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THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND THANK YOU TO THE PARTNERSHIP OF MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER AND ALL OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON TEAM MEMBERS, AS WELL AS OUR HARRIS COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL.
WELCOME TO BAYLIN COMMUNITY CENTER, WHICH HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR SHELTERS DURING THIS WINTER FREEZE.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE HARDWORKING MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORK FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY, AND ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
THEY HAD BEEN PREPARING FOR THIS STORM SINCE EARLY THE PAST WEEK, AND THIS COMMUNITY CENTER WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE, BUT FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS.
WHAT IS REALLY SPECIAL ABOUT THIS SHELTER IS IT'S NOT ONLY A SHELTER OPEN 24 HOURS WITH COTS, WITH BLANKETS, WITH CLOTHES THAT HAVE BEEN DONATED FROM YOU, THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE ALSO HAVE NURSES HERE TO ATTEND TO THE MEDICAL NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE COME IN AS WELL AS SOCIAL WORKERS TO CONNECT THE INDIVIDUALS TO ANY SERVICES THEY MAY NEED BEFORE THEY LEAVE.
SO THIS WILL BE OPEN THROUGHOUT TONIGHT AND INTO TOMORROW, AND WE ARE VERY ATTENTIVE OF THE WEATHER AND WILL STAY VERY ATTUNED AS WE MIGHT HEAD INTO ANOTHER FREEZE THIS COMING WEEKEND.
I ALSO WANNA THANK THE HARDWORKING MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR ROAD AND BRIDGE AND PUBLIC WORKS CREWS.
THEY HAD BEEN CLEANING THE ROADS, PREPARING THEM, AND THEN OUR PRECINCT FOUR TEAM PUT, UM, CHAT ROCK OUT TO MAKE SURE THE ROADS WERE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS ALL ABOUT PARTNERSHIP, PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY, PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT NONPROFITS WHO HAVE STEPPED UP THE PLACES OF WORSHIP, ALL THE DONATIONS YOU HAVE MADE AND PARTNERING WITH THE CITY, THE COUNTY, AND ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE FAMILIES OF HARRIS COUNTY DESERVE.
TRULY, THAT YOU HAVE GOVERNMENT WORKING TOGETHER TO SERVE YOU VERY BRIEFLY IN SPANISH.
UM, HOUSTON MAYOR WHITMEYER, CHIEF CHRISTENS DEL FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, SHARPSTOWN AMERICAN RED CROSS.
THIS IS WHAT GOVERNMENT IS HERE TO SERVE YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER EVERY STORM.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS DONE IN PARTNERSHIP AND IN UNITY.
AND WHAT WE DO BEST HERE IN HOUSTON IS IN HARRIS COUNTY, HAS COME TOGETHER TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME OUR MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WEST ALDE MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE.
THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COMMUNICATE WITH HARRIS COUNTY AND CITY OF HOUSTON RESIDENTS THAT WE HAVE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY AND THE CITY ACROSS OUR REGION TO GET INDIVIDUALS INTO SHELTER OUT OF THE ELEMENTS UNTIL THIS ARCTIC FREEZE PASSES.
WHAT YOU'RE WITNESSING TODAY IS WHAT THE COMMISSIONER AND I PRACTICE ON A ROUTINE BASIS.
WE REALIZE WE REPRESENT THE SAME INDIVIDUALS, SO WE COLLABORATE, WE BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
I THE CITY HAS A SHELTER AT THE SOUTHWEST MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, VERY NEAR HERE.
SO WE COLLABORATE AND WE WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT WE ARE OPEN 24 7.
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THIS CENTER IS REALLY THE MODEL FOR WHAT WE WOULD LIKE ACROSS OUR REGION.THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BRIANIS FOR HAVING HEALTHCARE CASEWORKERS, WARM FOOD.
WHEREAS THE CITY CENTERS ARE PRIMARILY FOR WARMING AND TO GET OUT OF THE SHELTERS.
YES, YOU'RE SAFE IN THE CITY'S 12 MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS.
WE HAVE BACKUP GENERATORS, WE HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY THERE, AND WE WILL DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ASSIST YOU WITH INDIVIDUAL CHALLENGES.
I WAS HERE YESTERDAY, SO TWO DAYS IN A ROW.
I'M SEEING DEDICATED EMPLOYEES, NECESSARY RESOURCES.
YOU'RE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB.
AND SO IT'S REALLY, IT'S REALLY WHY WE RUN FOR OFFICE.
IT'S WHY WE'RE PUBLIC SERVANTS.
I WOULD ALMOST SAY WE TRAIN FOR MOMENTS LIKE THIS AND IT'S NOT NECESSARY TRAINING, IT'S JUST PART OF OUR PRACTICE.
SO I WANT TO THANK THE COMMISSIONER, HER DEDICATED STAFF FOR PARTNERING WITH US.
I WANT TO DO A SHOUT OUT FOR THE CITY EMPLOYEES SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR ON MANY OF OUR LOCATIONS.
ENGINEERS AT A WATER TREATMENT PLANT, SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR TO MAKE SURE THE WATER PRESSURE IS MONITORED.
BARK WENT OUT LAST NIGHT AND SERVED 91 ANIMALS.
ANY 91 DOGS TAKEN TO THE SHELTER.
AS I TALKED TO YOU, THE NUMBERS AT A SHELTERS ARE 1,088 IS STILL CONTINUING TO BUILD.
WE'LL MAKE AN ASSESSMENT AT NOON TOMORROW TO SEE HOW MUCH LONGER THE SHELTERS AND THE WARMING CENTERS SHOULD BE OPEN.
OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE ALREADY ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON THE WEATHER FOR NEXT WEEKEND.
UH, IT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER ARCTIC BLAST WE'RE TOLD, BUT WE'LL MONITOR THAT AS WE APPROACH IT.
BUT THANK YOU TO HOUSTONIANS AND RE HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS FOR LISTENING TO OUR PRECAUTIONS.
WE'VE INCREASE IN 9 1 1 CALLS AND FIRST RESPONDER CALLS.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
MANY OF 'EM ARE PRESENT WITH US TODAY, SO WE'RE NOT THROUGH.
BE CAUTIOUS TONIGHT WILL BE VERY, VERY SEVERE LIFE-THREATENING TEMPERATURES IN THE TEENS WITH A CHILL FACTOR OF SINGLE DIGITS.
UH, BEST RECOURSE WOULD BE TO DRAIN YOUR PIPES.
IT'S THE WATER THAT FREEZES IN 'EM.
AND CERTAINLY YOUR PETS, PETS CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
SO WE ARE SPEAKING OUT FOR THEM.
LOOK OUT FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR SENIORS, AND TOGETHER WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH THIS.
BUT THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN COMMISSIONER BRIANIS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS A MODEL FOR HARRIS COUNTY AND THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THANK YOU MAYOR WHITMEYER, THANK YOU SO MUCH MAYOR WHITMEYER TO YOU AND TO ALL OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON TEAM MEMBERS WHO ARE SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
NEXT, PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME OUR HARRIS COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL CHIEF LORI CHRISTENSEN.
UM, LAURIE CHRISTENSEN, HARRIS COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY I WAS HONORED WHEN I WAS ASKED TO BE HERE, UH, WITH WHAT I BELIEVE IS TWO OF THE GREATEST PARTNERS WE HAVE FOR SURE.
YOU KNOW, THEY KEEP TALKING ABOUT THAT COOPERATION.
AND I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES YOU GET TO SEE, UH, SOME OF US TALKING ON TV, WHETHER WE'RE IN THE FIRE SERVICE, LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW IT'S TRULY A COLLABORATION.
AND BECAUSE OF THEM ALLOWING, AND THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT ALLOWING US TO WORK SO CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE CITY, I KNOW I'VE BEEN TALKING TO THE CITY, UH, CHIEFS, WHETHER IT BE LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE AND THEIR OEM AND SAME THING, UH, WITH OURS.
AND THEN REMEMBER, WE'VE GOT 33 OTHER CITIES.
AND FORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS COURT MEMBERS PUSH, WE ARE HERE FOR A SAFER HARRIS COUNTY AND THAT'S HARRIS COUNTY NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE.
SO I DO WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR THAT BECAUSE THAT TRULY WHAT WE HAVE SEEN, THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION.
BUT LET'S NOT GET COMFORTABLE AS THEY SAID, WE'RE GONNA HAVE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE COLD WEATHER TONIGHT.
IT'S STILL GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, FREEZING WEATHER.
SO YOU'RE GONNA POSSIBLY SOME OF YOU'RE HEADED BACK TO SCHOOL.
SOME OF YOU'RE HEADED BACK TO WORK.
SO AS TONIGHT, AS YOU'RE WORKING THROUGH AND MAYBE YOU START PUTTING UP SOME OF THE BLANKETS, DON'T FORGET YOU CAN'T PUT YOUR BLANKETS NEAR A SPACE HEATER IF YOU STILL HAVE A SPACE HEATER ON.
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REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, YOUR FIREPLACES, YOUR FIRE PITS, YOU WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE KEEPING THOSE COMBUSTIBLES THREE TO FIVE FEET AWAY.AGAIN, REMEMBER PETS, YOU KNOW, I TALK ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME.
PETS, THEY LOVE TO GO LOOK AT SOMETHING NEW.
EVEN IF YOU MOVE THAT SPACE HEATER, THEY'RE GONNA ASSUME IT'S NEW.
THEY'RE GONNA GO AND WANNA LOOK AT IT.
ALSO, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE RETURNING TO WORK TOMORROW, OR MAYBE YOU'RE GETTING YOUR KIDS READY TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL TOMORROW.
IF YOU'VE BEEN BURNING YOUR CHIMNEY WITH WOOD OR A PRODUCT THAT BURNS, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY NATURAL GAS.
I ENCOURAGE YOU, YOU WANT IT COMPLETELY OUT IN THE MORNING.
PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT FIRE IS OUT.
IF YOU HAVE A PRODUCT YOU CAN PUT ON IT TO SMOTHER IT OR TAKE A CUP OF WATER AND POUR THAT ON THERE BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANNA LEAVE YOUR HOUSE AND LEAVE THAT SMOLDERING FIRE AT THE SAME TIME AS YOU'RE PREPARING FOR TONIGHT AND YOU'RE GETTING WARMED BACK UP AND YOU'RE GETTING ALL YOUR THINGS BACK TOGETHER.
WE'VE BEEN VERY, VERY FORTUNATE.
WE'VE HAD ABOUT 20, AND THIS IS THE UNINCORPORATED COUNTY 20 CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM CALLS.
AND THAT ACTUALLY IS DOWN FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THAT MEANS Y'ALL ARE LISTENING, Y'ALL, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT STARTING THE CARDS IN THE GARAGES.
WE'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND, EVEN IF YOUR HEATER IS WORKING, YOU'RE NOT BRINGING THINGS TOO CLOSE TO THE HOUSE.
WE HAVE HAD NO INJURIES FROM CARBON MONOXIDE CALLS OR HEAT RELATED, UH, FIRE INCIDENTS.
AND WE TALKED YESTERDAY ABOUT THAT.
YOU KNOW, REMEMBER YOU'RE STILL PUTTING, UH, HEAT LAMPS ON YOUR ANIMALS, RIGHT? YOU'RE STILL WORRIED ABOUT THINGS LIKE THAT.
GET COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT YOU'VE DONE THIS WEEKEND.
'CAUSE YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB, THE RESIDENTS OF HARRIS COUNTY IS.
WHAT A GREAT JOB, BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S COMING THIS WEEKEND, RIGHT? SO THIS WAS A PREP.
IF WE GET THAT WEATHER AGAIN THIS WEEKEND, DON'T GO PUT ALL THAT UP AND DON'T FORGET WHAT YOU DID, RIGHT? BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU, UH, WE'RE ALL GONNA BE HERE TOMORROW TO BE READY TO GET BACK TO, TO THE BUSINESS OF WORK AGAIN FOR OUR BUSINESS OWNERS.
WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT TOMORROW YOU'RE GONNA SHOW BACK UP SOME OF YOU TO YOUR OFFICES.
MAYBE YOU'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, TO, TO MAYOR WHITMEYER, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME, SOME WATER, UH, LEAKS AND SOME THINGS HAVE OCCURRED.
UH, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LOOK AT OUR WEBSITE.
WE'RE PUTTING IT OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR BUSINESS OWNERS AND OUR CONTRACTORS.
EVEN IF YOU'RE IN THE CITY, GET WITH US.
WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY FIRE MARSHAL.
UM, LET US KNOW SO THAT WE CAN HELP YOU GET THROUGH THAT IMPAIRED SYSTEM.
OUR GOAL IS NOT TO COME OUT THERE AND DING YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE RIGHT.
OUR GOAL IS TO HELP YOU GET WHAT YOU NEED, GET YOU IN THE SYSTEM, AND HELP YOU GET BACK TO BUSINESS AND OPERATING SAFELY AGAIN.
CAN I SAY ONE FOLLOW UP? SURE, OF COURSE.
LET ME EMPHASIZE THAT NOT ONLY THIS SHELTER, EACH WARMING CENTER IS OPEN TO EVERY RESIDENT OF HOUSTON, TEXAS TODAY.
THERE WERE SOME DISRUPTORS, SOME MEAN-SPIRITED PEOPLE THAT HAD SPREAD WORD THAT ICE WAS MONITORING THESE CENTERS.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY ZERO EVIDENCE OF THAT.
SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO THE WARMING CENTERS, NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
IT'S OPEN FOR EVERY RESIDENT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
NO QUESTIONS ABOUT IMMIGRATION STATUS.
WE JUST WANT TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYONE THAT'S IN NEED OF WARMING CENTER OR SHELTER MAYOR.
UH, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY SOME CITY COUNTY COLLABORATION ON DISPLAY HERE.
THE COUNTY JUDGE SAID EARLIER TODAY THAT SHE INVITED YOU TO A PRESS CONFERENCE LAST WEEK AND YOU DID NOT ATTEND.
WHY? WE WERE VERY BUSY PREPARING THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR THIS ARCTIC BLAST.
SHE SAID, I'M, I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHAT I WAS DOING BECAUSE WE WERE GIVEN A SPECIFIC TIME AND I COULD NOT BE THERE.
OUR STAFFS WORK VERY CLOSE TOGETHER.
THE COUNTY ARE MY PARTNERS, BUT I CAN'T ALWAYS MEET SOMEONE ELSE'S SCHEDULE, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU GET 'EM AT THE LAST MINUTE.
SO I RESPECT HER OPERATION, BUT I HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF RUNNING THE CITY.
I MEAN, JUST TO QUICKLY FOLLOW AND I'M, I KNOW YOU WANNA MAKE AN ISSUE OUTTA THAT, BUT IT'S A NON-ISSUE.
WELL, I WORK WITH THE CHOOSE THE TIME, SIR.
I KNOW YOU WANT TO CREATE A CONTROVERSY THERE.
I'M HERE, THE COUNTY IS MY PARTNER, BUT I DON'T WORK ON SOMEONE ELSE'S SCHEDULE BECAUSE I'VE GOT 2.3 MILLION HOUSTONIANS, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT NEED OUR ASSISTANCE.
WE WILL WORK AND SHARE RESOURCES, BUT UH, I WAS IN CHARGE OF THE CITY PLANNING OUR PRESS CONFERENCE AND GETTING SO MUCH INVOLVED.
EVEN METRO METRO YOU CALL METRO LYFT AND THEY WILL BRING YOU TO A SHELTER.
SO WE WERE CHECKING ALL OF OUR BOXES.
WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB AND I APPRECIATE YOUR WANTING TO STIR THINGS UP, BUT IT JUST AIN'T GOING TO HAPPEN 'CAUSE THINGS ARE WORKING SO WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I HAVE, I HAVE A QUESTION.
I'M A COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY, UH, JUSTICE ORGANIZER.
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SURE.SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCATE WITH PURE JUSTICE OF ALUMNI PEER JUSTICE.ORG AS WELL AS TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, I'M SURE THE PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE ARE WE WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN CHRONICALLY HOMELESS FOR DOUBLE DIGIT YEARS.
SHARE SOME TRUTH ON THAT FOR YOU.
IT'S A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, WE OPENED MIDDLE STREET LAST WEEK, WHICH WAS SOMEWHAT CONTROVERSIAL.
WE RECEIVED 400, UH, UNITS, UH, FOR, FOR THOSE THAT HAD BEEN GIVEN A COMMITMENT FOR THAT LOCATION.
WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO STREAMLINE THE PERMITTING AND THE BUILDING OPERATION AND KEEP COSTS AFFORDABILITY, UH, AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE A DYSFUNCTIONAL PERMITTING OR BUILDING PLANNING DEPARTMENT THAT JUST ADDS THE COST.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING'S ONE OF OUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES.
IN FACT, I MADE THE BOLD MOVE TO OPEN MIDDLE STREET, WHICH WAS BUILT AND DESIGNED BEFORE I GOT THERE, BUT AT A COST OF 130 MILLION, I WOULDN'T HAVE BUILT IT THERE.
BUT WE GOT THE CLEARANCE FROM E-P-A-T-E-C-Q AND UH, WE'RE MOVING PEOPLE IN THERE.
IS THAT THE LAND THAT'S DIS CONTAMINATED? MA'AM? WE GOT ALL THE CLEARANCES.
THERE IS NO CONTAMINATION WHERE THAT SITE IS LOCATED.
AND WHERE CAN THE PEOPLE FIND THE, FIND THE, UM, THE WRITINGS ON THAT, ALL THE EVIDENCE ON THAT DOCUMENTED SOMEWHERE, RIGHT? YES MA'AM.
THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS ALL THE DOCUMENTS.
WE'LL BE GLAD TO SHARE 'EM WITH YOU.
MAYOR CENTRAL, GETTING READY FOR THIS WEEKEND.
WHAT CONSTITUTES, UH, OPENING A WARMING CENTER? YOU KNOW, UH, WE USE OUR BEST JUDGMENT.
WE HAVE CRITERIA THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO IMPROVE.
UH, WE LOOK AT THE CHILL FACTOR, WE LOOK AT THE TEMPERATURE, WE LOOK AT THE, UH, POPULATION AND THE DEMAND.
BUT, UH, WE RAPIDLY OAK THEM TO GET THE HOMELESS AND THOSE, I WAS IN NORTHEAST, UH, HOUSTON MULTI-SERVICE CENTER YESTERDAY AND A LADY SAID, I SAW YOU ON TV LAST NIGHT.
AND I SAID, HOW'D YOU WATCH ME ON TV? OH, I WAS AT HOME.
I SAID, WELL WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? WELL, I JUST FELT IT WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE.
SO ALL THESE RESIDENTS THAT ARE HERE ALL HAVE INDEPENDENT CHALLENGES.
MANY, MANY ARE CHALLENGING FROM DRUG, ALCOHOL, MENTAL HEALTH.
MANY HAVE BEEN LIVING UNDER A BRIDGE.
WE HAVE OUTREACH TEAMS. WE GO, I WAS AT, UH, FOND LAST NIGHT.
HPD OFFICER PULLS UP YOUNG OFFICER, GET SOMEONE OUT OF THE BACKSEAT OF HIS AUTOMOBILE.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR FOLKS TO BE IN OUR FACILITIES AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE WEATHER.
UH, THIS HAS THUS FAR BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
WE'LL MONITOR IT TOMORROW AT NOON AND SEE WHERE WE ARE AND THEN WE'VE GOTTA GET READY.
SO THAT'S WHY THE COLLABORATION IS SO IMPORTANT.
THE COUNTY RESOURCES, CITY RESOURCES, WE REPRESENT THE SAME PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S BEING EVIDENCED HERE WITH THIS PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY.
WE, WE DON'T IDENTIFY BOUNDARY LINES, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S COLD FRONTS OR PUBLIC SAFETY OR HEALTHCARE.
AND THAT'S THE REASON I'M SO EXCITED TO BE HERE.
THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONER FOR COLLABORATING WITH THE ENTIRE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE HAVE HUGE RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND LEMME JUST TELL YOU ONE OF THE CHALLENGES AS WE PREPARED ALL WEEK.
WE WERE GETTING THREE DIFFERENT REPORTS OF THE WEATHER PROJECTIONS FOR METEOROLOGISTS.
SOME SAID THE FREEZE WOULD STOP IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, SOME SAID ALL THE WAY TO GULF.
SO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IS USE YOUR EXPERIENCE, HAVE THE BEST TEAM IN PLACE, AND MAKE A WISE JUDGMENT, WHICH IS BEING DEMONSTRATED TODAY.
HOW SEEM TO BEING IMPACTED BY THE PEOPLE DRIPPING THEIR THEIR WATER? YOU KNOW, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, PEOPLE ARE LISTENING.
YOU KNOW, IT GETS DOWN TO CREDIBILITY.
THE COMMISSIONER HAS CREDIBILITY, I HAVE CREDIBILITY.
AND WE DON'T HAVE PRESS CONFERENCES IF THEY'RE NOT MEANINGFUL.
AND THAT'S READING THIS ONE IS SO IMPORTANT AT THIS STAGE OF THE STORM, WE NEED TO REPORT TO HOUSTONIANS AND HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO BE CAUTIOUS.
BE CAREFUL ABOUT DRIPPING YOUR PIPES.
I'LL ALSO SAY THEY STAYED OFF THE ROADS.
OUR 9 1 1 FIRST RESPONDER CALLS.
SO EVERYONE WORKING TOGETHER, OUR UNITY IN OUR COMMUNITY IS SOMETHING QUITE FRANKLY TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE.
MAYOR, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT, UH, THE WARMING CENTERS? ARE THEY AT CAPACITY? IS THERE STILL? WHAT'S HAPPENING IS FOND MULTI, UH, WEST GRADE MULTI SERVICE CENTER, UH, ARE AT
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CAPACITY.AND WE'RE ACTUALLY LITERALLY TAKING PEOPLE TO DENVER HARBOR, UH, FIFTH WARD AND OTHER LOCATIONS WHERE THEY GET THE SAME QUALITY OF SERVICE.
BUT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, UH, FOND WAS AT 200 LAST NIGHT, UH, MULTI SERVICE.
TURNED OUT, EVEN IF WE'RE AT CAPACITY, WE TAKE CARE OF YOU.
AND WE SURE AS HECK DON'T ASK YOU WHO YOU ARE, WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
YES, THERE'S CAPACITY HERE AT BAYLAND COMMUNITY CENTER.
IT'LL BE OPEN THROUGH TOMORROW.
AND SO WE HAVE SPACE HERE SIMILAR TO WHAT MAYOR WHITMEYER WAS SAYING, NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME, INCLUDING YOUR PETS.
UM, IF YOU HAVE A CRATE, PLEASE BRING IT.
AND TO THIS POINT, ALL OF THE WARMING CENTERS AND SHELTERS, WE'RE IN CLOSE COMMUNICATION ON CAPACITY TO MAKE SURE THAT IF SOMEBODY COMES TO A CENTER OR SHELTER THAT IS AT CAPACITY, WE TRANSPORT THEM TO A PLACE THAT HAS ROOM.
BUT HERE WE DO HAVE ROOM HERE AT BAYLEN COMMUNITY CENTER AND WE'RE HERE TO SERVE YOU.
WHAT IS THE TOTAL CAPACITY OF ALL THE COUNTIES WARMING CENTERS? SO THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR, SO MY TEAM AND I HAVE THIS ONE AND WE HAVE ABOUT 80 COTS, AND THEN WE HAVE CAPACITY FOR MORE BEYOND THE COTS THAT WE HAVE.
IT, THE CITY FACILITIES ARE ALL OPEN TO EVERYONE.
COMMISSIONER, HOW MUCH DOES, IF YOU CAN PLEASE, UH, COMMENT ON, YOU HEARD ABOUT THE TURBO ACCIDENT CRASH CRASH AND ALTHOUGH WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION, WE KNOW THAT YOU OF AIRPLANE, CAN YOU JUST COMMENT ON THAT FRIENDS OF, UM, KATE AND TARA? YES.
SO, UM, I AM VERY, I'M CLOSE FRIENDS WITH KURT AND TARA ARNOLD, AND WE'RE STILL WAITING ON ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE PLANE WENT DOWN YESTERDAY EVENING IN MAINE.
AND SO MY HEART HURTS FOR THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AND I WORKED AT ARNOLD DEKIN FOR A TIME AND SO I KNOW THEM WELL.
AND IN PARTICULAR, UM, TARA IS, SHE MAY, SHE'S JUST A FA PHENOMENAL PERSON, A BOLD BEATER, AND SOMEBODY WHO HAS A, OR HER HAD A HEART OF SERVICE.
AND SO SHE WAS VERY INVOLVED IN PRECINCT FOUR AND OUR SISTER NONPROFIT PRECINCT FOUR FORWARD.
AND MY HEART AND MY PRAYERS ARE WITH KURT AND THEIR CHILDREN AND ALL OF THE AFFECTED, UH, MEMBERS.
AND SO WE'RE STILL WAITING ON ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
COMMISSIONER, HOW MUCH DOES THE WARNING CENTER OF TALK TO, UH, OPEN UP? SO THE SHORT ANSWER IS IT COMPLETELY DEPENDS ON THE CAPACITY.
AGAIN, WE'RE DOING THIS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AMERICAN RED CROSS.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS REALLY HARNESSING RESOURCES FROM OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS LIKE AMERICAN RED CROSS, AS WELL AS DONATIONS FROM NUMEROUS PLACES OF WORSHIP AND NONPROFITS.
SO IT'S A TEAM EFFORT AS ALWAYS.
AND AGAIN, FOR ANYBODY WHO'S WATCHING, WE HAVE BEEN GETTING DONATIONS OF HAND WARMERS, OF BLANKETS OF FOOD.
AND WHILE I WISH HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY DID NOT HAVE ANY DISASTERS OR STORMS, IT IS MOVING TO ME TO SEE HOW WE CAN COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY.
AND MY DEEPEST DESIRE, ESPECIALLY AS A MOM OF THREE, AND I HAVE ONE OF MY CHILDREN HERE HOME FROM HID TODAY, IS, UM, THAT WE COME TOGETHER ALWAYS RIGHT, BECAUSE I BELIEVE SO MUCH MORE UNITES US THAN DIVIDES US.
A QUESTION, A QUESTION I HAVE IS, UH, IT'S A QUESTION I ASKED A LOT WITH MULTICULTURAL CITY AND I KNOW WE EVERYTHING IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE FIRST LANGUAGE LEAD.
THIS IS A VERY MULTICULTURAL CITY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SPEAK ASIAN LANGUAGES, OTHER FORMS OF LANGUAGE.
HOW DO Y'ALL GET THIS INFORMATION TO THEM? 'CAUSE WE'RE TAKING FOR GRANTED THAT THIS, THIS IS IT.
AND SOMETIMES I THINK THEY KIND OF MAY GET LEFT OUT AND NOT KNOW WHERE TO GO BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF ALMOST TAKING CARE OF JUST TWO GROUPS.
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CENTER IS, IS, UH, I WISH I COULD PUT THE EXACT FIGURE, I WANNA SAY 40, BUT CERTAINLY VIETNAMESE AND UH, MULTICULTURAL LANGUAGE SKILLS.OUR OFFICERS HAVE LANGUAGE SKILLS.
SO YOU REMEMBER THE NUMBER 14, 14 LANGUAGES ON OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WEBSITES? YEAH, 14.
AND WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO IMPROVE.