[Press Conference: "Winter Storm Update - Travel and Work Conditions"]
[00:00:19]
I HOPE THIS IS THE LAST, OR ALMOST LAST PRESS CONFERENCE DEALING WITH THE ARCTIC BLASTS THAT, UM, CAME IN DURING THE EARLY HOURS OF TUESDAY MORNING.
I THINK THE CITY ADMINISTRATION, THE CITY AS A WHOLE, THE CITIZENS HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL BY NEARLY ANY MEASUREMENT.
I'M MOST THANKFUL THAT WE'VE HAD NO FATALITIES DUE TO TRAFFIC ACCIDENT.
WE'VE HAD NO FATALITIES DUE TO CARBON MONOXIDE.
AND AS I SAID BY ANY MEASUREMENT, CERTAINLY HOW WE HANDLED OUR MOST VULNERABLE, THE HOMELESS.
WE'VE HAD 1300 INDIVIDUALS VISIT AND STAY WITH US IN A WARMING CENTER, 10 LOCATIONS ACROSS THE CITY.
FONDE HIT ITS MAXIMUM NUMBERS YESTERDAY, AND I WAS CONTACTED AND I SAID, THERE'S NO SUCH THING IN WEATHER LIKE THIS AS REACHING CAPACITY.
WE ACTUALLY WENT TO ACRES HOME YESTERDAY EVENING.
THEY WERE WARM AND SAFE, BUT THEY WERE HUNGRY.
SO I CAME BACK TO THIS EMERGENCY CENTER WORKING WITH MY TEAM.
THE FOOD BANK IMMEDIATELY GOT OVER THERE AT SIX O'CLOCK.
SOME FAITH-BASED COLLABORATION AS WELL.
THERE IS STILL SOME MOBILITY ISSUES.
THERE'S STILL ICE ON SOME OF OUR BRIDGES AND ROADS, SO SLOW DOWN, BE CAUTIOUS.
CITY OPERATIONS WILL RETURN TO NORMAL, CERTAINLY TOMORROW, CITY SERVICES WILL BE OPEN.
AND I WILL EMPHASIZE THAT OUR AIRPORT IS OPERATING WITH FULL SERVICES.
AS I SPEAK TO YOU NOW, TSA OPENED AT NINE, ARRIVALS AT 10 AND 11 DEPARTURE.
I DID GET A TEXT FROM A FRIEND THAT SAID, I'M ON THE PLANE AND WE'RE LIFTING OFF.
SO HOUSTON IS WORKING, AND I COULD SPEND THE REST OF THE DAY TELLING YOU WHY WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
IT'S THE TEAMWORK, IT'S THE PREPARATION.
IT'S PUTTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT POSITIONS WITH EXPERIENCE IN THEIR PASSION AND COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE.
KNOWING WHO WE WORK FOR, THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON, AND I'M SO HAPPY FOR HOUSTONIANS.
THEY GOT PROBABLY JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SNOW TO SHOW THE KIDS THAT HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED THAT THEY GOT THE JOY OF EXPERIENCING THE SNOW.
BUT WE WERE ALLOWED TO RETURN TO NORMAL OPERATIONS.
SO THE WARMING CENTERS WILL BE OPEN TONIGHT.
WE'RE MEASURING THE NEED FOR TOMORROW NIGHT.
MOST LIKELY THERE WILL BE TWO SHELTERS, TWO WARMING CENTERS OPEN TOMORROW NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY.
WE TOLD EVERYONE SUNDAY NIGHT THAT WE WOULD OPEN SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.
WE MAY EXTEND THAT THROUGH THURSDAY, BUT I WANNA REMIND EVERYONE WHAT THIS GREAT TEAM THAT I'M FORTUNATE TO HAVE IN PLACE HAS DONE.
STARTING ON JANUARY 10TH AND 11TH, WE OPENED UP WARMING CENTERS BECAUSE NOT ONLY THE FRIGID TEMPERATURES, BUT THE RAIN.
WE OPENED FOND AND WEST GRAY ON JANUARY 15TH.
WEDNESDAY, TRAGIC SHOOTOUT WITH A BAD ACTOR THAT TOOK THE LIFE OF A BRAZORIA COUNTY DEPUTY HPD WAS ASSIST THE OFFICER OPERATIONS IN BITTER, COLD, WET WEATHER.
THEY APPREHENDED THE SHOOTER, CERTAINLY WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF K NINE.
OFFICER ROCKY, WHO YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT IN WHEN WE OPEN UP CITY HALL, AND I CAN GET HIM A PROCLAMATION AND GET HIM BEFORE THE PUBLIC AND THANK HIM PUBLICLY.
I PLAN TO VISIT WITH HIM TOMORROW, SHAKE HIS HAND, OR PAUL, MAYBE WE HAD THE
[00:05:01]
MARATHON OVER THE WEEKEND STARTING FRIDAY.IN PREPARATION, 5K WAS RUN SATURDAY SUCCESSFULLY, SAFELY WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF ALL OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS.
SOLID WASTE, PUBLIC WORKS, FIRE, POLICE, HEALTH.
WE HAD THE LARGEST MARATHON EVER.
SUNDAY, SAFE, LARGEST PARTICIPATION.
33,000 PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO RUN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS ALONG HOUSTON STREETS.
WE OPENED OUR WARMING CENTERS SUNDAY NIGHT AS WE COMMITTED.
NO ONE TURNED AROUND TWO MLK PARADES ON MONDAY.
THINK ABOUT THAT SAME TIME, DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
DURING THE NIGHT, WE WERE PREPARED FOR THE STORM AND HOUSTONIANS DID THEIR PART KICKING IN MONDAY NIGHTS, STAY OFF THE ROADS.
TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, NO CITY OPERATIONS AIRPORT WAS CLOSED.
EXPERIENCE, TEAM COMMITMENT, PASSION.
WE GOT THE STORM THROUGH HERE.
AS I SAID, THERE WAS SOME ENJOYABLE TIMES.
TUESDAY, WE WERE SERVICING THE, THE WARMING CENTERS, WORKING WITH OUR COUNTY PARTNERS, OUR NONPROFITS.
BAILIN WAS OPEN BY THE RED CROSS IN COOPERATION WITH COMMISSIONER BRIANIS.
I JUST CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH WHAT A GREAT CITY WAS ON DEMONSTRATION.
WE ARE THE MODEL FOR THE REST OF THE NATION, MAJOR CITIES DEMONSTRATING WHAT WE JUST SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISHED.
NOW, I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE THERE'S STILL BITTER TEMPERATURES.
WE STILL HAVE TO BE CONCERNED FOR THE HOMELESS HPD OUTREACH.
WE'LL BE CONTACTING THE HOMELESS, THE CHIEF AND I AT NINE O'CLOCK LAST NIGHT AT RICHMOND AND SHEPHERD BEGGED A HOMELESS LADY TO GO TO A WARMING CENTER.
SHE HAD EVERY REASON IN THE WORLD TO SAY SHE DIDN'T WANT TO GO, AND I WOULDN'T.
SHE WAS AFRAID FOR HER SAFETY.
SHE WAS AFRAID FOR HER FAMILY LEARNING OF HER LOCATION.
WE ASSURED HER THAT SHE WOULDN'T GO.
AND WE'LL DEAL WITH THAT POPULATION EFFECTIVELY IN DAYS TO COME BY MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE SAFE, SECURE, AND LET PEOPLE KNOW YOU CAN'T SLEEP ON THE STREETS OF HOUSTON.
WE HAVE SOME WORK TO DO, BUT TODAY WE'RE PREPARED TO RETURN TO NORMAL OPERATIONS.
I COULD TAKE YOU THROUGH THOSE SECURE DOORS THERE AND SHOW YOU HUNDREDS OF CITY EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE SLEPT ON THE FLOOR DURING THIS ARCTIC BLAST I'M GONNA BRING TO COUNCIL.
WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR THAT SET OF EMPLOYEES AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES, SECURING THEIR HOMES, WRAPPING THEIR PIPES, WHILE ALLOWING US IN HOUSTONIANS TO BE SAFE.
SO TODAY WE PREPARE FOR DEMOBILIZATION.
WE'RE NOT IN THAT MODE YET, BUT WE'RE APPROACHING IT.
SO I WANT THIS PRESS CONFERENCE TO BE ONE OF THANKFULNESS.
WE'VE LEARNED WE'RE NOT PERFECT, BUT WE'RE DAMN NEAR CLOSE TO PERFECT ON HOW WE HANDLE THIS STORM.
MAKING CERTAIN THAT WE ALWAYS HAD A PASSAGEWAY INTO THE MED CENTER DURING THE SNOWSTORM.
2 88 MCGREGOR INTO THE MED CENTER WAS PROTECTED LAST NIGHT.
WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN SOME ACCIDENTS ON I 10 AND SIX 10.
WE LEARNED QUICKLY THAT THOSE WERE OUT OF TOWN FOLKS.
WASN'T THE HOUSTONIANS THAT WERE DOING THEIR PART IN LOWERING THEIR ACTIVITY AND THEIR DRIVING, BUT WE WERE EXPERIENCING OUT TOWN PASSENGERS, TRANSPORTERS COMING ACROSS OUR GREAT CITY ON THEIR WAY TO THEIR DESTINATION.
HP DID A DANGEROUS GREAT JOB OF GETTING OUT ABOUT THE BUDWEISER BREWERY ON EAST TEX FREEWAY WITH THEIR RED LIGHTS, HEIGHTS, THEIR RESOURCES TO SLOW PEOPLE DOWN.
WE CAN CALL UP OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, BUT QUITE FRANKLY, YOU'VE SEEN IN PREVIOUS
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DAYS HOW WELL PREPARED THEY ARE.WE DID LOSE ONE GENTLEMAN THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DETERMINE THE LOSS OF LIFE ON THE STREETS.
WE BELIEVE IT WAS FROM PREEXISTING HEALTH CONDITIONS.
WE URGED EVEN HIM TO GO TO A WARMING CENTER.
WE'VE GOT TO DEAL, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ANYONE THAT CAN HEAR MY VOICE WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS OF SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS.
WHEN YOU'RE IN SINGLE DIGIT TEMPERATURES AND YOU'RE BEGGING A PERSON TO GO TO A WARMING CENTER, OR HE AND SHE REFUSE, WE'VE GOT TO HANDLE THAT.
POPULATION COMPASSIONATELY APPEALED TO THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND OUR PARTNERS AT THE COUNTY TO TREAT MENTAL HEALTH IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I CAN'T EMPHASIZE THAT ENOUGH.
WE CAN PROVIDE FIRST RESPONDERS FOR FIRING POLICE AND PUBLIC WORKS, LOOKING OUT FOR PIPES AND STREETS.
T STOCK CAN BRING ALL THE ROAD TREATMENT AND SNOWPLOWS, BUT WE STILL ARE NOT DOING OUR JOB AS LONG AS WE HAVE THE MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS, NOT ONLY IN HOUSTON, ACROSS OUR REGION, THE STATE OF TEXAS AND OUR NATION.
MENTAL HEALTH HAS TO BE SOMETHING I'VE ALREADY TOLD MY STAFF BACK THERE.
WE'LL, WE'RE, WE HAVE BUDGET CHALLENGES, WE HAVE FINANCE FINANCIAL ISSUES, BUT WE'VE GOT TO SCRUB OUR BUDGET AND FIND GREATER RESOURCES FOR OUR MENTAL HEALTH.
WE ARE IN THE GREATEST CITY IN OUR NATION WHEN IT COMES TO HEALTHCARE WITH OUR MED CENTER.
I'M GONNA BE TALKING TO THE MEDICAL SCHOOLS, THE HARRIS COUNTY PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL.
AND LIKE I SAY, WE'VE DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB OF PROTECTING HOUSTONIANS AND GETTING THEM THROUGH THIS ARCTIC BLAST.
THE MOST VULNERABLE BARK DID ITS ROLE WITH OUR PETS.
AND I COULD START CALLING UP THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, BUT ESSENTIALLY I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO LEAD THIS CITY.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO LEAD THIS CITY.
AND AT THIS TIME, I WILL, I WILL ASK FOR ANY VOLUNTEER.
I, I THINK, RANDY, YOU MIGHT TALK ABOUT THE, UH, CONDITION OF, UM, OUR WATER SUPPLY AT THIS TIME.
AND LET ME, UH, ALLOW YOU TO BRIEFLY BRING US UP TO DATE ON THE INS AND OUTS OF OUR WATER.
YEAH, YOU KNOW, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT LEADING UP TO THIS POINT, AS THE TEMPERATURES ROSE AND PIPES STARTED TO THAW OUT, UH, TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR ANY, ANY BREAKS, ANY LEAKS THAT ARE GOING ON, UH, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TODAY.
WE ARE NOT SEEING ANYTHING THAT WE DIDN'T EXPECT, UH, GRATEFUL TO THE ASSISTANCE OF, UH, HPD AND HFD AS THEY'RE OUT PATROLLING STREETS AND THEY'RE SEEING THINGS.
THEY'RE HELPING US IDENTIFY AND SPOT THINGS.
YOU KNOW, FOR THE MOST PART, AS WE EXPECTED, UH, THE LEAKS THAT WE'RE SEEING ARE TAKING PLACE IN, UH, PRIVATE HOMES IN THE DRIVEWAYS AND THE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS, UH, AS WE'VE URGED YOU ALL ALONG, MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW WHERE TO SHUT OFF YOUR SPRINKLER SYSTEMS. WHERE TO SHUT OFF THE WATER SUPPLY TO YOUR HOME IF YOU FIND A, A BURST PIPE OF MARE.
WE'RE, WE'RE IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE.
PRESSURES ARE GOOD THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UH, AS WE ALWAYS HAVE ON ANY GIVEN DAY.
OUR TEAMS ARE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW DEALING WITH THAT.
BUT, UH, WE'RE RESPONDING WELL.
UH, OUR FOLKS HAVE DONE WHAT THEY CAN DO AND HOUSTONIANS HAVE DONE WHAT THEY'VE DONE AS WELL.
SO WE ARE APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, UH, FOR US, WE'VE BEEN PUSHING PUBLIC SAFETY THROUGHOUT THE, THE WHOLE DURATION.
WHEN I GET THE STAFFING REPORTS AND I GET THE REPORTS IN THE MORNING, IT'S AN INDICATION THAT HOUSTONIANS HAVE LISTENED.
NO FATALITIES ON THE ROAD, NO FATALITIES WITH CARBON MONOXIDE, NO FIRE INJURIES.
OUR FIREFIGHTERS DID AN AMAZING JOB.
AND, AND THANK YOU MAYOR FOR THE SUPPORT AND THE ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT OF ALLOWING US TO STAFF OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
OUR FIRE STATIONS WITH ZERO APPARATUSES BROWNED OUT DUE TO SHORTAGES.
SO IT WAS A, IN 52 YEARS, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT HASN'T SEEN THIS.
AND IT WAS AN, A TEST TESTAMENT TO ALL THE SUPPORT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THE MARIN ADMINISTRATION.
OUR FIREFIGHTERS DID AN AMAZING JOB.
HOUSTONIANS DID AN AMAZING JOB LISTENING TO THE, TO THE MESSAGES, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE DIRECTORS BEHIND US, CHIEF DIAZ, MYSELF, RANDY, BRIAN, OEM, PUBLIC WORKS, AND TEX OUT AND, AND
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DECK.BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, NO FATALITIES.
THAT'S HOW WE MEASURE OUR SUCCESS IN OUR BUSINESS.
I WANT TO JUST FIRST START BY THANKING THIS INCREDIBLE CITY FOR THE AMAZING WORK THEY DID TO HELP US AS FIRST RESPONDERS.
I WANT TO THANK OUR TEAM THAT WORKED AROUND THE CLOCK IN COLD WEATHER AND DANGEROUS ROAD CONDITIONS.
BUT I ALSO WANNA POINT OUT THE FAMILIES THAT THEY LEFT BEHIND.
UH, I KNOW I WANT TO THANK THE LITTLE KIDS THAT, THAT STAYED HOME WHILE MOM AND DAD CAME TO DO THIS WORK.
UH, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, 12, 14, 15 HOURS, SLEEPING IN A CAR, SLEEPING ON A COT AT POLICE STATIONS.
THEY, THEY REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE.
I WANT TO THANK, UH, THE MAYOR FOR ACTUALLY REACHING OUT AND VISITING AND, AND, AND RUNNING AROUND WITH US AND, AND DOING THE HOT TEAM STUFF BECAUSE THEY TRULY DO THE LORD'S WORK.
THEY TOUCH 400 SOULS OVER THIS WINTER EVENT.
UH, 73 PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY TRANSPORTED AND WE WERE HELPING AT EVERY WARMING CENTER.
AND TO ECHO THE MAYOR'S, UM, WORDS, WE DO NEED SOME HELP WITH THE MENTAL ILLNESS.
OUR TEAMS ARE DOING INCREDIBLE WORK WITH THAT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
BUT THAT I, I JUST CAN'T THANK THE COMMUNITY ENOUGH.
OUR OUR, OUR NUMBERS WERE GREAT.
LIKE EVERY OPERATIONAL THING, WE'RE READY TO GO TO WORK.
WE MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY'S SAFE.
WE NO EXPENSE WAS SPARED FROM OUR OFFICE.
UH, EVERYBODY WAS HERE DOING THEIR JOB.
SO I WANNA THANK THE COMMUNITY PERSONALLY.
I WANNA THANK THEM FOR ALLOWING US TO SERVE AND ALLOWING US TO DO, UH, THIS FANTASTIC JOB THAT WE CALL THE POLICE CAREER.
I, IF YOU'LL TRANSLATE FOR US TO OUR SPANISH SPEAKING RESIDENCE.
THANK YOU, MR. SMALL MEASUREMENT OF SUCCESS.
I'M, I'M ONE OF MY TOUGHEST, I'M PROBABLY MY TOUGHEST JUDGE.
YOU KNOW, I LEFT AUSTIN, THE SENATE TO COME AND FIX HOUSTON AND UNITE THE CITY.
SO THE OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FROM HOUSTONIANS IN RECENT DAYS IS APPRECIATED.
I GOT VIDEOS YESTERDAY OF FIREMEN AND POLICEMEN HAVING A SNOWBALL FIGHT IN BETWEEN THEIR CALLS A YEAR AGO.
FOLKS, THEY WEREN'T EVEN TALKING TO EACH OTHER.
NOW THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE ON THE SAME TEAM AND THEIR MORALE IS SITTING DOWN AN ALL TIME HIGH AND HOUSTONIANS BENEFIT FROM THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? SURE.
WE'VE HEARD SO MANY PEOPLE SAY THAT THE RESPONSIBLE WAS SUCH A SUCCESS.
JUST LOOK AT HOW BAD THINGS WENT IN 2021.
BUT THAT'S REALLY COMPARING SITUATION.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT SOME OF THESE DIFFERENCES ARE, THE SAW BETWEEN THE TWO
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SCENARIOS? WELL, I'D RATHER EMPHASIZE OUR SUCCESS, UH, EACH STORM, EACH, UH, WHETHER IT'S HURRICANE OR THE LOSS OF ELECTRICITY, WHICH WAS 2021, ARE DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE.SO THAT'S WHERE PREPARATION COMES IN.
YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR PROBABLY NO ADMINISTRATION'S BEEN MORE CHALLENGED THAN MINE.
STARTING WITH THE ARCTIC FREEZE.
A WEEK AFTER I WAS SWORN IN KINGWOOD FLOOD, DERECHO BARREL, LAKEWOOD SHOOTING, 260,000 HBD CASES HAD BEEN SUSPENDED.
SO YOU HAVE TO PUT IT IN THE CONTEXT IN WHICH YOU FIND YOURSELF TO, WE WERE CHALLENGED THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS, SO I'M NOT GOING TO GO BACK.
I THINK A DIFFERENT SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES, THE LOSS OF POWER AND ELECTRICITY, OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW IS A MAJOR GAME CHANGER.
I WOULD MENTION CENTER POINT, PROBABLY LEARNED FROM THAT BAD EXPERIENCE AND, UH, HAD MANY, MANY TIMES LINEMEN IN EQUIPMENT PREPARED THAN EVER BEFORE.
TXDOT, OUR PARTNERS BROUGHT IN SNOWPLOWS FROM WACO ROAD TREATMENT EQUIPMENT FROM SAN ANGELO.
SO LET'S, LET'S, UH, LET'S EMPHASIZE THE POSITIVE THAT WE LOST.
NO ONE TO A TRAFFIC FATALITY OR MONOXIDE.
AND I GIVE HOUSTONIANS SO MUCH CREDIT FOR LISTENING TO US BEING SMART, USING COMMON SENSE, HAVING SOME FUN, BUT ALSO STAYING OFF THE ROADS.
THANK YOU TO OUR HOUSTON PRESS CORPS.
WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, BUT EACH STORM IN EPISODE IS, IS UNIQUE AND SEPARATE.
UM, HOW DID EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS AND PREPARATIONS CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF THE STORM RESPONSE? AND WHAT SPECIFIC MEASURES DO YOU THINK MADE TO THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE? WELL, EVERYTHING I'VE SAID THIS MORNING MADE THE DIFFERENCE, BUT OUR EMERGENCY CENTER, RYAN MASON, UH, OPENED UP THAT THURSDAY BEFORE THE STORM CAME IN ON MONDAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, HAVING SOME, SOME NOTICE FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, TAKING IT SERIOUS.
I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW EXPERIENCE AND RELATIONSHIPS MATTER.
I'VE KNOWN THIS, MY WHOLE PUBLIC SERVICE CAREER IS HOW I WORKED IN AUSTIN, BRING THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST AND COMMITTED AND PASSIONATE PEOPLE TO THE TABLE.
I GOT FOLKS WITH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE BEHIND ME, WHETHER THEY WORKED IN HISD, SUCH AS MS. WILSON OR, UH, I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF MY POLICE AND FIRE CHIEFS, SO I CAN GO ON.
THE DIFFERENCE IS HAVING THE BEST EXPERIENCED PEOPLE WITH THE COMMITMENT.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE EXPERIENCE AND INTELLECT IN THE WORLD, BUT IT'S THAT PASSION OF KNOWING YOU'RE IN A POSITION OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
AND THAT'S WHY I RAN, THAT'S WHY I APPOINTED THESE FOLKS.
BUT IT'S PREPARATION AND HAVING THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT PLACES AND HAVING THE CREDIBILITY THAT WHEN YOU TELL HOUSTONIANS THIS IS IN THEIR BEST INTEREST, THEY LISTEN TO YOU.
THIS MAY BE A QUESTION MORE FROM THE METRO, BUT WE'RE HEARING FROM SOME FOLKS SOME DELAYS.
SOME SNOW AND ICE, SOME DETOURS ANNOUNCED.
UH, THERE'S ANY INTERRUPT SERVICE THAT LET'S CALL UP TOM AND I AND I, I WANT TO THANK METRO.
METRO HAD A MOBILE WARMING CENTER.
WE HAD SOME FIRSTS DURING THIS CHALLENGE.
NOT ONLY DID METRO HIT THE STREETS WITH MOBILE WARMING CENTERS IN THE FORM OF THEIR BUSES, THEY WERE TRANSPORTING PEOPLE.
HOUSTON FIRE LAST NIGHT WAS TRANSPORTING PEOPLE TO WARMING CENTERS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR EXPERIENCE.
SO, TOM, IF YOU'LL COME, UH, TELL US ABOUT YOUR METRO SERVICES WHEN THEY'LL BE TOTALLY BACK ONLINE.
UH, THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UH, METRO, LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE SUFFERED, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, A GREAT CHALLENGE IN BEING ABLE TO GET PEOPLE TO THEIR JOBS.
AND SO THIS MORNING WE DID, UH, BEGIN BRINGING SERVICE BACK AFTER SHUTTING DOWN YESTERDAY COMPLETELY.
UH, WE DID BRING PEOPLE BACK THIS MORNING AS QUICKLY AS WE COULD.
UM, THEY ARE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, SO, UM, WE WERE SHOOTING FOR HAVING, UH, OUR CORE SERVICES BACK UP AND RUNNING BY ONE O'CLOCK AT 10 O'CLOCK.
THEY'RE NOT, UH, ON SCHEDULE EXACTLY JUST YET, BUT THEY WILL BE GETTING ON
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SCHEDULE AS MORE AND MORE OF OUR UM, UH, PERSONNEL ARE OUT THERE.SO, YEAH, OR IF, IF THERE ARE ISSUES, IF PEOPLE HAVE CHALLENGES, WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO CALL OUR, UM, OUR OFFICES AND WE WILL HELP ADDRESS THEM.
BUT WE'RE BRINGING ALL OF OUR SERVICES BACK AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PEOPLE TOO THAT DRIVE THOSE BUSES AND THOSE TRAINS AND, UM, AND WORK ON THEM.
SO, UH, WE APPRECIATE, UM, THE COLLABORATION AND THE PARTNERSHIPS SO THAT, UM, THE ROADWAYS AND THE, UH, THE, UH, FACILITIES ARE BECOMING CLEARER AND, AND ABLE TO BE ABLE TO SERVICE.
SO, UM, WE'RE BRINGING SERVICE BACK AS QUICK AS WE CAN.
BEFORE I LET US GO AND GET BACK TO WORK, LET ME JUST MENTION, UM, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE DEMOBILIZING BECAUSE IN MY ADMINISTRATION WE STAY MOBILIZED.
YOU HAVE TO REALIZE HOW LARGE A CITY IS, HOW DIVERSE IT IS, AND, UH, WE'RE ON CALL 7 24 AND THANK Y'ALL FOR DOING YOUR PART.
UH, MY TEAM'S GOING BACK TO WORK, AND LET ME CAUTION YOU, ESTONIANS, ABOUT IN THE MORNING AND EVEN LATE THIS EVENING, THERE'S STILL SIGNIFICANT ICE PATCHES ON OUR ROADS AND BRIDGES.
SO LET'S, UH, LET'S DON'T BECOME COMPLACENT.
WE STILL HAVE SOME CHALLENGES.
WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE VULNERABLE TO THE WEATHER.
SO LOOK OUT FOR YOUR FAMILY, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR NEIGHBORS, PETS ARE YOUR MOST VULNERABLE.
AND, UH, LET'S, UH, LET'S BE THANKFUL THAT WE'VE REACHED THIS STAGE IN THE ARCTIC BLAST THAT WE CAN, UH, GO BACK TO NORMAL OPERATIONS.