[Public Safety Committee on December 10, 2024.]
[00:00:23]
I'M AMY PECK, CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM TODAY, SO WE ARE NOT TECHNICALLY CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER, BUT WE ARE STILL GOING TO MEET.
UM, WE IN CHAMBERS, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.
WE ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM THE OFFICES OF, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ ONLINE.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER'S OFFICE, AND MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEK TATUM'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AS WELL.
WE HAVE, UM, THREE PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
THE FIRST WILL BE, UM, THE SPECIAL RESPONSE GROUP, UM, HPD AND HIGH WATER RESCUE OPERATIONS, UM, FROM HPD, ASSISTANT CHIEF MEGAN HOWARD, AND HFD CAPTAIN BEAU MORENO.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP, PLEASE THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND IF YOU COULD ALSO INTRODUCE ANYONE THAT YOU HAVE WITH YOU IN THE AUDIENCE AS WELL.
HE'S OF OUR SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION, LIEUTENANT MARY NELMS. UH, SHE WORKS AT SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION AS WELL, AS WELL AS, UH, OFFICER CRYSTAL HODGE, AND THAT'S WHO I HAVE FOR THIS PRESENTATION WITH US.
AND ALSO, UH, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT CHIEF JESSICA ANDERSON.
WAIT, BEFORE YOU BEGIN, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN.
AND SO NOW WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
SO I'M OFFICIALLY CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
UM, THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING, AND, UM, WE ARE LIVE ON HTV AND HERE IN CHAMBERS.
UM, LET ME SPEND A MINUTE JUST INTRODUCING MYSELF.
I THINK MOST OF Y'ALL KNOW ME.
UM, BE MARINO, CAPTAIN OF THE MARINE DIVISION.
I DON'T THINK YOU UNDERSTAND THE HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE I'VE HAD WHEN IT COMES TO FLOODING.
UH, MY FLOOD EXPERIENCE ACTUALLY STARTED IN WHEN I WAS 15.
UH, I WAS A LIFEGUARD FOR THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, MOVED ON TO NEW AIS COUNTY BEACH PATROL.
UH, DID THAT ALL THE WAY UNTIL I JOINED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UH, WHEN I GOT IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, I QUICKLY MOVED OVER TO TECHNICAL RESCUE, UH, DOING A LOT OF ALL THE MAJOR FLOODS ACROSS THE CITY.
UH, IN ADDITION TO WHAT I DO IN THE CITY.
I'M A MEMBER OF TEXAS A AND M TASK FORCE ONE, UH, DIRECTLY AFTER HARVEY, I WAS ON THE C 17 FLYING TO PUERTO RICO, UH, FOR HURRICANE IRMA.
MARIA, I WAS AT HURRICANE FLORENCE, HURRICANE MICHAEL, HURRICANE SALLY, UH, JUST GOT BACK FROM HELENE AND MILTON.
SO, UM, QUITE A BIT OF EXPERIENCE.
SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT FLOOD INCIDENTS, IT'S NOT BECAUSE I SAW SOMETHING ON TV AND I THINK THAT'S A COOL IDEA.
I'VE BECOME THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT OVER IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ALLOW US TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC.
I'M THE ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S HOMELAND SECURITY COMMAND.
WITHIN, WITHIN MY COMMAND, I HAVE SIX DIVISIONS, BUT THERE ARE TWO OF NOTE FOR THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC.
THAT'S GONNA BE OUR SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION AND TACTICAL OPERATIONS DIVISIONS.
AND THEY SUPPORT BY PROVIDING DIRECT RESPONSE DURING FLOODING INCIDENTS.
THEY ALSO SUPPORT BY TRAINING OTHER PERSONNEL OUTSIDE OF THE DIVISIONS TO PROVIDE, UH, THOSE RESPONSES.
PRIOR TO, UM, PRIOR TO THIS ASSIGNMENT, I SPENT TIME AS THE COMMANDER OF OUR TACTICAL OPERATIONS DIVISION.
WE'LL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THEIR ROLE IN HIGH WATER RESPONSE LATER, AS WELL AS KINGWOOD DIVISION, WHICH AT THE TIME ALSO HOUSED THE, UM, THE LAKE PATROL UNIT.
SO COLLECTIVELY THROUGH THE THOSE EXPERIENCES, UM, WHILE BO HAS THE TECHNICAL HANDS-ON KNOWLEDGE, AND HE, UH, BRINGS A LOT OF INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO ACTUAL OPERATIONS, I ALSO HAVE A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION AS IT PERTAINS TO THE MANAGEMENT OF THESE UNITS AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE AND WHAT'S REQUIRED TO SUSTAIN THEIR CAPABILITIES SO THAT FOR A WORLD CLASS CITY, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT FIRST CLASS RESPONSE FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO, WITH THAT, IF THE VIDEO CAN BE PLAYED, UM, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND WE HAVE A VIDEO THAT PROVIDES A, UH, A NICE OVERVIEW OF OUR, UH, OUR CAPABILITIES, AND PARTICULARLY THOSE EMBEDDED WITHIN SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION.
HELLO, MY NAME IS SIM DOLMANS WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE SPECIAL RESPONSE GROUP, AS WELL AS A MEMBER OF
[00:05:01]
THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S DIVE TEAM.I'M ONE OF THE INSTRUCTORS FOR THE HIGH WATER RESCUE PROGRAM.
I'M SENIOR POLICE OFFICER CRYSTAL HODGE WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT SPECIAL RESPONSE GROUP.
I'M ALSO ONE OF THE INSTRUCTORS IN THE HIGH WATER RESCUE PROGRAM SPECIALIZING IN THE IN WATER TRAINING.
I AM SENIOR POLICE OFFICER FERNANDO CARDOZA WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S SPECIAL RESPONSE GROUP.
I'M ALSO INSTRUCTOR FOR THE HIGH WATER RESCUE PROGRAM SPECIALIZING IN THE TRUCK DRIVING TRAINING.
IN PREPARATION FOR THE HURRICANE SEASON IN 2022, THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S SPECIAL RESPONSE GROUP TRAINED OVER 250 ADDITIONAL OFFICERS IN DYNAMIC WATER RESCUES THAT YEAR, AND HAS INCREASED THOSE NUMBERS EACH YEAR.
AS HOUSTONIANS KNOW, THE BAYOU CITY IS KNOWN FOR FLOODING.
AFTER HURRICANE HARVEY DEVASTATED OUR CITY, OUR DEPARTMENT HAS VASTLY IMPROVED ITS DYNAMIC WATER RESCUE RESPONSE, INCLUDING RESCUE AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT, ADDITIONAL BOATS, AND MORE TRAINING BEFORE THE STORM MAKES LANDFALL, HPD BECOMES ALL HANDS ON DECK WHERE ALL OFFICERS REPORT TO WORK REGARDLESS OF SHIFT OR DAYS OFF.
THESE OFFICERS REMAIN OPERATIONAL 24 7 UNTIL PUBLIC SAFETY IS DEEMED BACK UNDER CONTROL.
H HPDS, SRG MANNING OUR TRUCKS, H HPDS DIVE TEAM, COURT PATROL, MIC PATROL, MANNING OUR BOATS JOIN FORCES WITH HD'S WATER STRIKE.
TEAM HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS WILL ALSO DEPLOY BARRICADES AND CONES IN AREAS KNOWN TO HAVE THREATENING LEVELS OF WATER.
THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS 21 RECONDITIONED MILITARY VEHICLES WITHIN ITS FLEET THAT ARE DESIGNATED FOR THE OHIO WATER RESCUE PROGRAM.
THEY ARE THE M 9 3 9 SERIES FIVE TON TRUCKS.
IN ADDITION TO THESE TRUCKS, THE DEPARTMENT HAS SOME HUMMERS OR HUM THESE, WHICH ARE UTILIZED DURING FLOODING EVENTS.
OUR HIGH WATER RESCUE TRAINING CONSISTS OF TWO PARTS.
ONE PART IS AN EIGHT HOUR HIGH WATER TRUCK DRIVING COURSE WHERE OFFICERS LEARN TO SAFELY OPERATE THE M 9 3 9 TRUCK AND HOW TO BEST UTILIZE THEM IN A FLOODED SITUATION.
DURING THIS TRAINING, THE GROWERS ARE INSTRUCTED ON DIFFERENT METHODS OF LOADING FLOOD VICTIMS INTO THESE TRUCKS FOR TRANSPORTATION TO EVACUATE COLLECTION.
THE SECOND PART OF OUR TRAINING IS AN EIGHT HOUR DYNAMIC WATER SAFETY COURSE.
THIS IS WHERE OFFICERS LEARN TO SAFELY CONDUCT RESCUES OF CITIZENS AND ARE ALSO TRAINED IN SOUTH RESCUE TECHNIQUES.
IN OUR TRAINING, WE HAVE OFFICERS SWIM IN FULL UNIFORM TO EXPERIENCE WHAT THEY WOULD LIKELY BE WEARING IN A TRUE EMERGENCY.
WATER DYNAMICS AND RESCUE TECHNIQUES ARE LEARNED.
AT THE END OF THE TRAINING CLASS OFFICERS ARE PUT THROUGH AN EXERCISE WHERE THEY MUST REMOVE THEIR GUN BELTS WHILE BEING DISORIENTED AND SUBMERGED.
THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT ALSO PERFORMS BOAT RESCUES CONDUCTED BY A DIVE TEAM, LAKE PATROL AND PORT PATROL OFFICERS, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF DISASTER.
THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS DIFFERENT TYPES OF BOAT PLATFORMS TO UTILIZE.
THE ADDITION OF SEVERAL ZODIAC BOATS TO OUR FLEET HAS MADE FLASH FLOOD RESCUES EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT.
LISTEN TO WARNINGS DURING WATER EVENTS.
IF YOU SEE WATER, TURN AROUND AND DON'T DROWN.
IF YOU'VE SEEN CONES OR BARRICADES, DO NOT DRIVE AROUND THOSE BARRICADES.
THEY'RE THERE FOR YOUR SAFETY.
IF YOU FIND YOURSELF IN HIGH WATER, CALL 9 1 1 AND GIVE A GOOD DESCRIPTION OF WHERE YOU ARE SO OFFICERS CAN FIND YOU.
STREET NAMES, INTERSECTIONS AND LANDMARKS HELP ALWAYS TAKE SAFETY MEASURES.
IF YOU'RE IN A VEHICLE, GET OUT IF NECESSARY, THEY'RE ON TOP OF THE VEHICLE.
AND IF YOU MUST, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE CAR.
LISTEN, LISTEN TO WARNINGS GIVEN OUT TO THE PUBLIC, AND SIGNS POSTED.
WHEN OFFICERS ARRIVE TO HELP YOU FOLLOW THEIR INSTRUCTIONS, REMAIN AS CALM AS POSSIBLE.
THE OFFICERS WILL TELL YOU WHAT THEY NEED YOU TO DO TO GET YOU TO SAFETY.
WATCH FOR PUBLIC MESSAGING REGARDING FLOODED AREAS.
TO REPORT A FLOOD ROAD, YOU CAN CALL 3 1 1, BUT NINE ONE ONE CALLS ARE ALSO MONITORED FOR CALLS REGARDING HIGH WATER.
IN THE EVENT THAT YOU HAVE TO ABANDON YOUR VEHICLE, YOU CAN GO TO FIND MY TOW CAR.COM TO LOCATE IT.
WE HAVE SEVERAL OPTIONS FOR WATER RESCUES WE COVER IN OUR TRAINING TALK.
SRG OFFICERS RESPONDING AND HIGH WATER TRUCKS WILL USUALLY BEGIN BY ASKING IF YOU CAN SWIM TO THEM REACH.
IF YOU'RE WITHIN REACH, THEY CAN EXTEND A REACHING TOOL SUCH AS A PROBING STICK AND PULL YOU TO SAFETY.
WE WILL SAY, GRAB THE POLE THROW IF YOU'RE OUT OF REACH.
OUR NEXT OPTION IS TO THROW A RESCUE ROPE TO YOU.
THE OFFICER WILL GIVE YOU VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS TO GRAB THE ROPE AND FOR YOU TO TURN AROUND AND PUT THE ROPE OVER YOUR SHOULDER, PUT THE ROPE OVER YOUR SHOULDER AND TURN AROUND.
THIS IS TO AVOID WATER GETTING INTO YOUR MOUTH AND NOSE WHILE YOU'RE PULLED TO SAFETY, WHICH CAN OCCUR EASILY IN A PHASE FORWARD ROAD RESCUE.
THIS IS THE WORST CASE SCENARIO.
IF WE CANNOT GET TO YOU WITH A REACHING OBJECT OR A THROW ROPE, AN OFFICER MAY ENTER THE WATER TO TOW YOU.
THE OFFICER WILL GIVE YOU VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS ON WHAT TO DO FOR YOUR SAFETY,
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SUCH AS REMAINING CALM AND TURNING AROUND.SO PROPER GRIPPING TECHNIQUES CAN BE USED TO SWIM YOU, YOUR SAFETY.
I'M COMMANDER SKELTON LEADING THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I WANT TO ENSURE OUR CITIZENS THAT WE ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO ENSURING THE SAFETY OF HOUSTON, ESPECIALLY DURING HURRICANE SEASON.
OUR FLEET OF HIGH WATER TRUCKS ARE STRATEGICALLY STATIONED ACROSS THE CITY, ALONGSIDE HUMVEES, READY TO NAVIGATE FLOOD PRONE AREAS AND VARIOUS BOAT MODELS PREPARED TO ACCESS AREAS AND ACCESSIBLE BY VEHICLES.
WE CONTINUOUSLY STRENGTHEN OUR HIGH WATER RESCUE PROGRAM BY CERTIFIED MORE OFFICERS IN RESCUE AND DRIVER TRAINING, ESTABLISHING DEDICATED COMMAND POST FOR HIGH WATER EMERGENCIES AND ENHANCING COMMUNICATION WITH ALL AGENCIES TO OPTIMIZE RESOURCE UTILIZATION.
REST ASSURED HOUSTON, WE ARE TIRELESSLY WORKING TO UPHOLD THE SAFETY AND RESILIENCE OF OUR CITY DURING THE UPCOMING HURRICANE SEASON.
JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME OF THE STATISTICS THAT GO ON, MOST OF THIS COMES FROM HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL.
UM, THERE'S 1700 MILES OF COASTLINE IN THIS, IN HARRIS COUNTY.
AND WE'RE NO, WE'RE SUSCEPTIBLE TO A LOT OF FLOODING THAT GOES ON.
UH, WE SEE FOUR TO FIVE FLOOD EVENTS A YEAR.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TRAVIS SAID AT ONE TIME, HE SAID, WE'RE HOUSTON.
BUT WHEN IT RAINS, WE'RE IN THE WATER.
I, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD STATEMENT RIGHT THERE.
WE'RE ONLY 3 43 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.
SOMETHING THAT'S UNIQUE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY IS THE AMOUNT OF CLAY THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SOIL.
THAT AMOUNT OF CLAY IS 60% OF OUR IS OF CLAY.
UH, THAT AMOUNT OF CLAY PREVENTS SOME OF THE ABSORPTION OF THE WATER.
SO IT DOES MAKE IT US VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLOODING.
THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPEN IS THE, UH, MANMADE STUFF THAT GOES ON RIGHT NOW, POURING CONCRETE.
UH, CONCRETE'S GOOD FOR US 'CAUSE IT HELPS US MOVE THE WATER FASTER, BUT IT'S ALSO BAD FOR US 'CAUSE IT'S THE WATER'S MOVING FASTER.
AND SO WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THOSE SITUATIONS MORE STATISTICS.
UH, LAWN STARTER DID A, DID A, UH, SURVEY OF 940 COUNTIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
HARRIS COUNTY WAS THE NUMBER ONE AT RISK FOR FLOODING.
UH, WE'RE ALSO NUMBER TWO WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, ECONOMIC IMPACT.
BUT THE OTHER THING IS WE'RE ALSO NUMBER ONE WHEN IT COMES TO RESPONSE.
SO WE'RE, WE'VE BEEN PREPARED, WE'RE WE'VE LEARNED, WE'VE LEARNED HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS AND WE'VE LEARNED HOW TO MITIGATE THAT STUFF.
HERE YOU HAVE A LIST OF EVENTS THAT I THINK EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM WILL RECOGNIZE FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, AND IT REPRESENTS A COLLECTIVE TRAUMA FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WHAT I WANNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE EVENTS WHERE WE HAVE FORECASTS AND WE MIGHT HAVE, UH, SEVERAL DAYS NOTICE.
AND WHEN WE HAVE THOSE EVENTS, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PREPARE OURSELVES AND STATION PER PERSONNEL STRATEGICALLY, UH, CHANGE SHIFTS AND ASSIGNMENTS AND DEPLOYMENT SO THAT WE HAVE PERSONNEL WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
HOWEVER, THERE'S ALSO A NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT ARE NO NOTICE EVENTS.
UH, THAT MIGHT BE THAT COLD FRONT THAT COMES THROUGH, INSTALLS AND TRAINS OVER AN AREA, AND YOU END UP WITH 4, 5, 6 INCHES OF RAIN RELATIVELY QUICKLY.
AND WE HAVE THAT STREET LEVEL FLOODING.
THESE NO NOTICE EVENTS ARE, UM, CAN BE JUST AS SEVERE IF NOT MORE SEVERE THAN OUR NOTICE EVENTS, UH, AS IS EVIDENCED BY OUR TAX DAY FLOOD MEMORIAL DAY FLOODS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE EVENTS WITH FATALITIES.
SO THERE'S A CHALLENGE IN HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO PROVIDE THAT FIRST CLASS RESPONSE TO THE CITY REQUIRES THAT WE HAVE A MODEL THAT CAN ADJUST BASED ON HOW MUCH NOTICE WE HAVE, WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING.
AND IT REQUIRES THIS 24 7 CAPABILITY SO THAT EVEN WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THAT ADVANCED WARNING, WE HAVE PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES IN PLACE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO RESPOND AND FUNCTION IN OUR PRIMARY CORE, UH, AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR HPD.
THAT'S GONNA BE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE.
PEOPLE STILL HAVE DISTURBANCES, ASSAULT AND PROGRESS.
THEY NEED LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE DURING THESE INCIDENTS.
HFD HAS ITS CORE RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND, UH, BUT THEN THERE ARE TIMES WHERE WE ALL HAVE TO COME TOGETHER AND WORK FOR, UH, RESCUE OPERATIONS.
AND WE ALL END UP SHIFTING OUR, OUR PURPOSE.
HARRIS COUNTY'S NOTE, UM, IS USED TO THIS STUFF GOING ON.
UH, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE USED TO.
UH, WE SHOULDN'T LOSE ONE PERSON.
WE SHOULD LEARN HOW TO MITIGATE THAT AND, UH, TRAIN OUR CITIZENS TO TEACH OUR CITIZENS OF HOW TO STAY OUTTA THAT WATER.
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UH, DURING FLOODING OF 2015, 2016 19, HOUSTONIANS LOST THEIR LIVES.UH, STATISTICALLY, 95% OF ALL DISASTERS IN HARRIS COUNTY ARE CAUSED BY FLOODS.
UH, THAT IS THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
ALSO, UH, DURING HURRICANE HARVEY, OUR, WE WERE AT 1.5, SORRY, UH, $1.25 BILLION WORTH OF CLAIMS, AND WE'RE NUMBER ONE OF WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, FEMA CLAIMS. JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME UPDATES OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
UH, NATIONAL CLIMATE DISASTERS RIGHT NOW, 2021 WAS $145 BILLION WORTH OF CLAIMS. 2022 $165 BILLION WORTH OF CLAIMS. AND 2023 WAS $95 BILLION WORTH OF CLAIMS. AND WE HAVEN'T FINISHED OUT 2024.
SO HERE I WANNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AND GET INTO THE SPECIFIC RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I'LL SPEAK TO THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THE SPECIAL RESPONSE GROUP IS, UH, HAS PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR OPERATING OUR HIGH WATER TRUCKS, AS WELL AS INSTRUCTING, UH, PERSONNEL OUTSIDE OF SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION ON HIGH WATER RESCUE TRUCK, UH, OPERATION, AS WELL AS SAFETY.
IT, UH, TAKES ABOUT TWO DAYS FOR US TO COMPLETE ALL OF THE TRAINING.
IT'S TWO SEPARATE DISTINCT COURSES.
AND I, IT'S IMPORTANT TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME TALKING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE LOOK AT THE TRUCKS, WE SAY WE HAVE PATROL OFFICERS.
HOW HARD CAN IT BE? YOU HAVE SOME WATER PUTTING AN OFFICER IN A TRUCK AND THEN GO, GO DO YOUR, UH, YOUR DUTY.
UM, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL RECOGNIZE THIS IS A DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENT.
AND ANYONE THAT I PUT ON A TRUCK, I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED THE, THE APPROPRIATE TRAINING AND THAT THEY'RE, UH, PROPERLY SUPPORTED SO THAT WE'RE NOT PUTTING OUR OFFICERS IN DANGER.
UM, UH, A KEY, A KEY PRINCIPLE IS DON'T BECOME A PART OF THE PROBLEM.
WE WANNA SOLVE PROBLEMS. SO, SRG IS REALLY CRITICAL, BOTH IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION RESPONSE, AS WELL AS ENSURING THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT IS PREPARED TO RESPOND CITYWIDE.
AND THAT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE NO NOTICE EVENTS.
THE 10 33 PROGRAM, MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE, IS HOW WE ARE ABLE TO OBTAIN, UH, SURPLUS EQUIPMENT FROM THE MILITARY.
AND THIS IS WHERE OUR TRUCKS COME FROM.
UH, THESE LARGE HIGH WATER TRUCKS, THEY REQUIRE MAINTENANCE.
THE OFFICERS AND THE SERGEANT WHO STAFF THE 10 33 PROGRAM, THEY ACTUALLY CONDUCT A LOT OF THE MAINTENANCE THEMSELVES TO KEEP THEM RUNNING.
IT'S A, IT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS.
WHEN YOU HAVE EQUIPMENT THAT DOES NOT, UH, THAT IS NOT USED EVERY DAY, THERE'S JUST EXTRA CHALLENGES AND IT REQUIRES ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
WHEN WE'RE PAYING, WHEN WE'RE, UH, MAINTAINING THIS, UH, THE EQUIPMENT, UH, THE HIGH WATER TRUCKS I WANNA NOTE, ARE CRITICAL FOR JUST FULFILLING OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT FUNCTION.
UM, YES, THERE ARE TIMES WHERE WE HAVE TO TRANSITION TO RESCUE, BUT MANY OF OUR EVENTS, THEY COME AND GO WITHIN A FEW HOURS, BUT WE NEED TO MAINTAIN THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE.
THIS IS HOW WE GET OFFICERS THROUGH THAT HIGH WATER TO RESPOND TO THAT DISTURBANCE CALL OR ASSAULT IN PROGRESS OR WHATEVER ELSE.
UH, WHATEVER OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY NEED THERE IS THAT WE NEED TO RESPOND TO.
THEY ALSO CAN BE USED TO GO PICK UP PERSONNEL WHO ARE HAVING TROUBLE REPORTING TO WORK SO THAT THEY CAN GET TO THE STATION SAFELY.
THE DIVE TEAM IS GONNA REPRESENT A UNIT THAT'S, UH, WITHIN THE TACTICAL OPERATIONS DIVISION, AND THEY REQUIRE OUR HIGHEST LEVEL OF SUPPORT IN TERMS OF, UH, TRAINING, ONGOING TRAINING.
THEY HAVE QUA QUARTERLY SWIM QUALIFICATIONS.
UM, THEY ARE GOING TO RECEIVE, UH, TECHNICIAN LEVEL TRAINING, AND B'S GONNA SPEAK ABOUT TRAINING A LITTLE BIT MORE LATER.
UM, BUT THE DIVE TEAM, THAT'S WHO HPD PUTS IN THE WATER WHEN WE NEED TO GO IN THE WATER, RIGHT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO MOVING WATER, WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE LAKE AND PORT PATROL, THEY OPERATE ON THE WATER.
THEY HAVE BOATS AND ASSETS THAT WE CAN USE WHEN, UH, THE TRUCKS AREN'T GONNA CUT IT.
OR WHEN WE HAVE A, UH, UH, A LARGE SCALE EVENT THAT IS IMPACTING A LOT OF THE CITY.
UM, AGAIN, WITH THOSE NOTICE EVENTS, WE'RE ABLE TO STRATEGICALLY DEPLOY THEM AND PUT THEM ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY, OUTSIDE OF, YOU KNOW, AT THE BOATHOUSE OR THEIR REGULAR OFFICE.
THAT WAY THEY ARE WHERE WE THINK EXPECT THE PROBLEMS TO BE.
AND THEN SWAT AND BOMB, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THOSE TWO UNITS ALSO OPERATE IN THE WATER AND HAVE CAPABILITIES SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE THEIR RESPONSE.
UH, BOMB SQUAD IN PARTICULAR IS KEY WITH, UH, IN TERMS OF WORKING WITH THE DIVE TEAM FOR PORT SECURITY INITIATIVES AND RESPONSE.
SIMILAR TO WHAT HPD IS DOING, WE'RE ALSO TRAINING MEMBERS THAT ARE NOT WITHIN OUR SPECIAL, OUR T OPS.
UM, WE HAVE, WE TRAIN ALMOST A THOUSAND MEMBERS EVERY YEAR, UH, THAT WE GO THROUGH, THROUGH EITHER HIGH WATER VEHICLE OR THEY'RE DOING EVAC BOAT TRAINING.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE OUR WATER STRIKE TEAM, WHICH IS 80 MEMBERS THAT ARE, UM, COME IN DURING THEIR PART-TIME.
THEY COME IN DURING MAJOR EVENTS AND THEY, WE STAFF HIGH WATER VEHICLES AND WE STAFF OTHER BOATS.
UH, OUR TECHNICAL RESCUE TEAM, THAT'S 54 MEMBERS, 56 MEMBERS, SORRY, UH, OF, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE TRAINED IN, UH,
[00:20:01]
SWIFT WATER RESCUE, AGAIN, SWIFT WATER RESCUE.UH, THEY'RE LOW FREQUENCY, BUT THEY'RE HIGH PROFILE.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THOSE, UH, GOING ON.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE 21 BOATS BEING STAGED ACROSS THE CITY WITH 15, 19, 9 HIGH WATER VEHICLES, BIG ONES.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE SIX LITTLE HIGH WATER VEHICLES, UM, NUMBER 22, WHICH IS THE POWER BOAT.
AND THEN NUMBER 23, UM, IS THE NEW FIRE BOAT THAT'S COMING ONLINE SOON.
SO THAT'LL BE ADDING TO THE FLEET.
WE'LL BE MOVING ONE MORE BOAT DOWN TO KING OR CLEAR LAKE DOWN TO THAT AREA.
NEXT SLIDE IS GONNA BE A VIDEO, A MUCH SHORTER VIDEO, BUT, UH, YOU'LL RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE FOOTAGE FROM THE GOOD WORK THAT LAKE PATROL HAS DONE IN RESPONSE TO RECENT EVENTS.
PROBLEM HERE, GRAB MY, GRAB MY LEG.
UH, I GOT AT LEAST ONE OTHER PERSON I'M GONNA NEED HELP WITH.
COME, GO BACK AND GET THE OTHER ONE.
I'M TRYING TO GET HIM OUT OF THE WATER.
HE'S TRYING TO MAKE IT MYSELF.
WHO'S BLACK DOG OVER THERE? RIGHT HERE.
HIS, HIS DOG STUCK OVER THERE.
HEY, UH, AND THIS OCCURRED DURING THE EVENTS OF LATE APRIL, EARLY MAY, UH, WHEN WE HAD THE SAN JA RIVER FLOODING.
UH, WHICH AGAIN, DEMONSTRATES YET ANOTHER CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE, WHICH IS, EVEN WHEN IT'S NOT RAINING IN HOUSTON, WE CAN STILL HAVE, UH, FLOODING INCIDENTS THAT REQUIRE OUR RESPONSE.
THE CITY, UH, RESPONDERS, H-P-D-H-F-D, WE'VE ADOPTED THE FEMA STANDARDS.
SOME OF THAT IS TIED TO, UH, FEDERAL GRANTS, FEDERAL FUNDING THAT WE ARE ELIGIBLE FOR.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP UP WITH THOSE, THE MINIMUM SWIM STANDARDS THAT WE DO, THE TASK BOOKS THAT WE'RE DOING, UH, THE TRAINING THAT WE'D GO TO OKLAHOMA FOR, THAT YOU GUYS SUPPORT US TO GO TO OKLAHOMA AND GET THAT TRAINING.
UM, CURRENTLY IN THE AREA, THERE'S NOT REALLY MUCH OF A PLACE THAT WE CAN DO THAT TRAINING IN, SO WE HAVE TO TRAVEL.
UM, THERE'S OTHER PLACES, UH, NEW YORK THAT WE ALSO GO TO.
SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE'RE HAVE ADOPTED IS THE FEDERAL SARCO, WHICH IS THE SEARCH AND RESCUE COMMON OPERATING PLATFORM.
THIS HAS BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO.
WE HAVE NO MORE LAPSE IN COVERAGE, OR NOT LAPSE IN COVERAGE, BUT, UH, DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS IS WHAT IT TALK ABOUT.
UM, THIS IS A FEDERAL RECOGNIZED SYSTEM.
UH, THE BEST PART ABOUT IT WAS THE PRICE ON IT.
UH, WE JUST HAD TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF PERMISSIONS TO THE SARCO, AND THEY'RE, THEY'VE ALLOWED US TO USE THE PROGRAM.
UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, IT'S ALL THE FEDERAL TEAMS, ALL 28 FEDERAL FEMA TEAMS ACROSS THE NATION ARE ON THIS RIGHT HERE.
AND SO IF WE HAVE SOMEBODY FROM CALIFORNIA COME IN, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE DUPLICATING THE EFFORTS.
AND SO OUR MAIN GOAL IS TO KEEP, UM, I'M NOT GONNA SAY IT'S NEVER GONNA HAPPEN, BUT OUR MAIN GOAL IS TO KEEP FEMA OUT OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY RESOURCES AVAILABLE AND LET THEM HANDLE OTHER, UH, OUTLYING COUNTY AREAS IN THE HARRIS COUNTY.
CURRENTLY, HOW WE TRAIN OUR MEMBERS, UM, WITHIN HFD, WE'RE TRAINING THEM ON DUTY.
UH, WE'LL PUT 'EM OUTTA SERVICE FOR A FEW HOURS AND BRING 'EM OUT TO EITHER LAKE HOUSTON, UH, GOOD TIMES, MARINA, OR WE, UH, ANY POOL THAT WE'RE ABLE TO FIND, UH, PARKS HAS BEEN GREAT WITH US, UH, LETTING US ALLOW US TO USE TC ADJUSTER POOL.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO.
WE HAD TO, UH, RENT SOME POOLS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COST US, IT COST HPD, THEY DID ONE FOR $5,000, AND ALSO WE DID ONE FOR $5,000 TO RENT U OF H.
UH, THAT WAS FOUR DAYS OF TRAINING AT THE COST OF $5,000.
SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO LATELY IS WE'RE WORKING WITH SLITTER BOND.
UH, IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, A P CARD OVERRIDE, BUT, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO TRAIN, UM, I THINK IT WAS 80 MEMBERS FOR $1,800.
UM, SO THAT WAS A GOOD, THAT WAS A GOOD OUTLET.
SOMETHING WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, UM, USING THE ONLINE VERSION, USING THE SLITTER BOND, AND THEN FINISHING 'EM FOR TWO DAYS IN
[00:25:01]
AT OKLAHOMA CITY.THAT WAY IT'S CUT, BRINGING THE COST OF THE CITIZENS DOWN.
UM, TRYING TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER FOR YOU.
SO, UH, COLLECTIVELY, HPD AND HFD HAVE WORKED HARD TO COME TOGETHER, TRAIN TOGETHER, MAKE SURE WE'RE SPEAKING THE SAME LANGUAGE, WE'RE OPERATING THE SAME WAY, SO THAT THERE'S, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ISSUES WHEN IT COMES TO OPERATIONS.
WE ARE SHARING LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE PAST.
WE'RE SHARING LESSONS LEARNED FROM PEER AGENCIES AS WE TRY TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
UM, THE, UH, THE SAR O IS, UH, IS GONNA BE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT GOING FORWARD SO THAT WE CAN AVOID THAT DUPLICATION OF EFFORT.
UM, ONE OF THE STEPS THAT WE'VE, UH, THAT WE'VE TAKEN IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CO-LOCATE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE UNIFIED COMMAND SO THAT HPD AND HFD ARE PHYSICALLY TOGETHER AS WE'RE DISPATCHING RESOURCES.
AND THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS AN ADVANCEMENT.
IT'S IMPROVED OUR RESPONSE THIS YEAR IN KINGWOOD AS WE HAD FLOODING EVENTS.
IT WORKED VERY WELL TO HAVE OUR KINGWOOD COMMANDER, HER LEADERSHIP WITH HER AT THE HFD STATION ON WESTLAKE HOUSTON PARKWAY.
AND AT THE END, WE GOT POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM BOTH SIDES ABOUT HOW MUCH MORE SMOOTHLY THINGS WENT, BECAUSE THEY COULD TURN TO THE SIDE AND SAY, I'M GETTING THIS ON THE RADIO.
DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT? OR JUST TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE GONNA GO OVER HERE.
THAT WAY IF HFD GETS A CALL FOR SERVICE, THEY KNOW THAT OUR PERSONNEL ARE GONNA BE IN A CERTAIN AREA.
UH, WE'VE WORKED MULTI WITH OTHER AGENCIES IN THE AREA.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A COMMON OPERATING PICTURE AND THAT WITH OTHER AGENCIES AS WELL, WE CAN COLLABORATE AND WORK WELL TOGETHER.
IT'S A MODEL THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON WITH OTHER CAPABILITIES AS WELL.
SO THAT WAY WHEN WE HAVE LARGE EVENTS, MAJOR INCIDENTS, WE CAN WORK TOGETHER, SUPPORT EACH OTHER, FILL IN GAPS WHEN ONE AGENCY IS REQUIRING ASSISTANCE.
UH, WE'VE WORKED WITH SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICE, UNIVERSITY POLICE, UM, THE FIRE MARSHALS HARRIS COUNTY.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN UP TO ANY QUESTIONS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, BEFORE WE GET TO QUESTIONS, WE WERE JOINED DURING THE PRESENTATION BY VICE CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, AND COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, AND ALSO ONLINE BY STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS'S OFFICE.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US.
THAT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT, UM, BOTH DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT NEEDS, UM, FOR FUTURE EQUIPMENT, LIKE HIGH WATER RESCUE VEHICLES AND BOATS, ARE YOU COORDINATING THAT EFFORT BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS? ARE YOU LOOKING AT IT JUST FROM WHAT YOUR DEPARTMENT NEEDS? SO, I THINK WE REC SORRY, GO AHEAD.
I, I THINK WE, WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE ALL WORK FOR HOUSTON.
WE HAVE HOUSTON ON OUR PATCH, AND JUST BY VIRTUE OF THE FACT THAT BO AND HIS TEAM WORK WITH OUR TEAMS ON A DAILY BASIS, WE WE'RE AWARE OF WHAT THE OTHER, WHAT THE OTHER SIDE IS DOING.
UM, FIRST UP IS COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK, UH, AND THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING TO KEEP HOUSTONIAN SAFE AND OUR OFFICERS SAFE.
UM, TO CHAIR TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE'VE USED DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR HIGH WATER RESCUE VEHICLES, FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WHAT EQUIPMENT, IF ANY, DO YOU, WHAT IS YOUR NEEDS LIST RIGHT NOW? UH, IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, IF YOU COULD SHARE THAT WITH US, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
SO WE'VE, WE'RE, WE ARE CONTINUING TO MAKE PROGRESS WITH EQUIPMENT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE MISSING.
UM, I'LL LET BO ADD ON, BUT FOR HPDS PORTION, WE'LL BUTCHERS IT WITH A WRITTEN RESPONSE OFF THE TOP OF OUR HEAD, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE CANNOT GET THROUGH GRANTS THAT ARE CHALLENGING.
WE DO TRY TO USE GRANTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO LIMIT THE EXPOSURE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND MAKE USE OF WHAT'S OUT THERE.
UM, WE DO HAVE AN AGING FLEET OF OUR EVAC BOATS.
THOSE ARE THE LITTLE JOHN BOATS.
UH, FOR A LOT OF OUR STILL WATER RESCUE, WE HAVE, UH, A FLEET.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE BOATS ARE OVER 20 YEARS OLD AND THEY'RE JUST SHOWING THEIR AGE.
UM, ALSO THE TRUCKS THAT ARE USED TO TRANSPORT OUR EQUIPMENT ACROSS THE CITY, UM, THOSE, THOSE REQUIRE JUST CONSTANT MAINTENANCE AND REPLENISHMENT.
THAT'S ANOTHER ASSET THAT IS, THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY FIT WELL INTO SOME OF THE GRANTS THAT WE'VE HAD SUCCESS WITH.
SO, UH, THOSE TYPES OF PICKUP TRUCKS THAT ARE GONNA BE TOWING THE TRAILERS WITH JOHN BOATS, WITH THE ZODIACS, ET CETERA, UM, SUPPORT IN PURCHASING THOSE VEHICLES WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL.
AND AGAIN, I'LL PROVIDE A WRITTEN RESPONSE.
APPRECIATE THAT IN THE ESTIMATED COSTS OF THOSE.
UM, AND Y'ALL DO A HELL OF A JOB GOING OUT AND GETTING GRANTS.
SO GRANT TEAM IS DOING AN AMAZING JOB AS IT RELATES.
YOU MENTIONED EVACUATIONS, UM, ARE, DO WE HAVE DATA ON THE RATE OF RESCUES NEEDED DUE TO
[00:30:01]
UNHEATED WARNINGS? WHETHER THAT'S HIGH WATER WARNINGS BEING OUT ON THE STREET.OBVIOUSLY IF PEOPLE ARE IN HOMES AND NOT BEING, AND NOT EVACUATING, UM, THAT'S A DIFFERENT SCENARIO.
BUT DO WE HAVE ANY DATA ON THAT? I BELIEVE WE CAN PULL THAT UP THROUGH OEC.
I CAN PULL SOME OF THAT UP AND TALK TO, UH, MATT LLOYD AND GET THOSE NUMBERS FOR YOU.
BUT YES, WE CAN, WE HAVE THAT DATA.
AND AGAIN, 'CAUSE IT, PART OF THIS IS PUBLIC EDUCATION, RIGHT? UM, AND WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY'S LIFE AT RISK, AND WE DON'T WANNA PUT OFFICERS IN THE MIDST OF A RESCUE, THEIR LIVES AT RISK AS WELL.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY EVACUATIONS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN THIS AS WELL.
AND THE SAFETY DURING AN EVACUATION.
LASTLY, BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT UP THE BAYOU, UH, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT TANGENTIAL, BUT I THINK IT'S CORRELATED.
UM, THERE, THERE WERE REPORTS THAT I THINK SINCE JUNE 10, AT LEAST 10 BODIES HAVE BEEN FOUND IN THE BAYOU.
AND THEN UNFORTUNATELY, THE, I DON'T LIKE THESE TERMS, BUT THE DISPOSAL OF THE BODY INTO THE BAYOU.
BUT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBERS WE'RE SEEING AND SAFETY AROUND BAYOU, HAVE THERE BEEN ANY CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT? IS THIS A TREND WE'RE SEEING THAT'S UPTICK? UM, SO AGAIN, WE'LL PROVIDE A WRITTEN RESPONSE WITH MORE DETAILS.
I DO KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN A MIX.
UM, SOME OF THESE, SOME OF THESE VICTIMS APPEAR TO, UM, APPEAR TO BE HOMELESS OR HAVE SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES.
AND SO THERE IS A SEPARATE MENTAL HEALTH, UH, COMPONENT THAT CONTRIBUTES TO PEOPLE GOING INTO THE WATER AND THEN FINDING THEMSELVES IN TROUBLE FOR WHATEVER REASON.
SO I WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK WITH OUR HOMICIDE DIVISION TO QUANTIFY, UH, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S UP OR DOWN.
IT CERTAINLY FEELS LIKE IT'S BEEN UP.
UM, AND ALSO TO QUANTIFY WHICH ONES APPEAR TO BE CRIMINAL IN NATURE VERSUS ACCIDENTAL.
YEAH, JUST AGAIN, SAFETY AROUND BAYOU AND WATERWAYS, UM, IS HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR US TO GATHER.
UM, AND I, YOU PROBABLY CAN RELATE TO THIS SINCE, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MOST, UH, NOTABLE EVENTS SPANS ABOUT 10 YEARS, AND I THINK EACH OF THEM ARE DIFFERENT.
UH, I SHARE WITH A LOT OF FOLKS.
UM, PROBABLY THAT'S, THAT'S PROBABLY MY HIGHEST STRESS, UH, AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IS DURING THESE EVENTS.
'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, THEY'RE UNEXPECTED.
YOU DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE GONNA, YOU CAN PLAN FOR THEM.
SOME OF 'EM HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, THE DAY OF.
AND SO JUST DEFINITELY WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
WHEN IT COMES TO PREPARATION, I KNOW THIS, THIS MORE RECENT, THESE SOME OF THE MORE RECENT ONES.
THERE'S CON UH, CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ARE WE, ARE WE PREPARED? WERE WE PREPARED? UM, I, I, AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE I KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING A HECK OF A JOB JUST STAYING PREPARED, MEETING, YOU KNOW, HOURS, DAYS BEFORE SOME OF THESE EVENTS.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, ACTUAL TRAINING AND COORDINATING Y'ALL, Y'ALL MENTIONED SOME, UH, SOME NON H-P-D-H-F-D, MAYBE, UH, OTHER AGENCIES.
UM, AND, AND KNOWING THAT IT'S, IT'S ALSO PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS DEPARTMENT.
UH, TO WHAT EXTENT ARE THEY PARTICIPATING IN ANY OF THESE TRAININGS? SO WE DID DO ONE WITH, UM, WE ASKED, I INVITED BRIAN MASON, UH, BYRON OZEKI.
UH, WE INVITED A PUBLIC WORKS WITH US BECAUSE THEY'RE ALSO RESPONDING TO US, UH, TO THOSE EVENTS WITH US, YOU KNOW, USING THEIR DUMP TRUCKS.
UM, SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THEY GOT INTO A SITUATION THAT, UM, THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF HOW TO GET OUT OF THAT SITUATION.
ONE OF THE TRAININGS THAT WE RECENTLY DID WAS A ROLLOVER SIMULATOR SIMULATING YOU ROLL THE TRUCK OVER, GET OUT OF IT.
AND, UM, EVERYBODY, WE HAD A LOT OF GOOD POSITIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT THAT.
UH, WE HAD SOME MEMBERS THAT WERE DEATHLY AFRAID OF WATER BY THE TIME OF THAT, THEY WERE LIKE, I WANNA DO THIS AGAIN.
SO, UH, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE TRAININGS THAT WE'RE DOING.
WE INCLUDE HPD, UH, HARRIS COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, OTHER CURRENTLY, RIGHT NOW, UH, LET ME TELL YOU THAT THERE'S OVER A HUNDRED HIGH WATER VEHICLES IN HARRIS COUNTY, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH MOST OF THEM.
SO, UM, ASIDE FROM PUBLIC WORKS, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS ARE USUALLY OUT IN ABOUT AS WELL, OR ARE Y'ALL TRYING TO REACH OUT TO SOME OF THESE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY? ACTUALLY, WE'VE NEVER REACHED OUT, AS FAR AS I KNOW, UM, TO POP TO THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
BUT IT WOULDN'T BE, IT WOULDN'T HURT US TO GIVE 'EM A CALL TO FIND OUT IF THEY WANT TO COME OUT AND, UM, TRAIN WITH US.
YEAH, CA CAPTAIN, I, I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, I, I THINK, UM, ONE THING THAT WE'VE LEARNED, EVEN WITHIN OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL OFFICES, IT IS THAT EVERYBODY TO WHAT, TO SOME EXTENT, BECOMES A FIRST RESPONDER.
AND, AND I THINK, UH, THE TRAINING THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR, UH, IT TO TRICKLE DOWN TO SOME OF US AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND TO THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, Y Y'ALL SPOKE ABOUT, UH, TURNAROUND DON'T DROWN AND BARRICADES, AND I JUST LIKE TO GET SOME MORE, UH, A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF, OF HOW THAT ROLLS OUT.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT SOMETIMES PUT BARRICADES OUT.
SOMETIMES OUR DIFFERENT, UH, COMMAND STATIONS PUT OUT SOME OF THOSE BARRICADES.
[00:35:01]
TO, UM, MAKE SURE FOR THE PUBLIC NOTICE, RIGHT, TO WHERE ARE THOSE LOCATIONS OR THEIR LOCATIONS, DO Y'ALL THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL, Y'ALL MIGHT BE MISSING THINGS THAT WE COULD PROBABLY HELP OUT WITH? SO I, GO AHEAD.I BELIEVE THAT MOST OF THE LOCATIONS THAT ARE, HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, AND THAT FALLS UNDER OEM, BRIAN MASON'S GROUP.
UM, THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED THOSE LOCATIONS AND THEY KNOW WHERE EXACTLY WHERE TO PUT THOSE OUT.
I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT HE'S MISSED ANY, UH, HE'S VERY THOROUGH AT WHAT HE DOES.
SO, UH, I THINK HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT LOCATIONS NEED TO BE, HAVE BARRICADES PUT OUT, AND THEN THEY WORK WITH HPD IN RESPONSE.
YEAH, AND, AND I CAN SPEAK TO THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UH, BRIAN MASON, UH, YOU KNOW, BACK, GOING BACK TO MY TIME AS A COMMANDER AT KINGWOOD DIVISION, UH, HE'S BEEN VERY PROACTIVE IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATING AND BEING FORWARD THINKING ABOUT PREPARATION.
SO WITH OUR DIVISIONS, WE HAVE DIVISIONS THAT WILL GO TO PUBLIC WORKS AND RETRIEVE CONE TRAILERS OR WHATEVER, OR BARRICADES SO THAT WE CAN PRE-STAGE THEM, GET THEM CLOSE, BUT NOT IN THE WATER.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR, UH, WE HAVE MAPS WHERE WE TRY TO PRE REDEPLOY AND ONCE CONDITIONS MERIT IT, WE WILL THEN DEPLOY THOSE BARRICADES AND CONES.
UH, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS YOU THINK THAT YOU'VE PUT THE CONES OUT IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND THE WATER COMES UP TO IT, OR YOU PUT IT TOO FAR OUT, AND A CITIZEN DOESN'T QUITE SEE WHERE THE DANGER IS.
UM, AND THIS IS WHERE I WOULD ASK FOR PARTNERSHIP.
THIS IS WHERE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, YOUR MESSAGING IS SO IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF GETTING THOSE SAFETY MESSAGES OUT TO, HEY, WHEN WE PUT CONES OUT, WHEN WE HAVE BARRICADES OUT, PLEASE UNDERSTAND THEY'RE THERE FOR YOUR SAFETY.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AND PLEASE DON'T GO AROUND THEM OR TO NOTIFY US WHEN THERE IS AN ISSUE.
BUT THERE'S, THERE IS A, THERE'S BEEN FOR YEARS NOW, A LOT OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PUBLIC WORK SIDE, OEM AND OUR DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE READY AND WE CAN GET THAT OUT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S A RESULT OF THE FORWARD THINKING ON, UH, PARTICULARLY ON BRIAN MASON'S PART, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE READY.
AND WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY, WE'RE NOT OVEREXPOSING OTHER, UH, OTHER EMPLOYEES LIKE PUBLIC WORKS.
SO IF PATROL IS GONNA BE OUT THERE, IT MAKES SENSE FOR THEM TO PUT THE CONES OUT RATHER THAN ASKING PUBLIC WORKS TO TREK ALL OVER THE CITY TRYING TO GET THEM OUT.
I APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION, AND I'LL JUST ASK THIS LAST QUESTION, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO PURCHASING VEHICLES OR OTHER EQUIPMENT, UM, AND I THINK, UH, THE CHAIRWOMAN WAS KIND OF ALLUDING TO IT, RIGHT? UH, I KNOW Y'ALL, Y'ALL ARE PROBABLY, UH, IDENTIFYING THOSE THROUGH MAYBE HHPD OR HFD, BUT I THINK IT'D BE GOOD TO ALSO SEE WHAT THOSE OTHER EQUIPMENT, UM, THAT MAY BE PUBLIC WORKS CAN ALSO PROVIDE, UM, AND SEE HOW Y'ALL CAN JOIN EFFORTS IN, UH, APPLYING FOR GRANTS IN THAT, IN THAT MATTER AS WELL.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE HIGH WATER RESCUES AND THE TRAINING ARE SO IMPORTANT AS WE'VE SEEN IN RECENT YEARS.
SO I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE TRAINED TO DO THAT SORT OF THING.
AND, UH, DISAPPOINTED EVERY TIME WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT DON'T GET THE MESSAGE.
THOSE VIDEOS OF THE HIGH WATER RESCUES, I THINK ARE VERY, UH, IMPRESSIVE.
AND, UM, I HOPE WE CAN DISSEMINATE THOSE TO THE PUBLIC IN, IN MAYBE A BETTER WAY TO HAVE PEOPLE GET THE MESSAGE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE TOLD NOT TO DRIVE INTO HIGH WATER, DON'T DRIVE INTO HIGH WATER.
AND WHEN YOU'RE TOLD TO EVACUATE, EVACUATE.
AND THAT WAY RESOURCES AREN'T WASTED ON PEOPLE WHO SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER, AND THEY'RE SAVED FOR THE, THE FOLKS WHO REALLY, REALLY NEED THE HELP.
BUT I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU GUYS ARE THERE AND READY TO GO.
SO, LOOKING AT SLIDE NUMBER 10, THIS IS A LIST OF, UH, SOME OF THE OBSTACLES YOU ALL ENCOUNTER.
UM, IS THERE A, IS THERE AN ASK ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SLIDE 10? IS THAT THE ONE TITLED FEMA STANDARDS? NO.
IT'S HOW WE CURRENTLY TRAIN OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND OBSTACLES ENCOUNTERED.
I REALLY THINK THE BIGGEST ASK ON THIS IS TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM, SUPPORT HOW WE'RE DOING TRAINING, UM, AND SUPPORT IN, UH, IDEAS THAT WE COME UP WITH.
UH, ONE OF OUR, JUST LIKE CHIEF HOWARD'S, UH, ASK WAS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE HIGH WATER VEHICLE PROGRAM, UH, WHERE THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
THEY CAN TIE A THREAT MATRIX TO SOME OF THIS STUFF WHERE WE'RE NOT ABLE TO.
SO SOME OF THE GRANT STUFF THAT WE, THAT ARE OUT THERE, WE'RE NOT ELIGIBLE TO GIVE BECAUSE THERE'S NO THREAT MATRIX TO IT.
UH, FEMA A LONG TIME AGO, PULLED THAT OUT, PULLED FLOODING OUT OF, UH, THE THREAT MATRIX.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM, WORKING WITH, TRYING TO GET ANY AVENUE WE CAN TO KEEP THE COST OF THE CITIZENS DOWN.
ONE OF THE BULLET POINTS ON THIS SLIDE IS, UM, THE NEED FOR POOL ACCESS.
AND IT SAYS YOU RELY ON PUBLIC AND PRIVATE POOLS.
DO YOU NEED, WHAT'S, WHAT SIZE POOL DO YOU NEED IN ORDER TO DO THE TRAINING?
[00:40:01]
SO, UM, WITH, WITH THE POOLS WITH YOU THINK OF OLYMPIC SIZED POOL AND DEEP WELL POOLS.THOSE ARE SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE KEY COMPONENTS, RIGHT? WE NEED SOMETHING THAT'S DEEP ENOUGH, UH, TO EXPOSE SOMEONE TO BEING IN WATER THAT'S, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN'T STAND THEIR WAY OUT OF.
ALSO HAVING A POOL THAT'S, UH, SUFFICIENTLY LONG SO THAT YOU CAN, UH, IT'S NOT JUST TWO STROKES TO, TO GET TO THE WALL.
SO, UM, LARGER POOLS IN GENERAL.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK JUST KIND OF OLYMPIC SIZED POOL, THERE'S, THERE ARE, THERE ARE A FEW AROUND THE CITY WITH, UM, WITH CITY POOLS ALSO NET AUDITORIUMS. WE'VE HAD SUCCESS USING WITH, UH, WITH SCHOOLS, WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS USING, UH, BARRING THEIR POOLS.
AND THAT'S PARTICULARLY HELPFUL FOR THAT FIRST LINE RESPONDER, UH, TRAINING THAT SRG PUTS OUT TO PATROL FOR OPERATING THE TRUCKS.
UM, FOR THE MORE, UH, FOR THE HIGHER LEVEL TRAINING, THOSE ARE ALMOST ALWAYS GONNA REQUIRE SOME SORT OF TRAVEL AND EXPENSE.
AND THAT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO IN-HOUSE.
THE FACILITIES DON'T EXIST LOCALLY.
THE CLOSEST IS, YOU KNOW, UH, CREDIT TO BEAU AND HIS GROUP FOR COMING UP, FOR BEING CREATIVE, TO FIND AN ALTERNATIVE, ALTERNATIVE WAY TO LIMIT THE, THE EXTENT OF THE TRAVEL.
BUT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WHEN WE SAY THAT WE NEED TO GO TO THIS TRAVEL, IT'S BECAUSE WE NEED TO MEET FEMA STANDARDS.
WE NEED THAT THIRD PARTY ACCREDITATION, UH, TO, AND THAT, THAT REALLY IS WHAT'S NEEDED FOR OUR PERSONNEL AND TO PROTECT THE CITY FROM LIABILITY.
WELL, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU MAKE USE OF, UM, POOL SCHOOL POOLS, FOR INSTANCE.
UM, 'CAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY, UH, UNIVERSITIES THAT HAVE DIVE TEAMS, COMPETITIVE DIVE TEAMS, RIGHT? SO MAYBE THEY HAVE POOLS DEEP ENOUGH FOR THE WORK, THE TRAINING THAT YOU ALL HAVE TO DO, AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME OF THE CLUBS AROUND TOWN.
BUT, UM, I WAS AFRAID YOU WERE GONNA ASK US TO FUND A POOL FOR TRAINING.
I'M NOT SURE WE HAVE THE MONEY FOR THAT.
WE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE MONEY FOR MUCH OF ANYTHING THESE DAYS.
BUT ANYWAY, APPRECIATE THE CREATIVITY AND, UH, THANKS FOR WHAT YOU DO.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER, WE ARE WORKING ON, UM, A POOL IN DISTRICT A AS WELL, UM, TO DO AN AGREEMENT FOR TRAINING AS WELL.
SO WE'RE HOPEFUL TO GET THAT MOVING SOON.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF WHAT Y'ALL DO IS IN THE PLANNING AND PREPARATION OF, YOU KNOW, THESE STORMS COMING, ARE THERE, AND I KNOW EVERY STORM IS DIFFERENT AND EVERY WATER EVENT'S DIFFERENT, BUT ARE THERE SPECIFIC LOCATIONS IDENTIFIED IN EACH DISTRICT FOR POTENTIAL STAGING, LIKE FOR THE HIGH WATER TRUCKS OR FOR THE BOATS OR, OR THINGS LIKE THAT? UM, DEPENDING ON THE STORM OR AREAS THAT WE KNOW THAT DON'T TYPICALLY FLY IN.
SO JUST, UM, WITH, WITHOUT ANY NOTICE, WE DO HAVE ASSETS THAT ARE DEPLOYED ACROSS THE CITY.
SO WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TRUCKS FOR EVERY PATROL STATION OR THE SPACE NECESSARILY FOR EVERY PATROL STATION TO HAVE ONE.
BUT IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S SIX OR SEVEN PATROL STATIONS THAT HAVE TRUCKS ALL THE TIME.
SO WE HAVE SOME RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
BO CAN SPEAK TO THE DEPLOYMENT AND AVAILABILITY OF THEIR EQUIPMENT.
UM, AND THEN WHEN WE ARE PLANNING EVENTS, WE CERTAINLY LOOK AT THE FORECAST, TRY TO ANTICIPATE WHAT AREAS ARE GONNA BE HIT THE WORST.
AND AS YOU MENTIONED, EVERY EVENT IS DIFFERENT.
WEST SIDE COULD FLOOD AND KINGWOOD COULD BE SUNNY VICE VERSA.
AND IT'S JUST EVERY STORM IS UNIQUE, AND WE DO OUR BEST TO FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON WHAT THE FORECAST IS, IS INDICATING SO THAT WE'RE AS CLOSE TO THE PROBLEM AS POSSIBLE IF AND WHEN A PROBLEM ARISES.
AND IS THERE ANY WAY, AND NOT TODAY, BUT IS THERE ANY WAY TO GET A LIST OF LOCATIONS IN THE DISTRICT THAT ARE POTENTIAL, UH, STAGING LOCATIONS IN CASE OF A WATER RESCUE EVENT? I'M, YOU KNOW, WEST HOUSTON.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE OUT THERE WITH HARVEY AND EVERYTHING, AND SO, UM, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THEY WERE IDENTIFIED LOCATIONS.
I CAN TELL YOU IN YOUR DISTRICT STATION, 75 IS THE, IS THE STAGING LOCATION.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS IS THEY HAVE THE BIGGER STATION.
THEY ALSO HAVE THE BIGGEST PARKING LOT.
UH, COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER OFF, UH, DISTRICT, IT'LL BE, UH, STATION 1 0 2.
AGAIN, THEY HAVE MULTIPLE BUILDINGS, BIG PARKING LOTS, UH, THINGS THAT WHERE WE CAN DO SOME STAGING.
UH, ALSO IN FLICKINGER IS THE, UH, STATION 70, WHICH IS DOWN SOUTH.
THAT'S ANOTHER KEY STAGING LOCATION.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE ABLE TO DO IS WE LEARNED HOW TO CHASE WATER, UM, TO WATCH WHAT, WHEN WE START RELEASING WATER OUT OF THE ATTICS RESERVOIR, WE HAVE 45 MINUTES AND THAT WATER'S GONNA BE DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
SO WE'VE LEARNED HOW TO, UH, PREPARE FOR THOSE, UH, IN CATCHMENT AFFLICTING JURORS OFF, UH, DISTRICT TWO HOURS WHEN THEY START RELEASING WATER IN THE SAN, UH, SAN JACINTO.
UH, WE HAVE TWO HOURS THAT WATER'S GONNA BE DOWNTOWN OR BE IN KINGWOOD.
SO, UH, WE DO HAVE SOME NOTICE, BUT HAVING THOSE ASSETS PRE-STAGED UP THERE IS WHERE IT'S REALLY WHAT THE, UH, WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING.
REALLY QUICKLY TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT,
[00:45:01]
UM, WE'VE SEEN MORE RECENTLY IN SOME OF THESE DISASTERS, DICHO NOT MUCH FLOODING.HURRICANE BARRETT WAS MORE OF THE RIVERS PRIOR PROCEEDING THEM, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE GRID IS NOT STABILIZED, AND WE KNOW THAT WE CAN LOSE POWER WITH POWER, UH, TELECOM FOR RESIDENTS, NOT NECESSARILY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT FOR RESIDENTS GOES DOWN.
HAVE WE BEEN LOOKING AT HOW WE ARE COMMUNICATING WITH RESIDENTS WHEN THOSE SYSTEMS THAT THEY'RE RELYING ON FOR THAT INFORMATION ARE GOING DOWN? UM, AND AGAIN, I DEFER TO THE EXPERTS I'VE SEEN IN SOME CITIES, RIGHT? THEY'RE HAVING SOMETIMES VEHICLES GO THROUGH TO MAKE THOSE ANNOUNCEMENTS, BUT WHEN YOU CAN'T AND IT'S HIGH WATER, ARE WE LOOKING AT DRONE COMMUNICATION? LIKE WHAT ARE, WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING WITH RESIDENTS BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING COMMUNICATION ISSUES THAT WILL PLAY AN INHERENT ROLE IF AND WHEN WE HAVE THE BIG ONE? SO WE ARE DOING STUFF LIKE THAT, UM, WHERE WE, WE WILL GO OUT AND MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENTS THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, LANDLINES ARE ALSO REVERSE 9 1 1 IS ANOTHER GREAT WAY TO DO THAT.
UH, LANDLINES DON'T NEED CELLULAR CELL DATA TO GET THAT, TO MAKE THOSE HAPPEN, BUT, UH, IF YOU JUST HAVE ONE AND YOU PLUG IT IN, EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE A SERVICE ON IT, IT'LL STILL CALL, IT'LL STILL BE ABLE TO CALL 9 1 1.
UM, THEY CAN GEO, THE NEW SYSTEM IS COMING UP.
THEY CAN GEO, UH, GEOFENCING AREA AND DO A REVERSE NINE ONE ONE AND CALL ANYBODY IN THAT AREA.
UH, SOMETHING ELSE THAT THEY'RE DABBLING IN IS THE STAR LINKS.
UM, SOMETHING THAT CAME UP AFTER, UM, UP IN NORTH CAROLINA, THEY, THEY LOST A FIBER OPTIC LINE SOMEWHERE IN NORTH CAROLINA, SO THERE WERE NO COMMS ANYWHERE.
WE CO WE COULD NOT COMMUNICATE, UM, OVER THE RADIO.
AND SO, UH, THAT WAS SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S BEEN COMING UP.
SO NOW THEY'RE LOOKING AT FEDERALLY STARLINK.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UH, STARLINK JUST HIRED A, BASICALLY A BRIAN MASON OR STARLINK TO MITIGATE THOSE SITUATIONS.
SO IF WE COULD BE KEPT APPRISED, CHAIR OF AS ONE AS IT PERTAINS TO STARLINK, BUT TWO, IT'S VERY HELPFUL TO KNOW THAT YOU CAN STICK A PHONE IN THE WALL IN REVERSE 9 1 1.
SO HOW WE COMMUNICATE THAT OUT TO RESIDENTS AND WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE PROVIDING THOSE LANDLINES.
BUT ADDITIONALLY, MY ASK, AND THIS ISN'T JUST FOR HPD, BUT FOR ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONSE DEPARTMENTS, HOW WE'RE MASS MESSAGING, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND SOME SENIORS MAY STILL HAVE LANDLINES, BUT THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF PEOPLE HAVE CELL.
AND WHEN CELL IS GOING DOWN, WHEN POWER IS GOING DOWN, WHEN THE GRID'S GOING DOWN AGAIN IN CERTAIN AREAS, LIKE WITH THE DERECHO COUNCIL MEMBER, PECK, BOTH OF US, OUR RESIDENTS DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CITY HAD POWER AND THEY COULD JUST GO THERE.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO FLOODING, THAT'S AN EVEN MORE DANGEROUS SITUATION.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE, AS A CITY, EXPLORING HOW WE'RE GETTING THAT, THOSE MESSAGES OUT.
SO SOMETHING ELSE THAT COMMANDER, OR SORRY, CHIEF HOWARD, UH, SUGGESTED THAT WE MAKE A VIDEO, UM, CITYWIDE AND, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR, OUR EMPLOYEES COMING INTO WORK AND HOW WE SHOULD BE DOING THAT AND HOW WE SHOULD, UH, STAY SAFE.
AND I, I APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL, GIVEN, UM, THE LOSS OF, OF LIFE IN HPD AS WELL.
QUESTION, THE, ON THE SLIDE IT SAID OFFICERS PAY, FIREFIGHTERS PAY OUT OF POCKET TO MAINTAIN, UM, SWIM PROFICIENCY.
HOW LONG IS THAT? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS? UM, WELL, I'VE BEEN IN THIS DEPARTMENT 20 YEARS.
UM, I PAID FOR MY INITIAL SWIFT WATER CERTIFICATION, UM, AND THAT WAS BACK IN 2000.
I CAME IN IN 2004, SO PROBABLY 2005.
UM, IT WAS A TRAINING THAT I FELT WAS NECESSARY, AND SO I WENT ON AND PAID FOR IT OUTTA MY OWN POCKET.
WHAT ABOUT HPD? SO I THINK THIS IS ANALOGOUS TO, UH, ANY OF OUR SKILLS, TECHNICAL SKILLS WHERE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SOME PERSONNEL WHO ARE COMMITTED AND HAVE A VESTED INTEREST, AND THOSE ARE GONNA GO ABOVE AND BEYOND AND PAY FOR THEIR EXTRA ACCESS THAT'S, UH, TO MAINTAIN THEIR PROFICIENCY.
HAS THERE EVER BEEN A GRANT ASKED FOR THAT COVERS THIS OR IN, IN EITHER DEPARTMENT? AS FAR AS GRANTS, I'M NOT AWARE OF IT.
I KNOW THAT, UH, AFTER HARVEY, THE CITY DID PUT OUT SOME MONEY.
UM, WE, WE DID, UH, AND I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT WE SPENT IN PPE WAS $320,000, UH, JUST TO OUTFIT EVERYBODY WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UH, THERE WAS ALSO FUNDING TO SEND MEMBERS TO SWIFT WATER TRAINING.
UH, SOME OF THAT HAS BEEN FUNDED BY THE HOUSTON FIREFIGHTERS, UM, FOUNDATION.
AND SO, UH, BUT YES, THERE WAS SOME ALLEGATION, SOME FUNDS ALLOCATED.
BUT AS FAR AS GRANTS, NONE THAT I KNOW OF.
I, I, I, I WOULD BE INTERESTED
[00:50:01]
IN, YOU KNOW, BRINGING THIS ISSUE UP.I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WHERE WE ARE LOCATED DEMOGRAPHICALLY IN THE COUNTRY, I MEAN, WE KNOW THE TYPE OF EXPERIENCE THAT WE NEED FOR THIS TYPE OF THING.
SO IT WOULD BE SOMETHING I WOULD SORT OF LOOK INTO AS TO WHY WE, WE WOULD NOT SOME WAY COVER THROUGH THE CITY THIS TRAINING BECAUSE IT'S NECESSARY.
YES, SIR, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND CERTAINLY FOR YOU STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAS OFFICE.
AND ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL MEMBER DR.
CAROLYN, EVAN SHABA, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM AND PROFE IN OUR PREPARATION.
UH, WE KNOW THAT YOUR SERVICES ARE GEARED TOWARDS OUR COMMUNITIES AND THE PEOPLE WE REPRESENT, HOWEVER, LIKE ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS, WE HAVE A VERY WELL DEVELOPED CIVIC CLUB COMMUNITY.
ARE THERE ANY THOUGHTS OF ANY KIND OF TRAINING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE TO OUR LOCAL CIVIC LEADERS, UH, TO HELP SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS IN CASES OF EMERGENCY? SO WE'VE, WE'VE HAD SOME INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS ON HOW TO BETTER PARTNER WITH THE PUBLIC.
UH, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE OUR FIRST PRIORITY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PERSONNEL ARE TRAINED AND, AND READY TO RESPOND.
AND WE ARE IN THE BRAINSTORMING PHASE OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN, UM, PROVIDE SOME SORT OF PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS.
UH, WE DO HAVE UNITS THROUGH, UH, PIP MEETINGS THAT PROVIDE PRESENTATIONS.
UM, I WOULD CERTAINLY WANT TO BRING OUR CIVIC CLUBS TO THE LARGER VENUES SO THAT WE HAVE ECONOMY OF EFFORT AND ARE ABLE TO GET THE MOST BANG FOR OUR BUCK.
UM, BUT WE ARE CERTAINLY CONSIDERING THAT, AGAIN, DIVISIONS AT THEIR, AT THEIR LEVEL.
SOMETIMES WE'LL INCORPORATE THIS INTO ONE OF THEIR MONTHLY PIP MEETING TOPICS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S THE BEST FIRST PLACE TO START.
BUT WE ARE CERTAINLY BRAINSTORMING WAYS TO, UH, YOU KNOW, EXPOSE THEM TO WHAT WE DO AT THE POOLS, RIGHT? DISTRICT D WOULD BE PLEASED TO INVITE OUR LEADERSHIP TO SUPPORT YOU IN THAT EFFORT.
AS I SAID, OUR DIS OUR CIVIC CLUBS, WE HAVE MANY, UH, MANY OF THEM ARE FORMER CITY EMPLOYEES WITH GREAT SKILLS THAT CAN BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, ESPECIALLY DURING A SITUATION OF, UH, ALL HANDS ON DECK.
SO AGAIN, DISTRICT D, WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU.
THAT WAS OUR FINAL QUESTION, SO THANK YOU AGAIN, BOTH.
UP NEXT IS A PRESENTATION ABOUT HPC MOUNTED PATROL BY COMMANDER RYAN WATSON.
COMMANDER, WE ARE GETTING YOUR PRESENTATION UP.
I WANNA THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK FOR INVITING US HERE TO TALK ABOUT MOUNT PATROL.
UM, SO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF.
I SPENT THE LAST NEARLY FOUR YEARS AS THE UNIT COMMANDER OF MOUNT PATROL.
UH, WE ARE THE LARGEST MOUNT OF PATROL IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
WE ARE THE BENCHMARK FOR WHICH OTHER UNITS ACROSS, NOT ONLY UNITED STATES, BUT ACROSS THE WORLD, UH, COUNTRIES LIKE NETHERLAND, DENMARK, BELGIUM, HAVE ALL SOUGHT OUR EXPERTISE.
SO THE GRATITUDE FOR CITY COUNCIL, AND LET ME START HERE, GOES BEYOND THE SUPPORT THAT YOU GIVE US.
NOW, IT GOES BEYOND THE SPONSORSHIP OF THE HORSES, WHICH MANY OF YOU PERSONALLY SPONSORED WITH DISTRICT FUNDS, BUT IT GOES TO THE ACTUAL FORMATION OF MOUNT PATROL IN 1984, THE IDEA TO BRING BACK MOUNTED PATROL STARTED HERE IN THIS CHAMBER WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ELEANOR TINSLEY.
AND IT'S CONTINUED IN OUR 40TH YEAR.
UH, IT'S BEEN A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.
SO, JUST TO GIVE YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW, I WANNA TALK ABOUT KIND OF SOME OF OUR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
EVERYBODY SEES THE HORSES DOWNTOWN, NOT EVERYBODY'S QUITE SURE WHAT EXACTLY NOT A PATROL DOES OR WHY WE NEED 'EM.
TALK ABOUT WHY IT'S ADVANTAGEOUS TO USE THESE HORSES, HOW WE'RE USING 'EM ON A DAILY BASIS, BUDGET, UM, TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, RAMIREZ'S STATEMENT, MONEY'S HARD TO COME BY, RIGHT? WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF IT.
SO SHOW YOU HOW WE'RE KIND OF SELF-SUFFICIENT IN THAT, IN THAT WAY.
AND THEN TALK ABOUT OUR SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM.
SO, BRINGING MOUNT PATROL BACK STARTED IN 1984, UH, FACILITY.
GO TO THIS SLIDE THAT SAYS FACILITY, PLEASE.
SO IT STARTED IN 1984 BECAUSE FOR AS LONG AS THERE'S BEEN POLICE OFFICERS, WE'VE BEEN ON HORSES.
AND THEN WITH THE ADVENT AND WIDE CIRCULATION OF THE AUTOMOBILE, WE FELT WE DIDN'T NEED HORSES ANYMORE.
BUT WHAT WE REALIZED IS THERE ARE SOME JOBS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE ON HORSEBACK BECAUSE THEY CAN'T BE DONE FROM A CAR.
I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST SEPARATORS BETWEEN POLICE OFFICERS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE WAS THE INVENTION OF AIR CONDITIONING IN AN AUTOMOBILE, RIGHT? THE
[00:55:01]
OFFICERS STAY LOCKED UP IN THERE ENJOYING THE COOL WEATHER HERE IN HOUSTON, UH, AND, UH, THEY STAY INSIDE THE AIR CONDITIONING.SO WE REALIZED THAT WE NEEDED HORSES AND WE BROUGHT 'EM BACK.
UH, ORIGINALLY WE WERE HOUSED OUTSIDE OF THE, THE GALLERIA.
UM, AND IT WAS A VERY SMALL LOT ABOUT AN ACRE, MAYBE.
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE REMEMBER BEING KIDS AND GOING THERE AND FEEDING THE HORSES AND SEEING IT, TAKING THEIR KIDS TO SEE THE HORSES.
WELL, WE MOVED, UH, THANKFULLY ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO OUT IN NORTHEAST PART OF TOWN, AND WE HAVE NOW 17 ACRES TO THE HORSES ACTUALLY HAVE PADDOCKS.
UM, THEY CAN GO OUT AND BE HORSES AND HAVE AREAS WHERE THEY CAN GRAZE AND GET THE EXERCISE THEY NEED.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO AS I GIVE F*****G FIREFIGHTER OR POLICE OFFICER.
YES, JOHN DOE WORKING AT SEVEN 11.
NO, BUT, AND AS AN EMPLOYER, IT'S AN OBLIGATION, NOT A YES.
IT'S NOT A, YOU KNOW, NO, YOU, NOT A NICE TO HAVE.
NO, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAY YOU AND I, WE'LL, THIS JUST, SO, SO MY OFFICERS ARE TRAINED, SO WHEN WE HAVE MISSING CHILDREN SOMEWHERE IN A, IN AN AREA, OR WE'RE LOOKING FOR BODY RECOVERIES, UM, WE CAN GO OUT AND COVER MORE GROUND FROM AN ELEVATED POSITION AND DO SEARCH AND RESCUE.
WE FREQUENTLY GET CALLED UP, ASKED BY HOMICIDE, OTHER GROUPS TO HELP WITH THAT.
AND WE WORK HAND IN HAND WITH TEXAS EQUUSEARCH AS WELL.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, OUR ABILITY TO REALLY REACHED THE COMMUNITY ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL.
[01:00:01]
PEOPLE MAY NOT ALWAYS LIKE POLICE OFFICERS, BUT THEY LOVE THE HORSES, AND IT LETS US START THAT LINE AS COMMUNICATION.UM, AND THEN AS EXPANDED PATROL COVERAGE, UM, WE'RE PATROLLING THE, THE BIKE TRAILS THAT RUN THROUGHOUT HOUSTON.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CRIME, A LOT OF UNFORTUNATE INCIDENTS TAKING PLACE THERE.
MY OFFICERS ARE GOING AND THEY'RE PATROLLING ON A DAILY BASIS UP AND DOWN THESE PLACES THAT ARE JUST NOT ACCESSIBLE, UH, TO MOTORIZED VEHICLES.
SO I THINK FROM THE BENEFITS OF USING A HORSE, AND WE, I HIT ON SOME OF 'EM ALREADY.
I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST ADVANTAGES IS JUST THE SHEER PRESENCE OF, UM, A HORSE MOUNTED OFFICER.
UM, IT'S IMPROVED OUR ABILITIES.
UH, I'LL GIVE YOU A RECENT EXAMPLE.
UH, WHEN WE HAD THE, UH, NRA CONVENTION, UM, FOLLOWING THE UNFORTUNATE, UM, EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE SCHOOL SHOOTING RIGHT BEFORE THAT, WE HAD A LOT OF PROTESTORS.
UM, THEY WERE EXPRESSING DESIRES THAT, THAT THEY WANTED TO INTERRUPT.
THE, THE, THE CONVENTION, THE PRESENCE OF THE HORSES WAS ENOUGH TO DETER THEM, AND WE NEVER HAD TO INTERACT WITH THEM, JUST MERELY THEM BEING THERE, UH, WAS WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD.
SO, ESPECIALLY WITH THE UPCOMING WORLD CUP 2026, UH, WHICH IS GOING TO BE 30 DAYS OF SOCCER IN FESTIVITIES, AND THEN THE FOLLOWING NRA CONVENTION, AGAIN, THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION IN 28.
WE HAVE A LOT OF VERY LARGE HIGH PROFILE EVENTS THAT ARE GONNA BE AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS.
IT'S GONNA BE CRITICAL THAT WE ARE ABLE TO TAKE AND, UH, DEPLOY AS MANY HORSES WE CAN.
SO TO THAT END, WE'VE DEVELOPED A SOUTHEAST TEXAS, UH, KIND OF A REGIONAL MOUNTED PATROL ASSISTANCE WHERE WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, GALVESTON.
WE HELPED START CONROE POLICE DEPARTMENTS MOUNTED, AND THAT WAY IT'S NOT JUST HOUSTON'S HORSES THAT WE CAN BRING TO BEAR FOR A SITUATION.
WE CAN BRING ALL OUR REGIONAL ASSETS AND THEN LIKEWISE, WE GO HELP, UH, FOR INSTANCE, MARDI GRAS IN GALVESTON.
SO WE'VE DEVELOPED A MUTUAL AID, WHICH COSTS THE CITY OF HOUSTON TAXPAYERS NOTHING, AND WE CAN DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THE NUMBER OF HORSES THAT WE CAN DEPLOY.
SO SOME OF THE EVENTS THAT Y'ALL HAVE SEEN, UM, WHERE MOUNT PATROL'S BEEN AT, UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THE 1992 REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION, UM, I'M TOLD THAT THAT WAS WAS AN INTERESTING TIME.
UH, GALVESTON MARDI GRAS ANNUALLY, WEIS GALSTON WITH THE WORLD SERIES MLB GAMES EVERY TIME THE ASTROS GO TO THE WORLD SERIES.
UM, ALL OUR PARADES THAT WE HAVE, UH, AND SOME OF YOU HAVE ACTUALLY RIDDEN IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON PARADES, WE INVITE YOU FOR THE RODEO.
THOSE OF YOU THAT SPONSOR HORSES, WE INVITE YOU TO COME IN, WE LEARN TO RIDE, AND YOU CAN RIDE IN THE PARADE AS A WAY TO OUTREACH TO YOUR DISTRICTS AS WELL.
AND THEN OF COURSE, IN 2020 WHEN WE HAD THE SUMMER, UH, UNREST.
AND HERE'S THE PART THAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW, BUDGET, AND HOW DOES IT IMPACT THE CITY OF HOUSTON? THANKFULLY, I CAN SAY THAT BECAUSE OF OUR HORSE SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DEFER A LOT OF THE COSTS OFF THE TAXPAYER AND INTO PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WANT TO DONATE, UH, PRIVATE CITIZENS THAT WANT TO DONATE TO THIS CAUSE OF HAVING AMOUNT OF PATROL.
UM, SO THE THINGS THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS ACTIVELY FUNDING, OF COURSE, HAY FEED MEDICAL, UM, THOSE ARE BIG TICKET ITEMS BECAUSE WE HAVE 36 HORSES.
UM, BUT IN AN EFFORT TO LOWER THOSE COSTS, WE HAVE TURNED OVER A LARGE PORTION OF THE HERD.
SO THERE'S NOT RECURRING CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITIONS.
WE'RE GETTING YOUNGER HORSES THAT ARE, UM, NEEDING LESS INTENSIVE CARE, LESS SUPPLEMENTS, AND WE'VE REALLY FINE TUNED.
UM, THE, THE LEVEL OF CARE WE GET.
ONE SUCH WAY IS WE HAVE SWITCHED TO A BAREFOOT PROGRAM.
SO NONE OF OUR HORSES WEAR HORSESHOES.
ANYBODY THAT'S EVER RIDDEN KNOWS THAT, THAT THAT'S A REALLY BIG DEAL.
WHAT IT'S RESULTED IN IS THE COST SAVINGS ANNUALLY OF $130,000 BECAUSE WE'RE NOT PAYING FARRIERS.
SO THE OFFICERS HAVE LEARNED HOW TO TRIM, THEY DO IT, THEY MAINTAIN THE HORSES' HOODS THEMSELVES.
THE HORSES ARE HEALTHIER, HAVE LESS ISSUES, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY A FARRIER.
BUT WE, THROUGH THE HOUSTON POLICE FOUNDATION, WE HAVE GOTTEN SPONSORSHIPS FOR TRUCKS.
UM, AND, AND AS MANY OF YOU'VE SEEN, WE HAVE ONE TON DUALLY DIESELS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO PULL AN EIGHT HORSE TRAILER.
UM, OUR TRAILERS ARE SPONSORED BY THE POLICE FOUNDATION, THE SADDLES, THE TACK, UM, ACTUAL PURCHASE OF THE HORSES ARE SPONSORED BY THE FOUNDATION AS WELL.
SO THE HORSES DO NOT COST THE CITY, UH, TAXPAYERS ANYTHING.
AND THEN A LOT OF THE TRAINING THAT WE ATTEND, WHETHER IT BE LOCAL OR OUTSIDE, UH, CLASSES ON HORSEMANSHIP, SEARCH AND RESCUE
[01:05:01]
CROWD CONTROL, UM, ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DO, WE DO A TRAIN THE TRAINER APPROACH WHERE I'LL SEND THE TRAINING STAFF RATHER THAN THE WHOLE UNIT SO WE CAN MAXIMIZE THE DOLLARS THAT WE DO GET FROM THE HOUSTON POLICE FOUNDATION.SO LASTLY, I I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM.
MANY OF YOUR DISTRICTS, THANKFULLY, UH, SPONSOR AN HPD HORSE AND IT'S OPEN TO PRIVATE CITIZENS CORPORATIONS.
UM, WE HAVE VALERO, CHEVRON, UM, THE MCNAIRS, UM, AND THEN SEVEN COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT SPONSOR HORSES.
THIS IS CRUCIAL TO US BEING ABLE TO OPERATE THIS AT A MINIMAL COST TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON TAXPAYERS.
UM, AND SO WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DO SO.
UM, WITH THAT COMES THE NAMING OF THE HORSE.
UM, I THINK ONE OF MY FAVORITE ONES THAT WAS NAMED WAS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S HORSE IS NAMED FOUR FOUR AS A RECOGNITION TO AKER HOMES WHERE WE ACTUALLY PURCHASED THE HORSE FROM A PRIVATE CITIZEN IN AKER HOMES.
UM, SO WE LOVE IT WHENEVER THE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY CAN GET INVOLVED AND KIND OF UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S MY HORSE THAT REPRESENTS ME.
UM, BUT I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT, AND IT'S GONNA BE EVER MORE CRUCIAL AS WE COME UP ON THESE BIG EVENTS IN 26, 27 AND 28.
UH, I'M FREE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, FIRST UP IS COUNCILMAN MARK CAYMAN.
UM, COMMANDER, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND TO OUR MOUNTED PATROL DIVISION, UH, Y'ALL WERE EVEN JUST OUT AT CENTRAL MARKET IN UPPER KIRBY, ALL THE RESIDENTS WERE, UH, YOU KNOW, GIVING APPLES TO THE HORSES, RIGHT? IT'S A GREAT ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITY TO INTERFACE WITH THE PUBLIC.
UM, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THE COMMUNITY LOVES IT, NOT JUST THE KIDS.
UM, AND YOU ALL PROVIDE A VERY IMPORTANT SERVICE THAT A TRADITIONAL VEHICLE IN TERMS OF ACCESS, OTHER TYPES OF SERVICES THAT WE WOULDN'T BUT FOR YOU ALL BE ABLE TO DO, IN ADDITION TO SPONSORING HORSES, WHICH AGAIN, WE SHOULD DEFINITELY ALL BE SENDING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
HEY, YOU ALL CAN HELP SUPPORT AS WELL.
UM, A FEW YEARS AGO, I KNOW EVEN JUST IN TERMS OF THE FENCING AROUND, UH, THE FIELDS NEEDED AN UPGRADE.
ARE THERE THINGS LIKE THAT THAT YOU DIDN'T MENTION THAT YOU ALL NEED SUPPORT WITH, LIKE THE WISHLIST IN TERMS OF UPKEEP, MAINTENANCE, OR EQUIPMENT? SO ANY OF YOU THAT EVER WORKED ON A FARM OR A RANCH OR A BARN, KNOW THAT THE WORK NEVER STOPS.
THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS FIXING.
UM, A CITY COUNCIL, UH, APPROPRIATED OVER THREE YEARS THE FUNDS TO REPLACE THE FENCING, WHICH WAS ORIGINAL TO THE FACILITY, BUT HAD DETERIORATED.
I THINK THE NEXT BIGGEST NEED IS GOING TO BE, UM, TRAILERS, SOME OF OUR TRAILERS DATE TO THE 1980S.
UM, AND THEY MANAGED TO REPAIR THEM, KEEP THEM IN SERVICE, BUT WE'RE APPROACHING END OF LIFE ON SEVERAL OF THE TRAILERS AND THEN OUR ONE TON VEHICLES, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE ONLY DEDICATED TO PULLING THE HORSE TRAILERS SO THAT WE'RE NOT PUTTING EXTRA MILES ON 'EM, THOSE, UH, A LOT OF THOSE VEHICLES CONSTANTLY WEAR OUT JUST DUE TO SHEER MILEAGE AND PULLING 20,000 POUNDS OF HORSE.
I'M ASSUMING THERE ARE MORE MODERN UPDATED TRAILERS THAT HAVE ADDITIONAL SAFETY FEATURES FOR EVEN THE HORSES IN THOSE TRAILERS.
IS THAT, THAT'S AN ASSUMPTION I'M MAKING.
CAN YOU FACT CHECK, CHECK ME ON THAT? NO, YOU CORRECT.
SO NEW TRAILERS MEANS MORE SAFETY, NOT JUST FOR THE PUBLIC, BUT FOR THE HORSES THEMSELVES AND FOR THE CITIZENS AT LARGE TOO THAT SHARE THE ROADWAYS WITH US.
UM, PULLING A TRAILER WITH 20,000 POUNDS, UH, HAVING UPGRADED BRAKES, HAVING BETTER STOPPING SYSTEMS, HAVING TRAILERS THAT ARE INTEGRATED WITH OUR STOPPING SYSTEMS IN THE VEHICLES, UH, IT ADDS TO OUR SAFETY WHEN WE'RE TRANSPORTING TO GO OUT, SAY TO WEST SIDE OR GO TO DISTRICT H OR WHEREVER WE END UP GOING TO.
IF WE COULD GET SOME COST ESTIMATES ON THOSE TRAILERS, THAT'D BE HELPFUL.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT MOUNTAIN PATROL DOES, WHETHER IT'S COMING TO COMMUNITY EVENTS ON NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, UM, BUT WE ARE ALSO REALLY EXCITED TO SEE Y'ALL AROUND THE HOLIDAYS.
YOU KNOW, DISTRICT G WE HAVE SOME OF THE BIGGEST SHOPPING CENTERS, THE GALLERIA, RIVER OAKS DISTRICT, CITY CENTER, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND MOUNTAIN PATROL WILL BE OUT THERE THROUGHOUT THE HOLIDAY SHOPPING CENTER JUST TO CREATE A POLICE PRESENCE.
UM, WE DID IT LAST YEAR AND HAD GREAT SUCCESS AND WE GOT A LOT OF GREAT FEEDBACK.
SO, UH, DISTRICT TWO, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
AGAIN, WE THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING OUT THERE AND WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE OUTREACH.
AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE LIMITED TO THE HOLIDAYS TOO.
IF YOU HAVE HIGH CRIME, UH, PROBLEMS IN YOUR DISTRICTS, THINGS THAT POP UP LIKE THAT, PLEASE REACH OUT TO MOUNT PATROL AND WE CAN FOCUS ON THOSE DISTRICT ISSUES FOR YOU.
OUR FINAL PRESENTATION TODAY IS THE GREATER HARRIS COUNTY 9 1 1 EMERGENCY NETWORK BUDGET.
[01:10:04]
THIS DIRECTOR JACKSON AND DIRECTOR JACKSON, IF YOU WANT TO ALSO INTRODUCE EVERYONE WHO'S WITH YOU TODAY, WE GO DIRECTOR JACKSON.TO MY LEFT IS RICK CORBETT, THE FINANCIAL MANAGER FOR GRADY HARRIS COUNTY.
AND TO MY RIGHT, ROGER HAWK IS THE OPERATIONS, UH, NETWORK MANAGER FOR THE DISTRICT.
UM, IF I MAY START REAL QUICK, I JUST WANNA GIVE EVERYONE A QUICK BRIEFING, A BRIEF ON, ON WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO AT GREATER HARRIS COUNTY NINE ONE EMERGENCY NETWORK.
UM, WE ARE ONE OF 37 EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UH, OUR DISTRICT AREA IS HARRIS AND FORT BEND COUNTY, AND WE SERVE ALL INSIDE THAT COUNTY, INCLUDING THE, UM, UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY, 49 CITIES AND 37 CALL NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTERS THAT ASSIST ALL THOSE CITIES IN TAKING THOSE 9 1 1 CALLS.
UH, WHAT WE DO IS WE KIND, WE PROVIDE ALL OF THE NOW LOCAL 9 1 1 INFRASTRUCTURE, THE TECHNOLOGY, AND THE 24 BY 7 365 SUPPORT FOR ALL OF THOSE NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTERS.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO RICK AND HE'LL GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION AND THE ON THE BUDGET.
RICHARD CORBETT, I'M THE FINANCIAL OFFICER OF GREATER HARRIS COUNTY 9 1 1 EMERGENCY NETWORK.
AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY, UH, AND TALKING WITH ROGER, YOU KNOW, TO, TO BE ABLE TO MEET AND, AND, AND BE INVOLVED WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
AND FOR YOU TO KNOW WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE SUPPORT, UM, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I'D LIKE TO TURN TO, UH, SLIDE NUMBER ONE.
UM, THIS IS A KIND OF A, A, YOU GUYS HAVE ALL SEEN FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, TRUE TO MY NATURE, I'M A FINANCIAL PERSON.
SO, UM, I WANTED TO WALK YOU THROUGH SOME THINGS THAT I THOUGHT THAT WERE RELEVANT ABOUT IT, BUT, BUT NOT TRY TO GET INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN ANY FINANCIAL STATEMENT, YOU'VE GOT YOUR, YOUR RECEIPTS AND YOUR DISBURSEMENTS.
I'D LIKE TO TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE RECEIPTS BECAUSE IT, WHEN I CAME INTO THE, THE EMERGENCY NETWORK, I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW AND UNDERSTAND HOW IT WAS FUNDED.
AND I THINK THAT'S RELEVANT TO, UH, WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE, HOW WE DO OUR OPERATIONS HERE.
UM, SO THE FIRST NUMBER THAT YOU CAN SEE THERE HAS TO DO WITH SERVICE FEES.
UM, THIS IS A VERY, VERY INTERESTING CONCEPT, AND THIS IS THE PRIMARY WAY THAT EMERGENCY 9 1 1 IS FUNDED IS, AND IT'S PRIMARILY TELECOM FEES.
SO YOU'LL HAVE SERVICE PROVIDERS OUT THERE THAT PROVIDE WIRELESS, LANDLINE AND RESIDENTIAL SERVICES.
THE, PRIMARILY THE PRIMARY NUMBER HERE IS YOUR WIRELESS.
UM, FOR EVERY WIRELESS DEVICE OUT THERE, THEY'RE ON YOUR, ON YOUR BILL THAT YOU GET, THERE'S A 50 CENTS PER DEVICE CHARGE.
THAT, THAT NUMBER, THAT THAT AMOUNT IS COLLECTED BY EACH OF THE SERVICE PROVIDERS AND IS SENT TO THE STATE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IN, IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, BASED UPON OUR POPULATION AND THE SERVICE AREA THAT, THAT, UH, GHC 9 1 1 PROV SERVICES, UM, BASED UPON OUR POPULATION TO THE TOTAL POPULATION OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE GET AN ALLOCATION OF THAT TOTAL POT OF MONEY.
SO WE WERE APPROXIMATELY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO, AS ROGER INDICATED, WE, WE SERVICE THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY AND FORT BEND COUNTY.
THOSE ARE OUR BIG CALL CENTERS.
BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE SMALLER, UH, OPERATIONS AROUND, YOU KNOW, THE SMALLER FIRE DEPARTMENTS, THE SMALLER CITY OPERATIONS, WE SERVE 'EM ALL.
SO 6 MILLION, YOU KNOW, THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 6 MILLION PEOPLE IN THAT, UH, OVERALL GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF WHICH THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS ABOUT 2.3 MILLION.
HARRIS COUNTY'S ABOUT 2.8 AND FORT BEND COUNTY, ABOUT POINT JUST A LITTLE BIT UNDER A MILLION POINT 0.9, UH, 0.9 MILLION.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT POOL THERE, THAT 6 MILLION TO THE TOTAL POPULATION PRODUCES, UH, HAS AN US AN ALLOCATION OF ABOUT 19 TO 20% OF THIS TOTAL POOL OF MONEY THAT COMES INTO THE STATE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE.
AND IT IS DISPERSED TO US ON A MONTHLY BASIS, UM, UH, BY THE STATE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE GET OUR MONEY FROM.
NOW WE DO HAVE SOME OTHER ONES.
UH, I HEARD SOME OF OUR OTHER FOLKS TALKING ABOUT GRANTS.
WE ALSO ARE VERY ACTIVE IN GRANTS TOO.
WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT GOING ON ON THE 2 0 2 1 A RPA GRANT GOING ON.
SO I HAVE A LITTLE MONEY COMING IN FROM THAT.
AND THEN SOME OTHER FROM INTEREST INCOME AND SOME OTHER REVENUES TAKING IT RIGHT DOWN TO THE
[01:15:01]
BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.UM, AS WELL, THE TOTAL OF THOSE RECEIPTS IS 63 B NINE, UH, AND OUR DISBURSEMENTS FOR THE YEAR, AS AT ANY OPERATION IS 63.92.
SO WE HAVE A BALANCE BUDGET EVERY, EVERY PARTICULAR YEAR.
UM, THAT 63.9 MILLION TOTAL DISBURSEMENT IS BROKEN DOWN BETWEEN AN OPERATIONAL BUDGET, WHICH IS RIGHT DOWN THERE IN THE BOTTOM OF ABOUT 54.6 MILLION, 7 MILLION, AND CAPITAL BUDGET OF 9.2 MILLION.
NOW, LET ME MOVE YOU UP TO THE MIDDLE PART OF THAT PAGE.
IT'S CALLED OPERATIONS CALL CENTERS.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S RELEVANT TO, TO LET YOU KNOW HOW THAT, HOW, WHAT THAT NUMBER IS AND HOW THAT NUMBER WORKS.
THERE ARE, UM, SO LIKE FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE HEC, UM, THE WAY THAT, UH, WE FUND THEM IS THEY SUBMIT INVOICES TO US ON A MONTHLY BASIS FOR THEIR PAYROLL AND BENEFITS AND CERTAIN EXPENSES THAT THEY HAVE TO OPERATE, UH, THE, THE, THE, THE CALL CENTER AND SOME OTHER CHARGES.
AND WE'LL SEE THOSE IN A MOMENT.
AND SO THAT NUMBER THAT YOU'RE SEEING RIGHT THERE, THAT'S NOT JUST HEC, THAT INCLUDES, UH, HARRIS COUNTY AND FORT BEND COUNTY, THAT, THAT 29.658 MILLION.
SO THAT'S HOW, UH, THE OVERALL BUDGET.
SO OUR OVERALL CALL CENTER BUDGET IS 29.6.
WE, WE MOVE YOU TO THE SECOND PAGE THERE ON THE SLIDE.
I WON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS, BUT YOU KNOW, AS ANY FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE OPERATION, WE, WE, WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THE FUTURE AND WE NEED TO LOOK AND SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S COMING AT US, WHAT DOES OUR REVENUES LOOK LIKE AND OUR RECEIPTS LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE, AND WHAT ARE OUR COSTS? SO, UM, SO THIS IS JUST OUR PROJECTIONS FOR THAT.
NOT ANYTHING IF YOU THAT I WANT TO POINT OUT SPECIFICALLY, OTHER THAN AS ANY OPERATION INCLUDING THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY AND FORT BEND COUNTY, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A REVENUE BASE AND WE HAVE A COST BASE AND WE NEED TO BALANCE THOSE BUDGETS.
UM, WE ARE FUND, AGAIN, FUNDED BY PRIMARILY BUY TELECOM FEES.
AND IT, YOU KNOW, TELECOM FEES HAVE NOT INCREASED.
THEY'RE STILL AT 50 CENTS PER DEVICE.
UH, AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN INCREASED IN, IN QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS, I THINK OVER 20 YEARS.
SO IT IS, IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA GET OUR ATTENTION AT AROUND 2030.
AND WE ARE CURRENTLY, UH, WORKING WITH A LOT OF OUR PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, ON LEGISLATION AND THINGS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO TO HELP IMPROVE THAT NUMBER MORE TO COME ON THAT
SO LET ME TURN YOU OVER, UM, TO THE, THE FIRST OPERATIONAL PAGE HERE.
THIS IS, UM, UH, KEEP ONE, ONE MORE.
THIS IS A SUMMARY OF THE, UH, HOUSTON EMERGENCY CENTER'S BUDGET.
UH, THEY'RE, UH, BOTH PRESENTED 2 0 2 4 AND 2 0 2 5.
UM, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS BUDGET WAS, UH, PRESENTED BY THE, UH, THE FORMER DIRECTOR, UH, UH, BEFORE RODRICK TOOK OPERATION.
SO WE'RE KIND OF IN A, IN A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANGE OVER AT PACE THERE, BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT IT, IT, IT IS BASICALLY ABOUT A 4% INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR.
THERE WAS NO ADJUSTMENTS, UH, WHAT WAS SUBMITTED BY THE FORMER DIRECTOR AND THE HEC UH, UH, MANAGEMENT TEAM, UH, IS WITHOUT CHANGE.
SO THE 20 POINT, UH, DOWN THERE IN THAT PROPOSED 2 0 2 TO FIVE BUDGET, 20.3 MILLION, UH, IS WHAT WAS REQUESTED AND WHAT WAS APPROVED BY, UM, OUR BOARD OF MANAGERS OF GREATER HARRIS COUNTY 9 1 1.
SO WE ARE HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE YOU ARE ONE OF OUR MAJOR PARTNERS TO APPROVE THIS, THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET, UM, YOU CAN SEE THERE, THERE'S PERSONNEL, UH, A COST ALLOCATION THAT IS FOR OVERHEAD COSTS, JUST FLAT OUT OVERHEAD COSTS, UH, NOT REALLY DEFINED SUPPLIES, MEMBERSHIP FEES, TRAVEL TRAINING AND CAPITAL.
ALL COSTS THAT, THAT, UH, THE HEC UH, INCURS ON A CONSISTENT BASIS.
AND, AND AGAIN, AS I SAID, THEY DO INVOICE US.
UM, EVERYTHING THAT THAT'S, UH, INVOICED TO US, YOU KNOW, WE REVIEW AND THEN WE REIMBURSE BY ECH PAYMENT, UH, TO THE HEC.
THE, THE LAST PAGE IN THE SLIDE IS JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON, ON THE H'S BUDGET.
UM, UH, WE ARE, UH, FUNDING FOR 179.5 POSITIONS, UH, IN THE HEC AND BROKEN DOWN THERE IN THAT COLUMN, THAT 2 0 2 5 COLUMN.
AND IT, IT SHOWS YOU THEIR WAGES AND THEN THEIR BENEFITS, UM, AND, UM, IN THE, IN THE FOLLOWING PAGE, IN THE FOLLOWING COLUMNS THERE.
UM, I THINK THAT WAS THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYBODY HAD,
[01:20:01]
PARTICULARLY ON THE FINANCIAL BUDGET? THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION.UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, THANK YOU CHAIR.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH GENTLEMEN FOR THE PRESENTATION AND WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A FEW YEARS, HAVING Y'ALL HERE, SO IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU.
UM, I DO WANNA SAY AT THE OUTSET, ONE, THANK YOU DIRECTOR JACKSON FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING, UM, AND TO ALL OF OUR 9 1 1 EMPLOYEES, UH, THAT ARE ALSO ON THE FRONT LINES, UH, AS A REGIONAL NETWORK.
Y'ALL HAVE COME TO THE TABLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, HELPING TO FUND NEW DESKS, UH, AT HECK AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
HOWEVER, TRADITIONALLY IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, BUT PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT HOW OUR GREATER HARRIS COUNTY EMERGENCY NETWORK, YOU ALL VIEW THE NETWORK'S RESPONSIBILITY AS CALL INTAKE, NOT NECESSARILY DISPATCH.
AND AGAIN, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THERE ARE OTHER REGIONAL NETWORKS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT ALSO, UM, SUPPORT WITH THE DISPATCH COMPONENTS OF THAT NETWORK.
I WOULD HAVE TO CHECK INTO THAT.
I'M, I'M NOT SURE WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS DO.
UM, I KNOW NOT, NOT IN OUR GEOGRAPHIC AREA THAT'S, OR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT THERE ARE OTHER DISTRICTS, CORRECT.
AND OTHER DISTRICTS, THOSE 9 1 1 NETWORKS DON'T INTERPRET IT JUST STRICTLY AS CALL INTAKE, BUT ALSO DISPATCH AS WELL.
SOME OF THEM, THEY'LL HAVE BOTH THE CALL TAKERS AND THE EMS THERE IN THE FACILITY.
YES, THEY MAY, BUT I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT THEIR FUNDING MODELS LOOK LIKE OR ANY AGREEMENTS THAT THEY MADE WITH THOSE, THOSE AGENCIES.
AND AGAIN, THIS ISN'T A FINGER POINTING, I'M JUST TRYING TO, AGAIN, FOR NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS MM-HMM.
AND NEW STAFF THAT ISN'T HERE, WE DO THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY AND THAT MAKES THE COST AND THE BURDEN.
FOR EXAMPLE, I KNOW Y'ALL KNOW OUR HEC CENTER'S, UH, ON DUCT TAPE AT THIS POINT.
AND Y'ALL HAVE, AGAIN, COME TO THE TABLE SEVERAL TIMES, BUT AS WE'RE LOOKING AT FUNDING, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, UH, THERE'S A, A STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCE IN HOW GREATER HARRIS COUNTY 9 1 1 EMERGENCY NETWORK FUNDS THINGS COMPARED TO OTHER MODELS IN THE STATE.
AND AGAIN, I THINK YOU REFERENCED LEGISLATION ABOUT FEE RATES YES.
SO I'M, IT'S, IT'S NOT SOLELY, AGAIN, I'M NOT COMING AT Y'ALL WITH THIS, BUT, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS BEARING A MUCH LARGER BURDEN WHEN IT COMES TO OPERATIONAL CAPACITY TECHNOLOGY STAFFING AT OUR HEC CENTER, THEN OTHER CITIES ARE HAVING TO DEAL WITH NECESSARILY OUTSIDE OF OUR REGION.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO BE LOOKING AT.
UM, AGAIN, WHATEVER Y'ALL CAN BE DOING TO HELP SUPPORT THOSE EFFORTS, BECAUSE WE ARE, I, I WOULD ASSUME THE LARGEST 9 1 1 OPERATIONAL CENTER IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, MOST CALLS THAT HAVE PRETTY MUCH DOUBLED AT CERTAIN TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
SO WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IS MORE CAPACITY NEEDS, OUTDATED SYSTEMS, OVERWORKED EMPLOYEES, AND NOT THE SAME TYPE OF FUNDING THAT OTHER CITIES ARE SEEING IN ORDER TO MEET THAT NEED.
I, I I WILL ADD, UM, AGAIN, SOME OF THE OTHER DIS SOME OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS MAY HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MODELS OR, OR AGREEMENTS AND MOUS THAT THEY, THAT THEY HAD PUT IN PLACE.
I DO KNOW SOME OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS DON'T DO SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT WE DO AS FAR AS CALL TAKERS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME OTHERS OUT THERE THAT DO NOT PROVIDE CALL TAKER FUNDING.
THEY STICK STRICTLY TO THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE INGRESS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT MODELS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS AND IT'S BASED ON LOCAL AGREEMENTS WITH THOSE AGENCIES AND PARTNERSHIPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, OF THAT NATURE.
UM, I WILL SAY OUR SYSTEM HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST UP-TO-DATE NINE ONE SYSTEMS, UM, IN THE COUNTRY.
I KNOW COUNSEL, I WOULD SAY ON THE DISPATCH SIDE OF THINGS, YES, VERY, I CAN'T SPEAK ON THE DISPATCH SIDE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT ON THE NINE ONE.
DISCREPANCY BETWEEN CALL INTAKE AND CALL DISPATCH.
THERE IS A MASSIVE DISCREPANCY AND IN ORDER FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CALLS THAT COME INTO 9 1 1 CAN GET OUT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, THAT'S A WHOLE PICTURE.
AND SO I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND I HAVE WORKED FOR YEARS TO BRING FORWARD COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCH UPGRADES, BUT AGAIN, IT, I YOU, YOU CAN SAY, HEY, WE'RE DOING GREAT WITH GETTING THOSE CALLS IN AND IT'S THE MOST UPGRADED SYSTEM, BUT IF WE DO NOT HAVE A HOLISTIC SYSTEM THAT IS FUNDED APPROPRIATELY TO GET THE CALLS OUT MM-HMM
SO AGAIN, I'M, I, THIS ISN'T A FINGER POINTING, BUT WHEN
[01:25:01]
YOU REFERENCE, WE HAVE MOUS, WE HAVE AGREEMENTS WITH OUR, OUR PARTNERS AND YOU ALL ARE A PARTNER MM-HMMUM, WE HAVE TO, AS A CITY, BE RESPONSIBLE AND TAKE A HARD LOOK AT HOW WE'RE DOING THAT.
AND THAT CAN INCLUDE IN PARTNERSHIP GOING TO THE LEGISLATURE, BUT I, I WANT, UH, ESPECIALLY FOR NEW OFFICES TO UNDERSTAND THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ONCE WE GET THE CALL, GETTING IT OUT AND THAT'S HALF THE PICTURE AND WE DON'T HAVE THE APPROPRIATE FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR THAT RIGHT NOW.
UM, THAT WAS ALL OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD.
AND, UM, THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE, SO OUR NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE TUESDAY, JANUARY 14TH AT 10:00 AM WE STAND ADJOURNED.