, THIS EFFORT AS WELL.
BUT THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF OUR EMPLOYEES MUST BE THE PRIORITY FOR ANY GOVERNMENT.
WHATEVER THE ISSUE, OUR EMERGENCY WORKERS EFFICIENTLY NAVIGATE AND DISPATCH RESPONSES IN A HIGH STRESS, FAST-PACED ENVIRONMENT.
THE WORK DOESN'T STOP AFTER TODAY.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR IMPROVEMENTS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING, UH, QUIET PLACES TO SLEEP WHEN THEY NEED REST, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, ONE OF MY PRIORITY ITEMS, WHICH IS PUSHING FOR IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY.
SO CALL TAKERS CAN RESPOND EVEN FASTER AND MORE EFFECTIVELY.
UH, AND I WOULD NEVER MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MENTION HOW IMPORTANT OUR NEW CAD SYSTEM IS GOING TO BE.
UH, BUT WHEN EMPLOYEES SUCCEED, WHETHER THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES OR BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE MOST ADVANCED STATE OF THE ART TOOLS, WE ARE ALL SAFER.
SO AGAIN, TODAY I WANNA EMPHASIZE THIS IS ABOUT OUR CALL TAKERS, OUR APPRECIATION FOR THEM AND OUR RESPECT FOR THEM.
UH, AND I AM GRATEFUL THAT SO MANY OF OUR CITY'S LEADERS ARE HERE TO SPOTLIGHT THEIR WORK TODAY, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS THEIR DAY ONE, UH, FINAL, THANK YOU.
UH, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT MY DISTRICT C STAFF.
UH, IT'S VERY EASY FOR ME TO STAND UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT
[00:05:01]
THE EXCITING WORK THAT WE ARE DOING AS A DISTRICT, BUT NONE OF THAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT MY STAFF.UH, SO THEY'RE IN THE ROOM TODAY, AND I WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ARI RAMIREZ WHO SPEARHEADED THIS WITH ME.
UM, YOU CAME UP AS INITIALLY A NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKER, AND YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE EVERY SINGLE DAY TO TAKE THOSE CALLS.
AND, UH, THE WORK THAT YOU GOT TO DO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL OF THIS, I HOPE HAS BEEN MEANINGFUL FOR TO YOU.
BUT THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T FORGET ABOUT THE PLACES THAT YOU HAVE BEEN IN WORKING ON THIS.
UH, SO WITH THAT, UH, I'M VERY HONORED TO INTRODUCE.
FIRST, WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM KEN LOTT.
HELLO, UM, AS A NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKER.
I CONSIDER US FRONTLINE FRONTLINE WORKERS.
I'M THE VOICE THAT YOU WILL GET WHEN YOU CALL 9 1 1 ON YOUR WORST DAY.
AND IT'S MY JOB TO GET YOU SAFELY TO WHERE YOU NEED TO BE OR HELP YOU IN, IN THE WORST SITUATION OF YOUR LIFE.
UH, I'D LIKE TO ALSO THANK COUNCILMAN CAYMAN FOR DOING WHAT SHE DID FOR US.
WE DESERVE THE QUIET ROOMS. WE NEED SOMEWHERE TO GO ON A STRESSFUL CALL, A STRESSFUL DAY TO DEBRIEF AND JUST TO RELAX AND TRY TO GET THROUGH THE WORST CALL THAT WE MAY HAVE TAKEN FOR THE DAY.
UH, NEXT WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM HOPE'S PRESIDENT SONYA RICO.
MENTAL HEALTH AND EMPLOYEE WELLNESS ARE A PRIORITY FOR HOPE EVERYWHERE.
HOPE MEMBERS STRESS THIS AS IT IS A PRIORITY DURING OUR CURRENT NEGOTIATIONS.
I PERSONALLY HAVE SERVED ON THE SAFETY COMMITTEE AND KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF HOW SAFE WORKPLACES IMPACT OUR WORK, AND THAT DEFINITELY INCLUDES MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AS LABOR CHAIR TO CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR INCREASED BENEFITS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO WORKING CONDITIONS FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.
SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN A LEADER WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING WITH HOPE, AND WE KNOW SHE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH US IN THE FUTURE.
AND I PROBABLY SHOULD, SHOULD HAVE SAID, I'M NOW THE CHAIR OF THE LABOR COMMITTEE, WHICH IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT REASON THAT, THAT WE'RE DOING ALL OF THIS WORK TOGETHER.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE OUR NEW HEC DIRECTOR.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED, UH, TO WELCOME HEC DIRECTOR ROB RODERICK JACKSON.
UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU AS WELL FOR FUNDING THIS PROJECT.
AND THANK, UH, GSD AS WELL FOR WORKING ALONGSIDE, UH, TO SEE THIS PROJECT THROUGH.
UH, THIS IS A GREAT, GREAT IMPACT ON OUR STAFF HERE, UH, FOR THE SIMPLE REASON OF STRESS RELIEF, UH, WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE SITUATIONS THAT THEY, UH, UH, HERE DAY IN AND DAY OUT, UH, THIS SPACE PROVIDES THEM TO DECOMPRESS, REDUCE THEIR STRESS LEVELS, UH, AND, AND HOPEFULLY PREVENT SOME BURNOUT.
UH, AND THEN FROM THE MENTAL HEALTH, UH, SIDE OF IT, THIS IS A REFUGE WHERE THEY CAN TAKE A BREAK, MEDITATE, ENGAGE, UH, IN MINDFULNESS ACTIVITIES, AND, AND HELP THEM LOWER THEIR ANXIETY.
UH, UH, AS IT RELATES TO THE JOB SATISFACTION, IT SHOWS THAT, HEY, WE AS THE HEC MANAGEMENT HERE VALUE OUR EMPLOYEES, UH, THAT WILL LEAD TO HIGHER JOB SATIS SATISFACTION, UH, IN RETENTION RATES OVERALL.
AGAIN, THIS IS A CREATURE TOO, FOR PROMOTING MENTAL, EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING OF OUR STAFF, UH, ENABLING THEM TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES MORE EFFECTIVELY.
UH, NEXT WE ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM OUR NEW FIRE DEPARTMENT CHIEF, UH, CHIEF MUNOZ.
JUST WANNA ECHO WHAT DIRECTOR JACKSON MENTIONED.
I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW TOO THAT THE NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKERS, OUR DEPARTMENT CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT THEIR INITIAL CALL.
THE OTHER, WHAT I CALL THE FRONTLINE HEROES, UNSUNG HEROES THAT CONTINUOUSLY FOR HOURS AND HOURS EVERY DAY TAKE.
AND I ALWAYS TELL THEM THEY NEVER TAKE A GOOD CALL.
THE HIGH STRESS LEVEL THAT I, WHEN I USED TO WALK AROUND THE FLOORS JUST TO SEE WAS AMAZING HOW THEY WORKED TIRELESSLY.
BUT THEN AGAIN, WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN HAS NOW ALLOWED AND HAS DONE FOR SUPPORT FOR THEM, AS THEY'VE MENTIONED TIME AND TIME AGAIN, THE STRESS LEVELS AND MENTAL HEALTH THAT GOES INTO THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT THOSE PEOPLE, EVERY DAY 24 7, ARE THERE TO TAKE THOSE CALLS.
AND WE COULD NOT DO IT WITHOUT THEM.
SO, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, FOR, FOR ALL THE SUPPORT YOU GIVE US.
UH, AND AGAIN, TO THE NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO.
AND CHIEF, I, I HAVE TO REITERATE HOW COMMITTED YOU WERE WHEN YOU WERE AT OEM FOR A LOT OF THE OEM STAFF AND MYSELF, WHEN WE'VE BEEN UP HERE, HOUR AFTER HOUR, UM,
[00:10:01]
IT'S OUR NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKERS THAT ARE HERE BEFORE US, AND THEY'RE HERE AFTER US.UH, SO THIS, I HOPE IS A MEANINGFUL STEP FORWARD FOR IMPROVING, UM, THEIR WORK, UH, ENVIRONMENT AS WELL.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE OUR POLICE CHIEF, UH, CHIEF DIAZ.
UH, FIRST LET ME, UH, THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR THE INVESTMENT IN THESE INCREDIBLE EMPLOYEES.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, THEIR, THEIR LEADERSHIP AND THEIR GUIDANCE.
IT IS SO VITAL THAT THE 9 1 1 OPERATORS, OUR DISPATCHERS, ARE GIVEN ABSOLUTELY EVERY TOOL THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DO THEIR JOBS EXCEPTIONAL.
EXCEPTIONALLY, BECAUSE, UM, THIS CITY IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL EMERGENCY SERVICES.
THE, THE QUIET ROOM WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM A SPACE, GIVE THEM SOME TIME TO DECOMPRESS.
'CAUSE THEY DO TAKE A HEAVY LOAD, UH, NUMBERS 25 TO 3000 CALLS A DAY, EXCUSE ME.
AND SOMETIMES THE CALLS AREN'T THAT, UH, NOT, NOT THAT FRIENDLY, NOT THAT NICE.
SO THEY DO A GREAT JOB BALANCING EVERYTHING, BEING ABLE TO CONTROL THEMSELVES, EMOTIONALLY, SPIRITUALLY, GOING THROUGH THE CALLS, UH, THAT, THAT THEY RECEIVE.
BUT THEY DO IT PROFESSIONALLY EVERY TIME THEY GET A PHONE CALL.
SO, FOR, FOR, FOR THAT, I'M GRATEFUL AS, AS, AS THE POLICE CHIEF ON BEHALF OF, UH, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
OUR DISPATCHERS ARE HERE AS WELL.
AND, UH, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN A CAREER PATH LIKE THAT, UH, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US.
WE'RE, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT SHORT STAFFED AT THE MOMENT IN SOME OF THESE KEY AREAS.
SO WE'D LIKE TO HAVE, UH, YOUR TALENTS JOIN OUR INCREDIBLE TEAM.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE CHIEF SATTERWHITE, UH, THE CITY'S DIRECTOR FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
I'M STILL GETTING USED TO HIM BEING IN A SUIT, UH, BUT FOREVER, FOREVER A CHIEF.
COUNCILMAN CAMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN FOR DOING THIS.
UH, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR MESSIAH FOR, FOR ALL.
CHIEF DIAZ, CHIEF MUNOZ, THE WHOLE TEAM.
UM, REALLY CAN'T SAY ENOUGH THANKS ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED AND CHIEF DIAZ JUST TALKED ABOUT IT.
HOW SHORT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS.
WELL, OUR, OUR TEAM OVER HERE, OUR DISPATCHERS, OUR NUMBER ONE CALL ONE, ONE ONE CALL TAKERS.
WE'RE VERY SHORT HERE TOO, D DRASTICALLY.
SO, YET, THESE WOMEN AND MEN SHOW UP EVERY DAY AND THEY TAKE THESE CALLS AND THEY ARE TAKING SOME OF THE WORST CALLS YOU CAN THINK OF WHERE SOMEBODY IS IN CRISIS AND CALLING FOR HELP.
THEY ARE TRULY THE FIRST, FIRST RESPONDERS.
UH, THEY'RE THE FIRST ONES TO TAKE THAT CALL.
AND WITHOUT THEM, WE DON'T GET SERVICES TO THESE, UM, THESE INDIVIDUALS IN THE FIELD OR, OR OUT IN THE PUBLIC THAT REALLY NEED OUR HELP.
AND THEN THEY HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW WHAT? OUR OFFICERS SHOW UP, OUR FIRE SHOWS UP, EVERYBODY SHOWS UP AND STARTS HANDLING IT, AND THEY'RE OFF TO THE NEXT CRISIS.
THEY DON'T EVEN GET ANY CLOSURE UNLESS WE FOLLOW UP AND TELL THEM, HEY, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED.
THIS IS HOW THIS CALL ENDED UP.
WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD DISPATCHERS THAT HAVE HAD TO DO, TAKE SOME VERY TERRIBLE CALLS, CALL TAKERS, AND THEY'VE BEEN SO BOTHERED BY IT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT WAS SO, SUCH A CRISIS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL FOLLOW UP.
AND, AND SOMETIMES I'VE EVEN SEEN 'EM COME OUT INTO THE FIELD TO A SCENE AFTER IT'S ALL OVER BECAUSE THEY NEED TO CLOSURE.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY REALLY TRULY UNDERSTANDS WHAT THEY GO THROUGH WHEN THEY TAKE THAT CALL EVERY DAY.
AND THEY'RE SHORT AND THEY GET FORCED A LOT OF TIMES, BECAUSE WE ARE SO SHORT, THEY GET ORDERED TO WORK EXTRA.
SO THIS TYPE OF STUFF THAT WE'RE LOOKING OUT FOR THE DOWN ROOMS, THE EXTRA PLACES FOR THEM TO, TO KIND OF GET, TO GET A RESET AND GET THAT BREATHER.
I MEAN, THAT IS TRULY ABOUT TAKING CARE OF OUR PEOPLE.
UH, WE NEED TO, THEY NEED TO KNOW JUST HOW MUCH WE VALUE THEM, HOW MUCH WE NEED THEM.
THEY'RE JUST AS STRONG AND JUST AS IMPORTANT AS EVERYBODY ELSE OUT THERE.
THE GOAL BEING IS TO TAKE CARE OF THE PUBLIC, AND THEY'RE A PART OF IT.
SO, I DID NOT HEAR DIRECTOR JACKSON TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I WILL SAY, I WILL PLUG THIS.
WE ARE HIRING, WE ARE VERY SHORT IN DISPATCH.
WE'RE WORKING AT BETTER PAY, KIM.
WE NEED TO TAKE SOME OF THE BURDEN OFF OF THE OTHER SO THEY CAN HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY'RE PULLING DOUBLE SHIFTS.
IT'S JUST THAT WAY, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE JOB TO DO.
SO PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD IN THE MEDIA.
WE ARE HIRING, WE ARE ABOUT TAKING CARE OF OUR, OUR, OUR EMPLOYEES.
THEY ARE OUR MOST IMPORTANT RESOURCE, OUR MOST IMPORTANT PART OF OUR DEPARTMENT.
UH, I, I GUESS OVER OUR LABOR DAY CELEBRATIONS, WE ARE PUSHING THAT.
SO ANYONE INTERESTED,
I'M CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[00:15:01]
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, DIRECTOR MESSIAH, EVERYONE WHO PUT THIS TOGETHER, THIS IS BIG.IT'S, IT'S EASY TO TALK ABOUT NEEDS IN THE CITY AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO, BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING TO ACTUALLY EXECUTE IT AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SO, UM, SOMETIMES THAT'S REALLY HARD IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO MAKE SOMETHING BIG LIKE THIS HAPPEN.
BUT COUNCIL MEMBER CAME AND DID IT.
UM, OUR 9 1 1 OPERATORS HAVE SUCH A TOUGH JOB.
SOMETIMES WHEN WE THINK OF PUBLIC SAFETY, WE ONLY THINK OF POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS.
AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THEY CAN'T DO THEIR JOBS WITHOUT THE NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKERS.
AND SO, ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO INCREASE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE HERE WHEN THEY'RE WORKING, IS SO NECESSARY.
I'M SO THANKFUL TO EVERYONE, UM, WHO TAKES THOSE CALLS EACH AND EVERY DAY WHEN THEY'RE CALL, WHEN PEOPLE ARE CALLING 9 1 1, IT'S MOST OF THE TIMES, THE WORST DAY IN THEIR LIFE.
AND OUR CALL TAKERS ARE TAKING THOSE CALLS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR, FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA CLOSE UP SO THAT WE CAN GO UP AND ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE ROOMS. I HAVEN'T SEEN THEM YET, SO I'M VERY EXCITED.
UH, BUT TODAY, AGAIN, YOU HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE DEMANDS, THE STRESS, THE WORK ENVIRONMENT OF BEING A NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKER.
UH, CHIEF SATTERWHITE MENTIONED THAT WHEN THEY ARE, UH, WHEN WE'RE SHORT STAFFED, WHICH WE ARE RIGHT NOW, SO TODAY OUR CALL TAKERS ARE ACTUALLY WORKING 12 HOUR SHIFTS.
UH, IMAGINE TAKING THOSE CALLS FOR 12 HOURS.
UH, WHEN YOU GO UP, YOU'LL SEE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TRYING TO TAKE A BREAK OUT IN A HALLWAY.
UH, TRYING TO CLOSE THEIR EYES FOR A MINUTE.
AND AGAIN, AS WE DO THIS RIBBON CUTTING, OUR HOPE IS THAT THESE ROOMS, WHICH MY OFFICE FUNDED, WILL OFFER SOME REPOSE FOR THEM.
UH, SOME ABILITY TO DECOMPRESS, UH, IN SUCH A HIGH STRESS ENVIRONMENT.
UH, BUT I WANNA EMPHASIZE THIS, THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS AN EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
UH, WE DO HAVE THOSE POSTERS OF THOSE MATERIALS AND INFORMATION AND RESOURCES IN THE ROOMS. UM, THAT IS ANOTHER BENEFIT THAT ALL CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE.
UH, SO IF YOU ARE IN NEED, IF YOU ARE SOMEONE THAT JUST NEEDS TO TALK SOMETHING THROUGH, WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING YOU'VE HEARD OR IT'S SUCH A STRESSFUL WORK ENVIRONMENT, HELP IS AVAILABLE, YOU CAN VISIT THE CITY'S HR WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE OR THROUGH OUR EXTERNAL EAP.
UM, IT'S A NO COST CONFIDENTIAL COUNSELING AND RESOURCE SUPPORT LINE, UH, THAT IS AVAILABLE TO ALL HOUSTON CITY EMPLOYEES.
BUT TODAY, I WANNA EMPHASIZE, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKERS.
UH, I'M GOING TO HAND IT OFF VERY QUICKLY BACK TO SONYA TO TRANSLATE BRIEFLY IN SPANISH.
WHAT DID YOU WANT ME TO TURN THIS? UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND JUST GOING OVER THE BASICS OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE, UH, HOPE'S, INVOLVEMENT, AND WHAT WE'RE CELEBRATING TODAY.
UH, WITH THAT, UH, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL TAKE THEM DOWN HERE.
AGAIN, AS A REMINDER, ONCE WE GO UP TO THE ROOM FOR THE RIBBON CUTTING, WE'LL DO SOME, UH, WE'LL DO A QUICK RIBBON CUTTING.
BUT AS YOU HEARD BEFORE, IF YOU ARE TAKING SHOTS OF ANY CALL TAKERS, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO, UH, A WIDE SCREEN THAT THERE'S NO INFORMATION VISIBLE ON THOSE SCREENS BECAUSE THAT IS SENSITIVE INFORMATION.
UH, AND JUST SO YOU CAN ENVISION THE TRANSFORMATION OF THESE ROOMS, UH, THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY NO FAULT TO ANYONE, BUT THEY WERE BEING USED AS STORAGE.
[00:20:01]
UH, SO THE FACT THAT WE NOW HAVE THESE, UH, IS A, A VERY, VERY BIG DEAL WITH THAT.ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? GREAT.
THAT'S WHERE, ALRIGHT, SOMEONE COUNT US OFF.
IF THEY DO HAVE THE OXYGEN, GO AHEAD AND TURN UP THE FLOW RIGHT NOW AND JUST REPEAT THAT STREET NAME FOR ME ONE MORE TIME.