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THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO HEAR FROM OUR TEAM HERE AT CITY HALL.
OUR EMERGENCY CENTER WAS ACTIVATED YESTERDAY AT FIVE.
MOST OF YOU UNDERSTAND THAT MEANS ALL HANDS ON DECK THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.
UH, PUBLIC WORKS GOES ABOUT POSITIONING THEIR EQUIPMENT AND CERTAINLY FIRING POLICE, PUT THEIR BOATS RESCUE APPARATUS IN THE RIGHT PLACES, UH, VERY HEAVY RAIN YESTERDAY.
WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE, PLEASE, HOUSTONIANS AND GUESTS DO NOT DRIVE IN STANDING WATER CIRCUMSTANCES AND LEVELS CAN CHANGE SO RAPIDLY, BUT I'M VERY PROUD OF THE TEAM AND REALLY, UH, YOU HEARD BRIAN DOWNSTAIRS, BRIAN, FOR THOSE THAT MAYBE JUST ARRIVED, CAN REPEAT THE STATUS OF THE TROPICAL STORM OFF OF GALVESTON AND WHAT IMPACT THE BEST INFORMATION GIVES US THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AS TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND ALSO HE CAN SPEAK TO OUR PREPARATION.
BUT METRO, UH, EVERY DEPARTMENT, CITY OF HOUSTON, ALL HANDS ON DECK.
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, EMS, FIRE POLICE PUBLIC WORKS ARE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS IN CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE'RE FACING.
BUT IT APPEARS THAT WE'RE BEEN, WE'RE BEING VERY FORTUNATE WITH THE WEATHER, AVOIDING HOUSTON AS WE STAND HERE TODAY.
BUT BRIAN, WHY DON'T YOU GIVE A SIMILAR UPDATE THAT YOU DID DOWNSTAIRS.
UH, SO GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.
UM, JUST A QUICK UPDATE ON THE WEATHER.
SO EARLY THIS MORNING AT ABOUT 10:00 AM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE UPGRADED THE STORM THAT'S DOWN SOUTH TO A POTENTIAL TROPICAL CYCLONE ONE.
UM, THE WAY THE FORECAST LOOKS, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'LL TURN INTO A TROPICAL STORM, UH, EARLY TOMORROW AND PASS OFF TO THE EAST OF GALVESTON ISLAND.
UM, PROBABLY 20 TO 40 MILES KIND OF OFFSHORE FROM US, WHICH PUTS CITY OF HOUSTON IN A GOOD PLACE.
UM, ONCE AGAIN, WE WOULD BE ON THE CLEAN SIDE OF THE STORM TO WHERE WE WOULD HAVE LESS WIND AND RAIN THAN IF WE WERE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE STORM.
SO, ONCE AGAIN, THAT IS THE CURRENT TRACK.
BUT AS A REMINDER THOUGH, THE FORECAST DO CHANGE.
SO WE WANT HOUSTONIANS TO REMAIN RESILIENT AND BE PREPARED AND LISTEN TO MESSAGING THAT MAY BE COMING FROM THE, THE MAYOR OR FOR THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
A FEW PREPAREDNESS ITEMS. SO WE STARTED PREPARING FOR THIS EVENT ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE DAYS AGO.
UM, ACTUALLY SUNDAYS WHEN WE STARTED TO PUT A LOT OF ITEMS INTO MOTION, WE STARTED A LOWER LAKE HOUSTON, ONE FOOT BELOW FULL POOL, WHICH IS PART OF OUR STANDARD STORM PROTOCOLS.
WE'VE ALSO PRE-STAGED SOME BARRICADES AT FLOOD PRONE LOCATIONS, USUALLY UNDERPASSES THOSE TYPES OF LOCATIONS.
AND THEN FIRE, POLICE AND PUBLIC WORKS HAVE BEEN COORDINATING TOGETHER TO, UH, PREPARE AND STAGE HIGH WATER RESCUE VEHICLES AND BOATS ACROSS THE AREA.
UH, THE CURRENT FORECAST, ONCE AGAIN, HAS KIND OF SHIFTED IN OUR FAVOR.
INITIALLY, WE WERE LOOKING AT SOME REALLY HIGH TOTALS OF RAIN, SIX TO EIGHT INCHES WITH SOME ISOLATED HIGHER TOTALS.
UH, WITH THE CURRENT FORECAST, NOW WITH THE STORM TRACKING A LITTLE BIT OFF TO OUR EAST, OUR RAINFALL TOTALS HAVE HAVE DROPPED.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, JUST AS A REMINDER TO EVERYBODY, IT IS STILL, UH, MUGGY OUT THERE.
UH, FORECASTS DO CHANGE, SO DON'T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN.
MAKE SURE YOU'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO GETTING INFORMATION FROM TRUSTED RESOURCES LIKE THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OR LIKE HOUSTON, OEM.
SO THAT'S A HIGH LEVEL UPDATE OF, UH, HOUSTON ACTIVITIES.
WILL YOU, UH, INFORM OUR SPANISH SPEAKING RESIDENCE AS TO THE, UH, CONCERNS AND AND THE PREPAREDNESS OF OUR TEAM? SURE.
ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME OF ANY OF OUR OFFICIALS? HAS THERE BEEN ANY PARTICULAR THOUGHT GIVEN TO WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THE RAIN IS HEAVY TOMORROW MORNING AS PEOPLE ARE HEADING TO THAT WORLD CUP GAME AT NOON AT NRG? YEAH, WE, WE PREPARE FOR ALL CIRCUMSTANCES,
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AND AS YOU HEARD BRIAN, AND HIS BEST INFORMATION IS WE'RE NOT GONNA GET THAT VOLUME OF WATER, BUT FOR CERTAIN WE HAVE CON CONSIDERATION FOR ALL THE POSSIBILITIES.RYAN, YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THE WEATHER? NO, WE ARE, WE'RE ALL HANDS ON DECK.
WE'RE PREPARED FOR ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, CERTAINLY ADDITIONAL HEAVY RANGE TOMORROW, BUT AS WE STAND HERE TODAY, IT DOES NOT FORECAST THAT WE'RE GONNA GET ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINS, EVEN SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY'S.
WE'VE CERTAINLY, I CAN REMEMBER WHEN HARVEY AND OTHERS WERE GOING IN A LITTLE DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, BUT, UH, WE'RE PREPARED.
IS THERE, AND WE'RE IN TOUCH WITH, WITH THE ENERGY OFFICIALS.
CERTAINLY THE FIFA PEOPLE, FAN FEST.
FAN FEST HAS BEEN SO RESPONSIBLE, YOU KNOW, ANY LIGHT, AND I THINK WITHIN EIGHT MILES, IT'S, UH, PEOPLE ARE VOID, ARE AVOIDING THE OUTDOORS.
WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE TWO EVENTS IN PARTICULAR, IS IT THE FAN FASM AND THE GAME ITSELF? IS IT THE CITY'S CALL WHETHER THINGS NEED TO CHANGE ABOUT THAT OPERATING, OR IS IT FIFA'S CALL? FIFA IS REALLY, REALLY IN CHARGE OF THEIR EVENTS, AND CERTAINLY WE'RE IN CONSTANT TOUCH WITH OUR FIRST RESPONDERS IN TERMS OF SAFETY AND, UH, ALL POSSIBILITIES.
BUT FIFA, UH, CONTROLS THEIR GAMES.
WE KNOW THEY CONTROL THE PRICE, UH, AND ADMITTANCE AND, UH, BUT WE RUN THE CITY.
THE FAN FEST IS, UH, CERTAINLY IN COORDINATION, HEAT, HEAT.
WE SIT HERE AND TALK ABOUT THE WATER, AND THE WATER IS A DANGER, RISING WATER.
BUT RIGHT NOW, UH, WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO EDUCATE EVERYONE.
YOU CAN PLAY A MAJOR ROLE OF STAYING HYDRATED, UH, WATCH YOUR ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION.
JUST BE SMART, BUT, UH, DON'T OVER EXPOSE YOURSELF TO THE HEAT.
WE RECOGNIZE THE TEMPERATURES, BUT WE HAVE HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, WE HAVE COOLING CENTERS.
THE FAN FEST HAS BEEN A HUGE SUCCESS.
UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE OR YOUR LISTENERS, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO EXPERIENCE THAT.
IT'S REALLY SOMETHING SPECIAL.
UH, ANYTHING YOU CAN ADD, BRIAN, IN TERMS OF HYDRATION AND, UH, FIFA IS OUR PARTNERS, UH, THEIR OFFICIALS WILL BE HERE TOMORROW WITH PORTUGAL PLAY.
AND APPARENTLY IT'S A HUGE DRAW AND, UH, BUT WE'RE IN CONSTANT TOUCH WITH 'EM.
MAYOR, A LOT OF OUR VISITORS RIGHT NOW OBVIOUSLY AREN'T FROM THIS COUNTRY DUE TO THE MATCH TOMORROW.
CAN YOU TOUCH A BIT MORE ON THAT IN TERMS OF BOTH THE RAIN AND THE HEAT? A LOT OF HOUSTONIANS MAY BE USED TO IT, BUT A LOT OF THESE FOLKS AREN'T, AND THEY ARE PROBABLY TAKING PUBLIC TRANSIT.
UM, WHAT COULD YOU SAY TO THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE NEW TO OUR CITY AND NEW TO OUR COUNTRY, WELCOME
AND I WANT YOU TO LEAVE SAYING, HOUSTON'S THE MOST FRIENDLIEST CITY THAT YOU'VE EVER VISITED.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE TAKEN ALL THAT IN CONSIDERATION AND YESTERDAY OR DAY BEFORE WAS THE FIRST GAME.
METRO OBVIOUSLY HAD HUGE CROWDS.
UH, PROBABLY UNLIKE WHAT WE'VE EVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE.
THE RODEO PRODUCES LARGE CROWDS, BUT HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO LEAVE AT THE SAME TIME.
IN THE SCORCHING HEAT THEY HAVE MADE, UH, ALTERATIONS TO WAITING IN LINE WITH.
NOW THEY WILL BE, UH, STATIONED IN NRG AND COOLING CENTER TO THEN BE ALLOWED TO, UH, ENTER THE RAIL SYSTEM.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR EUROPEAN, OUR SOUTH AMERICAN GUESTS, UH, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, MANY, MANY OF THEM, THIS IS NOT THEIR FIRST WORLD CUP.
UH, I DON'T THINK IT'S A BIG SECRET THAT HOUSTON IS IN A TROPICAL CLIMATE WITH OUR WARM WEATHER HUMIDITY, BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY, TO CAUTION EVERYONE TO PAY ATTENTION.
LISTEN, Y'ALL PLAY A MAJOR ROLE, BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, THEY ALL HAVE FAMILIES.
THEY HAVE, UH, MENTORS WITH THEM.
THE, THE PLAYERS HAVE, THEY, THEY ARE PROTECTED LIKE YOU CAN IMAGINE.
BUT OUR WORLD TRAVELERS, HECK NOW ONE IS A ONE, FREDDY
SO ANYWAY, UH, IT'S A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
IT'S GOOD FOR HOUSTON AND IT'S AMAZING LEADING UP TO IT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD OUR CRITICS ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD DO TO HOUSTONIANS.
IT'S ALL BEEN VERY WELL PLANNED.
IT'S BEING CARRIED OUT AS PLANNED, AND, UH, IT'S A GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR HOUSTON.
WE'RE ON A WORLD STAGE, BUT WE'RE SHOWING WE'RE A CAN-DO CITY.
WE'RE BECOMING A DESTINATION, UH, FOR PEOPLE FROM
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AROUND THE WORLD.AND, UH, THIS IS HOUSTON WEATHER, SO IT'S NOTHING TOO SURPRISING ABOUT IT.
UH, THE TROPICAL STORM, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE WATCHED IT AS BRIAN SAID, SINCE LAST WEEKEND, BUT WE STAY PREPARED.
WE TRAIN FOR EVENTS SUCH AS THIS.
THE, UH, I WANT HOUSTONIANS TO ENJOY IT.
I WANT HOUSTONIANS TO FEEL WELCOME TO THE FAN FEST.
IT'S FREE, IT'S COMFORTABLE, IT'S HOT AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, BUT IT'S GOT HUGE TENTS.
IT'S GOT WAREHOUSES THAT HAVE BEEN CONVERTED TO, UH, COOLING CENTERS.
SO I'VE BEEN THERE SEVERAL TIMES, TOOK GRANDKIDS THERE SUNDAY AFTERNOON, AND NEXT DAY I'M GONNA LOOK UP AND MY 12-YEAR-OLD SON-IN-LAW, SON-IN-LAW, GRANDSON, IS PLAYING PICKUP SOCCER THERE ON ONE OF THE AVAILABLE FIELDS.
SO IT'S SOMETHING TO BE EXCITED ABOUT, BUT WE ARE PREPARED.
MAYOR, CAN YOU TALK REAL QUICK ABOUT, UM, YESTERDAY, ANY NUMBER OF, UH, HIGH, UH, WATER OR VEHICLE RESCUES THAT WERE, THAT WERE DONE? AND ALSO JUST, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THAT, CAN YOU JUST REITERATE TO PEOPLE WHY IF THEY SEE STANDING WATER, THEY SHOULDN'T BE? BECAUSE, BECAUSE WE LIVE IN HOUSTON, MANY OF OUR STREETS HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN DESIGNED TO HELP THE DRAINAGE.
IT PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE UNDER UNDERPASSES, AS YOU WELL KNOW.
UH, HOLE WATER, THEY USUALLY, UH, CERTAINLY ON THE VOLUME WE HAD YESTERDAY, UH, RUNOFF ALMOST AS QUICK AS THEY, AS THEY GOT THERE.
BUT RYAN, YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT ANY DATA THAT SHOWS, BUT IT'S REALLY SOMETHING THAT WE EXPERIENCE AS HOUSTONIAN, CERTAINLY ALL OF MY, UH, LIFE.
UH, BUT YOU JUST HAVE TO BE SMART.
IT'LL, IT'LL YOU JEOPARDIZE YOUR PROPERTY AND YOUR LIFE.
SO YESTERDAY WAS NOT AN UNUSUAL MM-HMM.
TOM, YOU WANNA SPEAK TO YOUR, UH, FIRE RESCUE FOLKS? YES.
YESTERDAY, UH, WE ONLY AN, WE ONLY SAW, WE, UH, RESPONDED TO TWO HIGH WATER VEHICLES, WHICH BASICALLY THEY WENT INTO A FLOODED AREA AND FLOODED OUT, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALSO WANNA MESSAGE AND LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT 12 INCHES OF WATER CAN LIFT YOUR, A TYPICAL CAR AND TWO FEET CAN LIFT A, A TRUCK OR ANYTHING.
SO PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE MESSAGES AND, UH, WHEN YOU SEE THE DANGER SIGNS, AVOID THOSE AT ALL COSTS.
I WAS GONNA LET CHIEF DI SPEAK TO THE RESPONSE ABOUT HPD AND THANK YOU.
UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE MEDIA PARTNERS FOR COVERING THIS MESSAGING BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE AS A PUBLIC SAFETY APPARATUS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ARE FOCUSED ON GETTING THE RIGHT INFORMATION TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE COMMUTING TO AND FROM WORK.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORK, TRY TO STAY HOME.
IF YOU GET IN A POSITION WHERE YOU SEE HIGH WATER, IT'S VERY HARD TO ADJUST.
YOU MAY THINK YOU CAN PASS IT IN YOUR CAR AND YOU, YOU'LL GET STUCK.
AND THEN THAT PUTS OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR POLICE AND FIRE APPARATUSES IN A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION BECAUSE OUR CALLS FOR SERVICE ARE GONNA GET SLOWER.
'CAUSE WE'RE ASKING OUR TEAM MEMBERS TO SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT SO THAT WE CAN GET TO YOUR CALL.
SO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SAFE GETTING THERE.
SO DON'T CREATE AN EMERGENCY FOR US AND ASK US TO COME HELP YOU.
UH, WE WILL, BUT PLEASE HELP US, UH, TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE.
THE WATER WILL GO DOWN PRETTY QUICKLY AND WE'RE USED TO, THIS IS, UH, HOUSTON WEATHER, HOUSTON TIME OF, UH, HOT TIME OF THE SEASON.
SO, UH, AGAIN, I CAN'T THANK THE FIRST RESPONDERS ENOUGH.
THEY'RE DOING AMAZING THINGS ON A DAILY BASIS.
I DON'T HAVE A NUMBER FOR YOUR QUESTION, BUT IT'S BEEN A LOT.
BUT I'D ASK THAT YOU, AGAIN, THE TURNAROUND DON'T DROWN IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
AND PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE THAT WATER CAN COME UP VERY, VERY FAST AND WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET YOU TO YOU AS QUICKLY AS YOU THINK.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW WHAT'S INTERESTING TO ME IS HOW WE COVER HOUSTON'S WEATHER AND OFTEN IT INCLUDES MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN AREAS NORTH OF US.
SO JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT WE'RE SUCH A LARGE COMMUNITY THAT IS PROBABLY RAINING SOMEWHERE IN HOUSTON AT ANY GIVEN TIME, BUT THE VOLUME AND THE INTENSITY YESTERDAY WAS, UH, SOMETHING TO TAKE, UH, CONCERNS BE CONCERNED ABOUT.
BUT THEY TRAINED, THEY PREPARED ALL HANDS ON DECK AS A FIVE O'CLOCK YESTERDAY.
OUR MAYOR, YOU ALREADY SORT OF TOUCHED ON THIS, UH, BUT MAYBE THIS IS A QUESTION KIND OF DIRECTED IN PUBLIC WORKS, BUT THE REGION'S FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM IS BUILT AROUND A CONCEPT OFTEN DESCRIBED AS STREETS AS SECONDARY DRAINAGE WHEN RAINFALL OVERWHELMS STORM SEWERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT? I'M GONNA LET RANDY TALK ABOUT, BUT THIS HAS BEEN KNOWN IN HOUSTON COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE A LOT OF NEWCOMERS, WE HAVE A LOT OF IMMIGRANTS, WE HAVE GUESTS THAT DON'T REALIZE HOLDING WATER TEMPORARILY IS KIND OF THE MASTER PLAN OF HOUSTON.
THE UNDERPASSES HAVE ALWAYS MADE INDIVIDUALS VULNERABLE.
WE'VE HAD TRAGEDIES IN RECENT YEARS WHERE PEOPLE DRIVE INTO AN UNDERPASS AND THEN
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WE'RE IN A RECOVERY MODE.SO I JUST THINK EVERYONE, THE MESSAGE IS BE SMART, BE CAUTIOUS, LOOK OUT FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR PETS, YOUR FAMILY.
AND RANDY, WHY DON'T YOU SPEAK OF YOUR PROACTIVE APPROACH OF, UH, TURNING YOUR DUMP TRUCKS INTO RESCUE VEHICLES? YEAH, CERTAINLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND THE QUESTION I THINK IS SUPER TIMELY.
A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE GET VERY CONCERNED WHEN THERE'S RAIN.
THEY SAY THERE'S RAIN IN THE STREET, THE STREET'S STARTING TO FILL UP.
THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE ALARMED ABOUT.
MOST OF OUR STREETS, IN FACT, ARE DESIGNED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
WHERE WE GET CONCERNED, OF COURSE, IS WHEN THE FLOODING IN THE STREET STARTS TO, UH, SEEP INTO STRUCTURES.
WE'VE HAD VERY, VERY, VERY FEW, IF ANY REPORTS OF THAT TAKING PLACE AT THIS POINT.
NOW WE KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT SOME PROBLEM SPOTS ACROSS THE CITY.
THAT'S WHY WE PRE-STAGE BARRICADES AT CERTAIN PLACES.
MOST OF THOSE ARE GONNA BE, UH, AT THOSE UNDERPASSES WE TELL PEOPLE, DON'T DRIVE IN THERE BECAUSE YOU DON'T REALIZE SOMETIMES HOW DEEP THOSE UNDERPASSES GO.
GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT'S GONNA BE AT 45 IN ELGIN.
UM, IT GETS REALLY, REALLY DEEP.
I REMEMBER WHEN I MOVED TO HOUSTON GOING TO LAW SCHOOL THAT UH, THERE WAS A TROPICAL STORM TAKING PLACE AND I DID NOT KNOW BEING FROM OUT OF TOWN AT THE TIME, WHY POLICE WOULD NOT LET ME GO THROUGH THERE.
WELL, MY FIRST DAY GOING THROUGH IT WHEN IT WAS DRY, I REALIZED HOW DEEP THAT ACTUALLY GOT.
IT WAS SOME 15 FEET AND IT WAS COMPLETELY FULL.
SO YOU DON'T WANNA GET IN THERE BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING.
BUT YOUR QUESTION IS ABOUT HOW DOES THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM ITSELF WORK? WE WANNA MAKE SURE WATER GETS TO THE, THE PRIMARY DRAINAGE SYSTEMS IN HOUSTON.
THAT'S GONNA BE ENCLOSED SYSTEMS UNDERGROUND, THEN IT'S GONNA BE OPEN DITCHES THROUGHOUT.
WE'VE GOT 2,500 MILES OF OPEN DITCHES THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT HELP CONVEY WATER TO SOMEPLACE.
WHEN THOSE FILL UP, THEN THE STREETS BECOME PART OF THE NEXT NETWORK, SOMETIMES JUST AS A HOLDING BASIN SO THAT THE REST OF THE SYSTEMS ARE ABLE TO FLOW OUT WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
ULTIMATELY, EVERYTHING GOES OUT TO ONE BAYOU OR ANOTHER, AND THOSE BAYOU THEN EXIT TOWN THE WAY WE NEED IT TO.
WHEN YOU HAVE BIG RAIN EVENTS LIKE THIS THOUGH, THOSE THINGS FILL UP REALLY QUICKLY.
THE GROUND GETS REALLY SATURATED AND THEN THE BAYOU START TO EXCEED THEIR CAPACITY, WHICH MEANS THE WATER TRYING TO GET INTO IT HAS NOWHERE TO GO.
AND THAT'S WHEN YOU START TO SEE THINGS BACK UP A LITTLE BIT.
PEOPLE ASK ABOUT WHY IS THERE WATER BUBBLING UP OUT OF A MANHOLE, FOR INSTANCE, RIGHT? THAT'S PRESSURE WORKING ITS WAY BECAUSE FRANKLY, THE ENCLOSED SYSTEM THERE IS FULL RIGHT NOW AND IT'S TRYING TO DISSIPATE.
WE ALWAYS TELL FOLKS, WHEN YOU SEE WATER OUT THERE, DON'T GO INTO IT.
AND IF IT'S IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WAIT A LITTLE BIT, IT'S GOING TO GO DOWN.
WE PROMISE YOU IT WILL GO DOWN.
BUT WHEN YOU GET TO A SITUATION WHERE IT STARTS TO GET INTO YOUR STRUCTURE, THAT'S WHEN YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE SOUNDING THE ALARM BELLS.
THAT'S WHERE POLICE FIRE ABLE TO STEP IN WITH SOME ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE.
IT'S ACTUALLY WHY WE CONVERT, UH, 10 OF OUR DUMP TRUCKS WHEN WE EXPERIENCE THESE EVENTS TO HIGH WATER RESCUE VEHICLES TO AUGMENT THE FLEET THAT POLICE AND FIRE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, TO SAVE PEOPLE WHO MAY NEED SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE SO FAR, AND IN FACT, I THINK WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF THE STREET FLOODING TAKING PLACE.
THE DAMAGES WE'VE SEEN HAVE BEEN SOMETIMES, UM, MISCALCULATIONS BY PEOPLE ON WHAT THEY THINK THEY CAN DO BY DRIVING THROUGH CERTAIN AREAS.
BUT WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE AND IT SHOWS A LOT OF HOUSTON'S RESILIENCE OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS.
WE'VE MADE SUCH INCREDIBLE STRIDES TO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HANDLE STORM WATER MORE EFFECTIVELY.
IF WE CAN KEEP IT OUTTA STRUCTURES, THAT MEANS WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BIG EVENTS LIKE WE'VE HAD YESTERDAY AND HAVE BEEN GOING ON NOW FOR A FEW WEEKS ARE GOOD EXAMPLES THAT WE ARE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.
UM, BUT IT'S NO REASON TO TAKE OUR FOOT OFF THE GAS AND IT'S CERTAINLY NO REASON TO NOT BE MORE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS AND WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND YOU.
JUST A FOLLOW UP, IS THERE A WAY WE CAN GET PICTURES OF THE DUMP TRUMPS THAT HAVE BEEN CONVERTED? SURE, WE CAN DO THAT.
HAVE THERE BEEN ANY CHANGES IN, UH, METRO, UH, BUS SCHEDULES OR, OR METRO SERVICES? SAME CHAIR.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, AT METRO, OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS SAFETY.
AND SO WE WILL BE ADJUSTING REAL TIME ACCORDING WHETHER IT'S THE WEATHER OR WHETHER WE'RE TAKING PEOPLE TO WORK OR, YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH THE WORLD CUP.
SO WE'LL BE MAKING REAL TIME ADJUSTMENTS AS THEY, UH, AS THEY ARISE.
UH, WITH A METRO BUS, IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN A CAR.
WE CAN'T GO THROUGH HIGH WATERS, UM, ANY MORE THAN A, UH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CAN.
SO WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE KEEPING OUR DRIVERS AND OUR PASSENGERS SAFE, UH, IN REAL TIME.
SO IT'S, SO PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR APP, UM, RIDE, UH, METRO.ORG FOR UPDATED INFORMATION, UM, AS SCHEDULES, UH, CHANGE BASED ON, UH, THE WEATHER REPORT.
THE MAYOR TOUCHED ON A CHANGE THAT YOU ALL MADE OUTSIDE HOUSTON STADIUM.
CAN YOU GO INTO THAT A BIT TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM NOT OUR HEAT HERE? AND THEN CAN YOU ALSO TOUCH ON ANY POSSIBLE PLANNING THAT YOU ALL ARE STARTING TO WORK ON FOR TOMORROW TO THE POSSIBLE RAIN? ABSOLUTELY.
WE HAD AN AFTER ACTION REPORT TO SEE WHAT, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO BETTER IN ORDER TO KEEP TRAFFIC FLOWING.
UM, AND WE HAD 14,000 PEOPLE THAT RODE THE RAIL INTO THE STADIUM AND 20,000
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PEOPLE THAT EXITED THE, THE RAIL LEAVING THE STADIUM.NOW, THERE WERE REPORTS THAT PEOPLE WERE WAITING FOR TWO HOURS.
THERE WAS A TWO HOUR LINE, BUT NO ONE PERSON WAS WAITING FOR TWO HOURS.
THAT WAS A CONTINUOUS MOVEMENT.
HOWEVER, WE ARE OPENING UP, UH, THE NRG CENTER SO THAT PEOPLE CAN WAIT.
SO WHETHER IT'S RAINING OR WHETHER IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, SUN SHINING OUTSIDE, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO WAIT INDOORS, UH, WHILE THEY WAIT TO GET ONTO THE RAIL.
AND THIS MAY BE KIND OF A DUMB QUESTION FOR, FOR A LOT OF FOLKS, BUT SOME FOLKS MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THE FACT OF WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
YOU ALL JUST LIKE A VEHICLE CAN'T JUST DRIVE THROUGH FLOODING, YOU CAN'T JUST ROLL THROUGH WATER.
CAN YOU TOUCH ON THAT A BIT MORE AND KIND OF EXPLAIN THAT TO FOLKS AND, AND REMIND FOLKS TO STAY UPDATED? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, SO OUR DRIVERS HAVE BEEN TRAINED AND SO THEY RECOGNIZE WHEN WATER IS HIGH.
AND SO WHEN THAT IS, UH, WHEN IT'S NOT SAFE TO PASS, THEN THEY WILL REROUTE AND DETOUR.
SO THOSE WILL BE IN EFFECT AS, AS WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO WEATHER REPORTS.
FOR THE UNINITIATED ENERGY CENTER IS THE, UH, CONVENTION CENTER WHERE THE LIVESTOCK SHOW IS OVER THERE.
RIGHT? I'M NOT SURE IF THE LIVESTOCK SHOW IS THERE.
IT'S, IT'S RIGHT THERE WHERE THE RAIL BEGINS.
I DON'T KNOW, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT COULD CHANGE OVERNIGHT? YOU TALKED ABOUT HARVEY.
HARVEY WAS A STORM THAT FAMOUSLY STALLED, SOMETIMES TROPICAL STORMS SWITCH THEIR TRACKS.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT COULD CHANGE OVERNIGHT THAT REALLY CHANGES THE TYPE OF WARNING THAT YOU GUYS ARE GIVING NOW COMPARED TO TOMORROW MORNING? HONESTLY, BRIAN'S THE BEST INFORMED, BUT THAT'S THE REASON EVERYONE NEEDS TO STAY TUNED.
WE'RE GIVING YOU THE BEST INFORMATION WE CAN ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON AT THREE O'CLOCK.
UH, BRIAN AND OTHERS HAVE COMPUTER MODELS THAT INDICATE THAT HOUSTON WILL BE ON THE DRYER SIDE OF A TROPICAL, TROPICAL STORM THAT'S GOING EAST IN THE GULF.
AND COULD, UH, BEAUMONT OTHER, UH, COMMUNITIES EAST OF US COULD BE, UH, MORE IMPACTED.
BUT BRIAN, WHY DON'T YOU GIVE HIM A MORE DESCRIPTIVE, UH, AS THE MAYOR SAID, JUST EVEN KEEP IN MIND TODAY, RIGHT, SO JUST UP, JUST IN SOUTH MONTGOMERY COUNTY AT 45 AND, UH, 2 42, THEY GOT ABOUT SIX INCHES OF RAIN IN TWO HOURS TODAY, RIGHT? SO IT'S VERY HUMID OUT THERE.
UM, WE DO HAVE THE BEST, WE'RE IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, WITH THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.
WE'RE GETTING REGULAR UPDATES AS MODELS ARE COMING IN RIGHT NOW, IT'S PREDICTED TO STAY OFFSHORE.
IF IT DRIFTS 50 MILES, 75 MILES BACK TO THE WEST, WE COULD HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, CHALLENGES HERE.
SO AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, WE WILL KEEP MONITORING THE WEATHER.
WE GET UPDATES EVERY ABOUT EVERY FOUR TO SIX HOURS FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
IF SOMETHING DRASTICALLY CHANGES, THEY WILL BE PUTTING MESSAGING OUT AND WE WILL AS WELL.
UM, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, IT LOOKS LIKE THE TRACK IS, IS GONNA BE OFFSHORE, UH, OF GALSTON ISLAND AND WE WON'T BECOME COMPLACENT AT ALL.
I MEAN, WE HAVE THE EMERGENCY CENTER OPEN ALL HANDS ON DECK.
EVERYONE HAS A ROLE, WE TRAIN FOR IT.
AND ON A RELATED MATTER, I THINK IT'S WORTH MENTIONING WE GET READY FOR THE RAINY SEASON DURING THE DRY SEASON WITH, UH, THE REASON WE WANT TO ATTACK ILLEGAL DUMPING THAT BLOCKS OUR DRAINAGE AND OUR DITCH REESTABLISHMENT.
AND WE'RE SPENDING MORE ON DRAINAGE THIS YEAR THAN IN HOUSTON'S HISTORY.
SO THIS ALL IS PART OF THE TRAINING PREPARATION INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'RE CONSTANTLY IMPROVING IN MY JUDGMENT AFTER AS A HOUSTONIAN YEARS OF NEGLECT.
WE ARE NOT NEGLECTING DURING THE STORM AND WE'RE PREPARING THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN BETWEEN STORMS. SO I THINK, UM, HOUSTONIANS NEED TO KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK AND WE WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED.
AND THANK YOU FOR DOING YOUR PART.