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I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE FREEZE LINE STAYED ABOUT 50 MILES NORTH OF HOUSTON.
WE WERE BLESSED BY MOTHER NATURE, BLESSED BY PREPARATION, AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN ACCURATE REPORT.
WE HAD 940 HOUSTON RESIDENTS GO TO ONE OF OUR 12 WARMING CENTERS.
I WAS VISITING THE WARMING CENTERS TILL ABOUT TWO O'CLOCK THIS MORNING, AND EVERYTHING WAS WORKING.
ALL DEPARTMENTS WERE IN A MODE OF ALL HANDS ON DECK.
I WANT TO THANK OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT, CERTAINLY OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THEIR STAFF THAT MANAGE THESE WARMING CENTERS.
TEMPERATURE IS STILL A MAJOR CONCERN.
I WILL CALL UPON OUR FIRST RESPONDERS IN A MOMENT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT HOUSTON WAS SAFE LAST NIGHT FROM THE, THE, UH, ELEMENTS IN TERMS OF, UH, REDUCTION OF ACTIVITIES.
I CAN'T THANK HOUSTONIANS ENOUGH.
I TOLD YOU YESTERDAY, THIS IS AN INEXACT SCIENCE.
I GOT THREE WEATHER REPORTS YESTERDAY.
ONE ACTUALLY SHOWED THAT THE FREEZE WOULD GET TO THE GUFF.
IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO LOOK OUT FOR EVERY COMMUNITY IN HOUSTON, AND THE COMPLEXITY OF PROVIDING SAFETY AND WELFARE FOR 2.3 MILLION HOUSTONIANS IS CHALLENGING.
FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE MEDICAL CENTER DURING THESE CHALLENGING TIMES.
I WANT TO THANK, UH, HOUSTONIANS FOR LISTENING.
PEOPLE STAYED OFF THE ROAD LAST NIGHT.
CHURCHES ARE HAVING REMOTE SERVICES THIS MORNING.
THE PREPARATION IS WORKING, BUT LET ME EMPHASIZE, WE CANNOT LET OUR GUARD DOWN.
THE TEMPERATURES WILL BE BELOW FREEZING TONIGHT FROM EVERY REPORT THAT WE'RE GETTING.
THE MOISTURE ON THE GROUND WILL BECOME ICE AFTER DARK TONIGHT, SO EVERYONE NEEDS TO KEEP THEIR GUARD UP UNTIL AT LEAST MID-AFTERNOON TOMORROW.
THERE WILL BE NO SCHOOLS TOMORROW.
AND I KNOW MOST OF HOUSTON BUSINESSES ARE ASKING THEIR EMPLOYEES TO CHANGE THEIR PLANS.
METRO DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF HELPING TRANSPORT PEOPLE DURING THE NIGHT.
THEY ACTUALLY WENT AROUND TO BUS STOP LOCATIONS TO GIVE PEOPLE METRO LIFT RIDES.
I GOT HOURLY REPORTS FROM HPD.
THERE WERE NO MAJOR INCIDENTS, NO MAJOR INCIDENTS WITH HOUSTON FIRE THIS MORNING.
THERE WAS A 12 INCH WATER BREAK AT CHIMNEY ROCK IN WESTHEIMER.
WATER PRESSURE DID NOT DIP LAST NIGHT SIGNIFICANTLY DUE TO PEOPLE NOT DRIPPING THEIR PIPES AND ALSO SOME DRAINAGE.
SO I WANT TO THANK ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, THEIR STAFF.
THERE WERE PEOPLE SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR HERE AT THE EMERGENCY CENTER.
THERE WERE PEOPLE SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR, HER AS THEY OPERATED THE WARMING CENTERS.
AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT PREPARATION.
AND WE WERE VERY BLESSED BY THE FACT THAT WE PREPARED FOR THE WORST.
TONIGHT WE'LL BE BITTERLY COLD.
SO THE SAME WARNINGS PROTECT YOUR PLANTS, YOUR PIPES TAKE CARE OF YOUR PETS, YOUR NEIGHBORS TONIGHT WILL BE BITTER COLD.
THE COLDEST PART OF THE ARCTIC BLAST WILL GET HERE, THE REMAINDER OF TODAY.
TOMORROW WE WILL ASSESS THINGS.
WE WILL HAVE THE WARMING CENTERS OPEN MONDAY NIGHT UNTIL MIDDAY TUESDAY.
TRYING TO SEE WHAT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA GIVE SOME SHOUT OUTS AND I COULD DO SHOUT OUTS THE REST OF THE MORNING.
ALL 12 WARMING CENTERS HAD BACKUP GENERATORS.
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OF CENTERPOINT.WE HAD MOBILE GENERATORS AND ALL OF THEM WERE SECURE WITH BACKUP GENERATORS.
MAJOR DEPARTURE FROM WHEN I ARRIVED AND WAS ELECTED MAYOR.
GENERATORS ARE CRITICAL AT OUR STRATEGIC LOCATIONS, POLICE AND FIRE.
SO PUBLIC SAFETY WAS OUR HIGHEST CONCERN LAST NIGHT.
CERTAIN THE FUNCTION OF THE WARMING CENTERS AND ALSO ALL HANDS ON DECK AND ALL HANDS ON DECK AT YOUR CITY HALL AND DEPARTMENTS WILL CARRY ON THROUGH TODAY AND TOMORROW.
UM, BRIAN MASON, OUR DIRECTOR OF THIS EMERGENCY CENTER, WAS HERE ALL NIGHT LONG MONITORING THINGS WITH HIS TEAM.
BUT I WOULD LIKE BRIAN TO COME FORWARD AND LET US KNOW ANY DETAILS THAT I, THAT YOU SHOULD EMPHASIZE.
UM, YOU DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB COVERING EVERYTHING, SIR.
UM, JUST A FEW THINGS JUST TO REINFORCE A FEW THINGS.
AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, WE WERE VERY, VERY FORTUNATE LAST NIGHT WITH WHERE THE FREEZE LINE SAT UP.
UM, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT NORTH OF US, SO THAT WAS A VERY GOOD THING.
ALSO, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, WE ARE NOT, UH, IT'S NOT OVER.
WE'RE NOT DONE WITH THIS WEATHER EVENT.
IT IS GONNA GET VERY, VERY COLD.
UH, SO ANY MOISTURE THAT'S LEFT OUT THERE, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, UM, IT IS GOING TO REFREEZE.
SO PLEASE HANG WITH US ONE MORE NIGHT.
WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'RE OFF THE ROADS AND TAKE THE BURDEN OFF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
THAT WILL BE OUT IN THE FIELD.
UM, JUST A FEW OTHER THINGS TO HIT ON AIRPORTS.
UH, ALL THREE AIRPORTS ARE UP AND RUNNING, FULLY FUNCTIONING.
UM, NO ISSUES WITH THE AIRPORTS, BUT AS ALWAYS, PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR CARRIERS, UH, TO SEE THE STATUS OF YOUR FLIGHT.
UH, AS FAR AS METRO GOES, METRO IS RUNNING A MODIFIED RAIL SERVICE AS WE SPEAK RIGHT NOW, AND THEN THEY PLAN ON, UH, RETURNING TO NORMAL SERVICE AT APPROXIMATELY NOON ON MONDAY.
UM, BUT WE'LL BE MONITORING THE WEATHER TO SEE HOW THE ROADS ARE, UM, AND THAT MAY CHANGE.
JUST ONCE AGAIN, ANOTHER REMINDER AND REQUEST FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, PLEASE LISTEN TO, TO WHAT THE MAYOR SAID.
PLEASE TRY TO STAY OFF THE ROADS TONIGHT.
UH, PLEASE DO NOT GET COMPLACENT.
WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE INSIDE THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, A LOT OF OUR PARTNERS TO THE NORTH, UH, OF US, YOU KNOW, JUST AS CLOSE AS CONROE.
UM, SOME OF THOSE AREAS, THEY GOT SOME SIGNIFICANT ICE UP THERE.
SO, UM, PLEASE STAY OFF THE ROADS TONIGHT AND THEN WE WILL EVALUATE EVERYTHING AGAIN TOMORROW MORNING.
UH, ONE SHOUT OUT THAT WE DIDN'T MENTION IS TXDOT.
THEY WERE ACTUALLY TREATING THE ROADS AS WE CAME IN EARLY THIS MORNING, ALONG SIX 10 PUBLIC WORKS CONTINUES TO TREAT HOUSTON THOROUGHFARES.
UH, IT'S JUST THE PREPARATION AND THE FOLLOW THROUGH THAT IS MAKING A HUGE DIFFERENCE, BUT WE CANNOT LET OUR GUARD DOWN.
AND AS I MENTIONED, PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY.
CHIEF DIAZ, WILL YOU COME AND GIVE US A REPORT, UH, FROM HPD OVERNIGHT? SURE.
WHICH OVERNIGHT MEANT WHEN I LAST SAW YOU AT TWO THIS MORNING? GOOD MORNING.
OVERNIGHT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS.
THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY FOR LISTENING TO THE ALERTS THAT WE SENT OUT.
OUR CALLS FOR SERVICE REMAINED THE SAME.
OUR ACCIDENT VOLUME REMAINED THE SAME FOR US.
UH, STAY PEOPLE STAYED OFF THE ROADWAYS THIS MORNING.
PEOPLE ARE STILL OFF THE ROADWAY.
SO IT'S, UH, IT HELPS US HELP YOU.
I WANT TO THANK THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO SLEPT IN PATROL CARS LAST NIGHT, WHO WERE AWAY FROM THEIR HOMES, WHO SLEPT IN ON THE FLOORS AT POLICE STATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAD ACCESS TO US.
UH, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THIS WEATHER.
SO, LIKE I SAID YESTERDAY OR THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY, MAKE SURE THAT WHEN YOU'RE TRAVELING, IF YOU HAVE TO TRAVEL, THAT YOU'RE DRIVING SLOW, THAT YOU'RE MONITORING, UH, THE ROAD CONDITIONS AND NOT, UH, GETTING THE, DON'T LET THE SUNLIGHT FOOL YOU BECAUSE THERE ARE A FEW PATCHES HERE AND THERE THAT ARE WET.
SO JUST DRIVE CAREFULLY, DRIVE SAFETY OR DRIVE SAFELY AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE CHECKING ON YOUR NEIGHBORS STILL.
UH, WE'RE STILL NOT OUT OF IT.
SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE, UH, KEEPING UP WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS AND KEEPING UP WITH YOUR FAMILIES.
AND AGAIN, IF YOU GET ON, IF YOU MUST GET ON THE ROAD, PLEASE SLOW DOWN TO ENSURE THAT, UH, YOU TRAVEL IN AND OUTTA THE CITY.
UH, 'CAUSE WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE THAT TRAVEL THROUGH OUR CITY ON A DAILY BASIS ON OUR INTERSTATE SYSTEMS THAT AREN'T FROM HERE.
SO LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY CONTINUE TO BE SAFE.
AND OF COURSE, WE'RE ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT SPACE HEATERS AND SAFETY OF PEOPLE TRYING TO STAY AS WARM AS POSSIBLE.
CHIEF MUNOZ, WOULD YOU GIVE US A REPORT FROM HOUSTON FIRE? YES, SIR.
UM, AS THE MAYOR'S BEEN EMPHASIZING, MAYOR WHITMAR HAS BEEN EMPHASIZING SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY, ALL HANDS ON DECK.
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ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT WE EMPHASIZE IS CARBON MONOXIDES.I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT IS IF THIS MORNING ZERO FATALITIES, WE DID GATE, WE DID GET EIGHT CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS. FIREFIGHTERS RESPONDED.
PEOPLE LISTEN, THEREFORE, NO FATALITIES.
MAYOR MENTIONED SPACE HEATERS.
PLEASE BE AWARE OF THE SURROUNDINGS WHERE THEY ARE.
ALSO OVENS PEOPLE, IF YOU CAN OPEN THE OVENS, PLEASE, PLEASE, YOU KNOW, MAINTAIN THAT SAFETY.
PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S AROUND THEM.
THE OTHER THING TOO, GENERATORS, IF YOU ARE GONNA USE ONE, PLEASE PLACE THOSE THREE TO FOUR FEET AWAY FROM THE HOUSE BECAUSE THEREFORE THAT, THAT'LL ELIMINATE SOME OF THE CARBON MONOXIDE GETTING INTO THE HOUSE.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS TOO IS, UM, PEOPLE HAVE A TENDENCY THAT MIGHT WANT TO USE SOME KIND OF HEATING ELEMENT LIKE BARBECUE PIT OR BURN SOME FIRE INSIDE THE GARAGE.
THE ONE LAST THING IS, IF THERE, IF YOU DO HAVE ELECTRIC STOVE, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE IS SOME SORT OF OUT IN YOUR AREA, PLEASE TURN THAT ELECTRIC STOVE OFF.
'CAUSE ONCE THAT POWER COMES BACK ON, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THERE'LL BE SOME HOUSE FIRES OR A HOUSE FIRE ON THAT AS A RESULT.
I WANT TO THANK OUR HOUSTON FIREFIGHTERS FOR WORKING ALL NIGHT AND, UH, MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE SAFE.
AND AS MAYOR, UH, WHITMEYER MENTIONED, AND CHIEF DIAZ, PLEASE, PLEASE STAY OFF THE ROADS.
PAY ATTENTION TO SAFETY, AND AGAIN, PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE ELDERLY OR NEIGHBORS TO TOGETHER AGAINST THE WEATHER, WILL HAVE A GOOD SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME.
PUBLIC SAFETY BEING THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, AND CERTAINLY THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF ALL HOUSTONIANS, REGARDLESS OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY RIGHT UP THERE NEAR PUBLIC SAFETY, AND MAYBE IT STARTS WITH THE SUPPLY OF ENERGY.
I KNOW THE ANXIETY BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE LOSS IN PREVIOUS EPISODES, BUT I'M GOT A GOOD HEALTHY REPORT THIS MORNING.
AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE GENERATORS AT ALL THE WARMING CENTERS IN OUR STRATEGIC LOCATIONS LIKE POLICE AND FIRE STATIONS.
BUT, UH, I, I WANT CENTER POINT.
UH, THEY'RE THEY'RE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER TO COME GIVE US A CURRENT REPORT ON OUR ENERGY SUPPLY.
MR. SOTO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND PROVIDING ENERGY AT OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTER AND GIVE, UH, HOUSTONIANS A ACCURATE CURRENT REPORT OF THE ENERGY SUPPLY.
UH, I WANNA ASSURE YOU AND THOSE IN THIS AUDIENCE THAT, UM, THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF OUR CUSTOMERS AND OUR COMMUNITIES CONTINUES TO BE OUR TOP PRIORITY.
WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR, UH, THE VARIABLES OF TEMPERATURE, WIND, MOISTURE IN THE LOCATION THAT LED US TO MAKE DECISIONS EARLIER THIS WEEK TO PRE-STAGE, UH, 3,300 FRONTLINE WORKERS, INCLUDING 600 FROM OUT OF OUR SERVICE TERRITORY.
FROM NINE STATES AS FAR NORTH AS MICHIGAN AND WISCONSIN.
CONCENTRATED IN TWO AREAS WHERE WE STRATEGICALLY LOCATED TRANSFORMERS AND POLES TO BE READY.
WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ACCUMULATION OF ICE ON OUR POWER LINES, ACCUMULATION OF ICE ON TREES, AND THAT VEGETATION WOULD FALL IN CONTACT THAT DID NOT MATERIALIZE.
WHAT WE ARE PREPARED FOR OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS IS THE CONTINUATION OF THAT TEMPERATURE, THAT LOW TEMPERATURE AND THE DEMAND THAT IT'S GONNA HAVE ON OUR SYSTEM.
SO WE REMAIN ALERT, WE WILL REMAIN PREPARED.
OUR EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER HAS BEEN OPENED, UH, 24 HOURS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE CREWS AVAILABLE IN POSITION TO RESPOND IN A TIMELY MANNER.
OVER THE PAST, UH, 24 HOURS, WE'VE RESPONDED TO 27,000 OUTAGES IN A VERY TIMELY MANNER.
AND OUR COMMITMENT IS TO REMAIN ALERT, REMAIN PREPARED AS WE RESPOND.
IF WE HAVE A VEHICLE THAT SHOWS UP AND THEN IT LEAVES, WE'RE NOT IGNORING YOU, THAT MEANS THAT WE NEED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO COME BACK AND TAKE CARE OF THAT OUTAGE.
OR IF YOU HAVE AN OUTAGE AND YOU DON'T SEE ACTIVITY AROUND YOUR HOME, THAT MEANS THAT IT COULD BE AROUND THE CORNER IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
OTHER PARTS, WE'RE NOT IGNORING YOU, WE ARE ADDRESSING IT.
THAT INSPECTION REPAIR THEN LEADS TO THE RESTORATION OF POWER.
LASTLY, IF YOU SEE A DOWN POWER LINE, I ASK THAT YOU DO NOT COME CLOSE TO IT.
REMAIN AWAY AND CALL 7 1 3 2 0 7 22 22.
THAT'S A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT WHAT TOOK PLACE OVERNIGHT AND WHAT WE ARE FORECASTING FOR THE REST OF THE DAY.
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PREPARATION AND CAUTION.TODAY I THINK THE EMPHASIS IS ON CAUTION.
WE WILL HAVE FREEZING TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT AND THEY WILL BE MOISTURE.
THE HUMIDITY'S HIGH, THE CHILL FACTOR WILL BE VERY LOW TODAY DUE TO THE WIND AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO EVERYONE, KEEP YOUR GUARD UP AND BE CAUTIOUS.
AND I'LL BE PUBLIC WORKS HAS CREWS ALL OVER THE CITY MONITORING THINGS.
UH, HEALTH IS AT THE CENTERS RIGHT NOW, SO IT'S STILL ALL HANDS ON DECK FROM THE CITY'S ADMINISTRATION.
ANY QUESTIONS, MAYOR? I KNOW YOU SAID THAT THERE'S A CREW, UM, NEAR TO GALLERIA AREA WHERE WE SAW THAT BIG LEAK THIS MORNING.
IS THERE ANY OTHER CONCERN, ESPECIALLY WITH THE POTENTIAL OF WARM, FREEZING OF ANY OTHER WATER LEAK? AS I SAID, CREWS ARE THERE, BUT LET ME TALK, LET YOU TALK TO THE DIRECTOR.
HE CAN GIVE YOU A TIMEFRAME, BUT, UH,
MAKES, UH, A LOT OF EXPERIENCE.
UH, RANDY, WHY DON'T YOU GIVE US A, A REPORT? YEAH.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE ANTICIPATE THAT THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE BREAKS.
WE HAVE BREAKS ON A DAILY BASIS.
UH, I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT, UH, IT'S A NORMAL DAY FOR US TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE WE SAW OVER THERE, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WEREN'T PREPARED FOR OR UNABLE TO RESPOND TO.
WE HAVE CREWS ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHO ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO MOBILIZE AND DEPLOY ON A, UH, AS NEEDED BASIS AS WE DO IT.
OF COURSE, WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE WE KEEP OUR FOLKS IN, UH, IN, IN SAFETY'S WAY ALL ALONG THE TIME.
SO AS THE TEMPERATURES GO DOWN, UM, WE'LL TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS THERE.
BUT, UM, THE, THE MESSAGE FOR PEOPLE ALWAYS IS, AS SOON AS YOU SEE SOMETHING, LET US KNOW.
WE THANK THE MEDIA FOR ALERTING US.
SOMETIMES WHEN YOU SEE THESE BIG ONES, UM, FOLKS WILL CALL YOU FIRST BEFORE THEY'LL CALL US.
WE'D ASK EVERYONE TO CALL US AT THE SAME TIME SO THAT WE CAN RESPOND TO IT.
BUT WE FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT OUR MOBILIZATION EFFORTS RIGHT NOW AND, UH, WE'RE READY TO GO.
THAT LINE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IS UNDER REPAIR RIGHT NOW.
WE WE'RE, UH, WE EXPECT TO HAVE THAT FIXED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
ANYONE ELSE? OBVIOUSLY, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY BEING OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY, BUT INFRASTRUCTURE RIGHT UP THERE BUMPING PUBLIC SAFETY.
THERE IS YEARS OF NEGLECT OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND WE'RE RAPIDLY ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS.
ANYONE ELSE, IF NOT, MS. CAMPOS, IF YOU'LL COME, UH, SPEAK TO OUR SPANISH SPEAKING RESIDENTS.
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TORMENT.UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT, THANK YOU TO THE PRESS FOR DELIVERING UPDATES AND WE'LL KEEP YOU TIMELY INFORMED.
WITH THAT, UH, LET'S KEEP WORKING.