[00:00:01]
SOME SLEEVE FLASH.[CALL TO ORDER]
AM COUNCIL MEMBER PAIGE JEALOUS.I AM THE CHAIR OF THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE.
IT IS 1:03 PM ON OCTOBER 6TH, AND WE ARE HERE IN CITY, UH, COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
I HAVE VICE CHAIR KELLY JOINING US REMOTELY.
AND THEN HERE ON THE DIAS, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN AND MAYOR PRO TE ALTER.
SO I WANTED TO SAY A QUICK HELLO FOR EVERYBODY.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPEAKERS CURRENTLY SIGNED UP, SO
[1. Approve the minutes of the Mobility Committee meeting of September 8th, 2022.]
WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM ONE.APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2022.
MOTION IS MADE BY VICE CHAIR KELLY.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? MAYOR PROTE MALTER SECONDS.
ALL IN FAVOR? IT IS UNANIMOUS.
AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON IS NOT ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY.
SO THERE'S JUST FOUR OF US IN CHAMBERS.
THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION OPTION, THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION OPTION, UM, CHAIR CHAMPION IS NOT ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY EITHER.
SO WE'LL SKIP THAT ITEM AND HOPE TO SEE HIM BACK FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
[3. Updates on Wildfire Evacuation mobility and route coordination]
TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, UPDATES ON WILDFIRE EVACUATION, MOBILITY, AND ROUTE COORDINATION.WHO DO WE HAVE PRESENTING THAT ITEM? I KNOW WE'RE MOVING ALONG QUICKLY.
WE'RE ALREADY ON ITEM NUMBER THREE,
UM, JIM DALE, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE WERE JUST DOING SOME LAST MINUTE LOGISTICS, SOME COORDINATION FOR THE PRESENTATION, UM, THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, WE KNOW THIS TOPIC OF WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLANNING AND RESPONSE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO SEE COUNCIL ALSO TO OUR COMMUNITY AND AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE HERE AND, UH, MULTITUDES OF FOLKS THAT ARE BEHIND US SUPPORTING US AS WELL.
AND SO IN PREPARING FOR THIS OPENING PIECE, THERE'S ONE, UM, SENTENCE THAT I CAME ACROSS THAT REALLY, UM, STRUCK A CHORD WITH ME WAS ABOUT WILDFIRES KNOW NO BOUNDARIES AND LOOKING AT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN TERMS OF THE COORDINATION.
WE'RE WORKING ACROSS THOSE JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES, UM, THE BOUNDARIES JUST WITHIN THE CITY ITSELF, BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS, BUT ALSO WITH AGENCIES HERE IN THE REGION.
UM, SO WE, AGAIN, WE HAVE CITY STAFF HERE TODAY.
UM, WE'RE GONNA GO SWITCH OFF BETWEEN EACH OF THE SLIDES.
WE'LL COVER THE SLIDES THAT ARE IN OUR RESPECTIVE DOMAINS, UM, AND THEN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL WILL HAVE AT THE END.
HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, ANY FEEDBACK, UM, CONSIDER THAT IN THE PLANNING AND ALSO IN OUR RESPONSE, UM, EFFORTS.
AND SO WE WANNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED AND RETURN IT OVER TO, UM, CHIEF DEZA WITH THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT TO KICK US OFF.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MARY PROTE, COMMITTEE CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ALL AND OTHERS IN THE, IN THE, UH, CHAMBERS.
WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION IN THE WAY THAT WE WOULD ADDRESS A NORMAL WILDFIRE.
THE GOAL HERE IS TO BE ABLE TO SHARE HOW IT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE WERE TO HAVE TO HAVE A WILDFIRE EVACUATION EVENT INCIDENT TOMORROW.
SO THIS IS HOW WE CURRENTLY WOULD BE FOLLOWING THE CITY'S WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLANS.
WE'LL, AT THE END, BE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE ARE CONSTANTLY REVIEWING THESE PLANS AND ALWAYS TRYING TO EVOLVE AS WILDFIRE IS NOT STATIC.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO MAKE 'EM BETTER.
WE'LL BE GOING IN THIS ORDER, WHICH IS HOW WE ARRIVE, AUSTIN FIRE POLICE, HOW HE SOME WILL STAND UP THE EOC AND HOW, WHAT THEIR ACTIONS ARE, AS WELL AS THAT AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND HOW THEY INTERFACE WITH ALL OUR EFFORTS AS THIS IS A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH.
SO FOR AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONSE, WE ACTUALLY START OUR PLANNING WELL BEFOREHAND.
I'LL JUST, UH, MANY OF Y'ALL ALREADY KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING BEFOREHAND, BUT BRIEFLY, ONE OF THE THINGS WE OFTEN DO, AND WE DO EVERY DAY WHEN WE START GOING TO A HIGHER, A VERY HIGH OR ABOVE NATIONAL FIRE DANGER RATINGS, IS THAT WE WILL START SENDING OUT SITUATIONAL REPORTS OUT TO A DISTRIBUTION LIST THAT INCLUDES HE SOME AND THEY, THEY SEND IT FURTHER TO ALL OUR PARTNERS SO THAT WE CAN ALL BE HEADS ON A SWIVEL.
SO THIS IS COMMUNICATING THAT INFORMATION.
WHAT IS THE EXPECTED FIRE BEHAVIOR, WHAT ARE FUELS IN OUR AREA, THE DRYNESS AND WHAT THE WEATHER IS, WHAT WE'RE SEEING AND EXPECTING IN THE IMMEDIATE DAY OF AND THE FOLLOWING DAYS.
IT ALSO HAS A SMALL COMPONENT OF WHAT FIRE BEHAVIOR AND FIRE ACTIVITY WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD.
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SO THAT'S THAT FIRST BULLET.IN THE EVENT THAT WE DO HAVE A WILDFIRE THAT IS HAPPENING, OUR INCIDENT, OUR INCIDENT COMMANDER IS GONNA ARRIVE.
THAT'S GONNA BE THE VERY FIRST ENGINE OR A LADDER OR FIRES THAT ARRIVES.
THAT OFFICER IS GONNA TAKE IMMEDIATE CONTROL.
THEY WILL ESTABLISH INCIDENT COMMAND AND THEY WILL DO, UH, WHATEVER ACTIONS ARE NEEDED FOR IMMEDIATE PRESERVATION OF LIFE.
AND TO INITIATE THE STABILIZATION OF THAT MITIGATION.
WE ALWAYS PRIORITIZE LIFE AS OUR FIRST INITIAL, UM, ACTIONS BECAUSE THAT IS OUR INCIDENT PRIORITIES PRIORITIZATION, IT'S LIFE INCIDENT STABILIZATION AND THE PROPERTY CONSERVATION WITH, UH, ECONOMIC, MINIMIZING ECONOMIC LAWS.
AFTER WILL THAT INCIDENT COMMANDER WILL DO A, A SITUATION ASSESSMENT TO DETERMINE WHAT THE APPROPRIATE THING, UH, ACTIONS ARE, WHETHER IT IS TO, TO START ATTACKING THE FIRE.
IF IT'S A SMALL INCIPIENT FIRE, THAT'S OFTEN THE BEST THING WE CAN DO.
IF IT'S LARGER THAT WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET A WHOLE AHEAD OF IT BEFORE IT STARTS THREATENING IN LIVES IN A, IN A SERIOUS MANNER, WE WILL START EITHER, UH, A DECISION TO EVACUATE OR SHELTER IN PLACE.
THIS IS ALL DEPENDENT ON WHERE IT IS, WHAT THE CONDITIONS OF THE FIRES ARE, AS WELL AS THE, THE ROAD NETWORK AND WHERE THIS INCIDENT WOULD BE HAPPENING.
ONCE THAT IS DETERMINED, IF IT IS AN EVACUATION OR A SHELTER IN PLACE, THEY WILL ADVISE THEIR COMMUNICATIONS CENTER THAT IS A FIRE DISPATCH.
THEY'LL DO THAT OVER THE RADIO SYSTEM.
THAT DISPATCHER IS IN A CLEAN ROOM THAT DOESN'T, ISN'T DEALING WITH THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE ON SCENE PERSONNEL.
THEY'LL BE ABLE TO NOTIFY AND ACT, UH, HEIM, WHICH IS PART OF OUR STEPPA PLAN.
ANYTIME WE START EVACUATIONS, WE DO NOTIFY OUR HE SOME DUTY OFFICER, SO THEY CAN START THE E OOC ACTIVATION.
THE DISPATCHER WILL WORK WITH, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT TO DO, UH, EVACUATION NOTIFICATION THAT'S UTILIZING OUR EVERBRIDGE AND OUR REVERSE 9 1 1 SYSTEMS. THEY WILL COORDINATE WITH ON SCENE APD OFFICERS ON EVACUATION ROUTES AND ASPECTS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING INTO THE IMMEDIATELY DANGEROUS TO LIFE AND HEALTH AREAS HAVE THE PROPER TRAINING AND PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.
SO WE WILL, MOST LIKELY THE FIRE OFFICERS AND CREWS WILL BE GOING IN TO BE CHECKING THOSE HOUSES THAT ARE IN THAT IMMEDIATE, WE CAN UTILIZE APD OFFICERS ON THE FRINGES OR IN WHAT WE CALL THE WARM ZONE, IF IT'S NOT IMMEDIATELY DANGEROUS.
BUT THE, THE, THIS IS WHERE IT STARTS BECOMING A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH.
THEY'LL RECOGNIZE THE NEED, THEY'LL START THE EVACUATION, THEY'LL DO THAT IMMEDIATE EVACUATION, UH, WITH TALKING TO, WITH THE RESIDENTS OF THAT AREA.
AND THEN LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL START CONTROLLING THE ROUTES AND THEY'LL TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING ON THERE.
BUT THEY START SHEPHERDING THE THING, THE PERSONNEL AND CITIZENS OUT OF THAT DANGEROUS AREA WHERE WE NEED THEM IMMEDIATELY EVACUATED FROM THE CREWS ON SCENE WILL CONTINUE THAT SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.
THEY'LL START DETERMINING IF THEY HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES ON SCENE TO MEET THE IMMEDIATE PLAN.
THEY'LL DEVELOP ALTERNATE PLANS AND CONTINGENCY EMERGENCY PLANS.
THEY'LL START ESTABLISHING THE COMMAND PROTOCOL AS WELL AS THE STAGING AREA.
AND THEY'LL BE SEEN TO SEE WHAT THE NEXT STEP IS, WHAT PLAN BS AND CS ARE, ARE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT HERE? IF WE CANNOT GET A HANDLE OF THIS RIGHT HERE, WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP? WHAT IS THE NEXT NEIGHBORHOOD OR STREETS THAT WILL HAVE TO BE EVACUATED? SO WE'LL IDENTIFY THE IMMEDIATE EVACUATION ZONE, THEN WE'LL START TALKING ABOUT AND DETERMINING WHAT THE PREVA, WHICH OTHER AREAS ARE GONNA BE ON PRE EVACUATION ALERT OR EVACUATION WARNING.
AND THEN COMMUNICATING THAT UP TO IF THE EOC HAS STOOD UP OR TO OUR LAW ENFORCE ENFORCEMENT, UH, PARTNERS SO THEY CAN, CAN START TALKING WITH THOSE GROUPS AS WELL AS MAINTAINING THE CORRIDOR.
IF THE EOC IS STOOD UP, WE WILL RE SEND A REPRESENTATIVE OF HI OF, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE IMMEDIATE AREA TO GO BE OUR REPRESENTATIVE TO HANDLE FIRE BRANCH AT THE EOC.
IF THE EOC IS NOT STOOD UP YET, WE'LL STILL HA ACTIVATE OUR OWN DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS CENTER SO THAT WE CAN BE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE AUSTIN AREA IS OUR FIRE PATTERNS HERE ARE MULTIPLE SMALL, A HUNDRED ACRE OR LESS FIRES, BUT THEY TEND TO HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE REGION.
SO WHILE WE HAVE A FIRE THAT WE MAY BE DEALING WITH IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN, THAT'S A GRASS FIRE, WE MAY ALSO BE HAVING FIRES UP IN NORTHWEST AUSTIN AS WELL AS UP IN CEDAR PARK OR ROUND ROCKVILLE.
SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE KEEPING AWARENESS OF THE ENTIRE REGION AND THE RESOURCES.
THESE, THESE EVENTS ARE RESOURCE INTENSIVE.
WE WANT TO SEND AS MANY RESOURCES AS IS APPROPRIATE
[00:10:01]
WHILE STILL MAINTAINING A READY STAFF THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH THE HIGH POSSIBILITY OF OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE GONNA HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME THAT I'LL PASS IT ON FOR THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.TO P D AFTER, UH, COUNCIL MAYOR PROTON, UM, I'M OFFICER EVERETT BELDEN WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, IN PARTICULAR OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT UNIT.
UM, I'M GONNA FOLLOW UP, UH, WHAT CHIEF HAS ALREADY ELABORATED ON AND TOUCHED ON TO TO SOME EXTENT.
UH, SOME AREAS THAT I'LL, I'LL GO BACK OVER.
UM, SO AS FAR AS OUR RESPONSE GOES, SAME AS FIRE, SAME AS OTHER, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY ENTITIES, UH, WE'LL TAKE, UH, IMMEDIATE ACTION WITH THE INITIAL INDIVIDUAL THAT, UH, THAT SHOWS UP FOR US.
SO, UM, THAT BEING THE CASE, IT MAY BE FIRE AT TIMES, IT MAY BE, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AT TIMES THAT HAS THE OFFICER ON SCENE FIRST.
WHOEVER'S THERE FIRST, THEIR PRIMARY GOAL IS GOING TO BE LIFE SAFETY.
SO WITH THAT, THAT INDIVIDUAL WILL ASSESS THE SCENE AND THEN MAKE THE APPROPRIATE DECISION TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE TO, UM, DO SOME SORT OF EVACUATION, IMMEDIATE RESCUE, ANYTHING FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LIFE.
CUZ THAT'S OUR FIRST AND PRIMARY GOAL.
UM, MOVING ON, MUCH LIKE CHIEF SAID, WE'RE GONNA COORDINATE WITH AFD NOT SO MUCH IN THE INITIAL FOR DOOR TO DOOR NOTIFICATIONS, BUT WE'RE GONNA FORM A UNIFIED COMMAND SO THAT WE CAN HAVE CLEAR AND DECISIVE ACTIONS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN.
UM, IF AFD NEEDS ASSISTANCE WITH EVACUATIONS OR DOOR TO DOOR, THEY WILL LET US KNOW.
THEY WILL LET US KNOW THE SAFE AREAS FOR US TO PERFORM THESE DUTIES IN SO THAT WE'RE NOT PUTTING OFFICERS IN JEOPARDY CAUSING MORE WORK FOR OUR, OUR, OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WITH AFD TO THEN HELP US OUT.
UM, PART OF THAT UNIFIED COMMAND WILL ESTABLISH ALSO THAT WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, EVACUATION.
THAT WOULD MEAN EVACUATION ROUTES AND DEPEND UPON THE LOCATION.
UM, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED TO CORD OFF AREAS AND NOT LET ANYONE ELSE COME BACK IN OR DOWN CERTAIN ROADS SO THAT, UM, WE'RE SET UP TO HAVE A GOOD FLOW OF TRAFFIC TO HELP THOSE THAT ARE PRIORITIZED TO GET OUT FIRST AND THEN THE REMAINING INDIVIDUALS TO GET OUT OF THE AREA SO THAT AFD CAN CAN DO THEIR JOB.
AND, UH, WE WON'T ALLOW THEM BACK INTO THE AREA UNTIL AFD OF COURSE, TELLS US IT'S SAFE TO DO SO.
NOW WITH THAT, WE MAY USE A, A CONTRAFLOW WHERE WE UTILIZE ALL LANES OF TRAFFIC AND JUST TURN EVERYBODY IN ONE DIRECTION.
AND WITH RESOURCES BEING LIMITED, WE MAY END UP USING OUTSIDE AGENCIES TO ASSIST US, UM, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE IT'S DONE SAFELY FOR OUR CITIZENS THAT WE SERVE.
THE, UH, UM, NEXT ASPECT THAT, THAT I WOULD GO OVER THAT IS PART OF OUR RESPONSE IS THE SECURITY OF THE SCENE, THE PERIMETER, TO HELP KEEP THOSE AWAY FROM THE AREA SO THAT AFD CAN DO THEIR JOB.
UM, AND THEN WHEN AFD DEEMS IT SAFE, WE'LL ALSO HAVE SECURITY INTERNALLY, SO PERIMETER TO START, THEN WE'LL MOVE INTERNALLY, UH, TO PREVENT THINGS ALONG LOOTERS AND, UM, UGLY ASPECTS LIKE THAT FROM TAKING PLACE.
UH, BUT WE WON'T DO THAT UNTIL AFD TELLS US THAT THIS AREA IS SAFE TO DO SO BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE THE, THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT TO, TO HANDLE THOSE SITUATIONS.
UM, AND LAST LASTLY IS, AS FAR AS THE EOC, LIKE CHIEF SAID, IF THEY STAND UP THE EOC, WE HAVE A REPRESENTATION THAT WILL REPORT TO THE EOC TO FORM UP AS PART OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY BRANCH AND THEN, UH, BEGIN, UM, FORMULATING DECISIONS AND TAKING ACTIONS FROM THERE TO ASSIST THOSE THAT ARE BACK AT THE ORIGINAL COMMAND POST ON SCENE.
AND THAT PRETTY MUCH SUMS UP OUR RESPONSE.
I THINK WE'LL HEAR FROM HSC M NEXT, BUT, UM, STAY CLOSE IN CASE WE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU AT THE END.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CANCEL MAYOR PROTE.
I'M THE DEPUTY OFFICER WITH THE OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
AND AS, UH, THE ASSISTANT CHIEF MENTIONED, UM, WE RECEIVE
[00:15:01]
INFORMATION FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS TO WHAT THE SITUATION IS, AND WE'RE MONITORING THAT ACTIVITY AND WE WILL SET UP A SITUATION ASSESSMENT TEAM AS NEEDED.WE'LL ALSO ACTIVATE, UM, THE E OOC IN SUPPORT OF THE INCIDENT.
AND WHAT WE DO PROVIDE IS COORDINATION OF THAT SUPPORT EFFORT.
SO THE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN COORDINATING, UM, WITH TRANSPORTATION, YOU KNOW, KEPT METRO TECH DOT, UM, AS WELL AS AUSTIN, UM, TRANSPORTATION.
UM, WE COORDINATE IF A MEDICAL OPERATION CENTER IS NEEDED.
UH, WE COORDINATE WITH OUR PARTNERS WHO ARE NGOS, SO RED CROSS, ET CETERA.
UM, IF THERE IS ASSISTANCE NEEDED ON A LARGER SCALE FROM THE STATE, UM, SUCH AS A REGIONAL TRAFFIC PLAN, UM, WE WOULD REQUEST THAT ASSISTANCE FROM THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UM, AND WE COORDINATE AS NEEDED WITH OUR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
UM, IT'S OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE, UH, DIRECT AND ACTIONABLE INFORMATION PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE ACTIVATE THE JOINT INFORMATION SYSTEM AND OVERSEE THAT PUBLIC INFORMATION, UH, DISTRIBUTION.
UH, WE DO ACTIVATE SHELTER SITES AS NEEDED.
AND, UH, WE ISSUE, UH, EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS AND COMMUNITY ALERTS.
UM, WE ALSO KEEP, UM, OUR OFFICIALS UP TO DATE ON THE INCIDENT PROGRESS, UM, AS NEEDED.
UM, WE WILL WORK WITH THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TRACKING DISASTER EXPENSES, AND THEN WE WILL ALSO COORDINATE ON RE-ENTRY AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS.
UH, WITH THAT, I WILL HAND THAT BACK TO JIM.
SO, AS ANDRE OR CHIEF DE REZA MENTIONED AT THE VERY BEGINNING THAT WE STRUCTURED THIS PRESENTATION IN THE ORDER OF THE RESPONSE, THE REASON WE'RE AT THE END IS BECAUSE WE'RE, WE PLAY A SUPPORT ROLE IN RESPONDING TO, UM, A WILDFIRE EVACUATION SCENARIO.
SO ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT, UM, WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IS STARTING TO TAKE A LOOK AT, UM, AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THEY'VE DESIGNATED SOME EVACUATION ROUTES FOR DIFFERENT, UM, AT RISK, UM, AREAS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TRAFFIC CONTROL THAT'S BEEN SUGGESTED.
LOOK ALSO ESTIMATING WHAT QUANTITIES OF TRAFFIC CONTROL WE NEED.
SO DURING THAT EMERGENCY WE CAN HAVE THAT ON HAND.
UM, WE ALSO, AS PART OF THAT IS PLANNING ON, UM, NOT ONLY LIKE, UM, CHIEF DERE MENTIONED THAT THERE'S USUALLY MORE THAN ONE EVENT THAT TYPICALLY HAPPENS.
SO HAVING ENOUGH THAT WE CAN, UM, UH, DO OUR BEST TO PROVIDE THE TRAFFIC CONTROL NEEDED, THAT THEN FREES UP AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, TO DO OTHER THINGS, UM, THINGS THAT ARE A HIGHER PRIORITY.
UM, THEN AS, UM, AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS, UM, ON THE PLANNING SIDE HERE, UM, WE'RE ALSO DEVELOPING EVACUATION SIGNAL TIMING PLANS FOR THESE COMMUNITIES.
THEY'LL MORE LIKELY BE POLICE OFFICERS MANAGING THE TRAFFIC CLOSE IN TO THE EVACUATION, BUT AS WE GET FURTHER OUT, THERE'S THINGS THAT WE CAN DO WITH, UM, TRAVELER INFORMATION AS WELL AS SIGNAL TIMING TO HELP MOVE THE PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE AREA, GET THEM OUT OF THERE AND GET THEM TO SAFETY.
UH, COUPLE OTHER THINGS TOO THAT DIDN'T HAVE ON THE SLIDE BUT ARE VERY IMPORTANT, UM, FOR WHAT WE DO IS WE'LL ALSO RESPOND TO THE EOC IF IT'S ACTIVATED TO BE THERE TO HELP COORDINATE.
WE HAVE A STRONG COORDINATION, UM, ROLE ON A, ON A DAILY BASIS WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, BUT DEFINITELY IN, UM, A SITUATION LIKE THIS WHERE WE MAY GET RESOURCES SPREAD THIN, WE'D BE CALLING ON THEM TO HELP US, SUPPORT US ON THE TRAFFIC CONTROL SIDE.
AND THEN, UH, A COUPLE OTHER THINGS TOO IS COORDINATING WITH TEXT DOT THAT WAS MENTIONED ON, UM, EFI SLIDE.
UM, WE'LL ALSO BE COORDINATING WITH THEM.
A NUMBER OF THESE, UM, AT-RISK AREAS ARE ON TEXT DOT ROADWAYS, AND WE DON'T CONTROL ALL THE SIGNALS ALONG THOSE ROADWAYS.
SO THERE'S COORDINATION THAT EFFORTS, UM, WITH THEM.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN PARTICIPATING IN SOME TABLETOP EXERCISES HERE IN THE, UM, IN THE PAST MONTH AND MORE TO COME IN THE FUTURE.
SO THAT'S WITH THE TRANSPORTATION SIDE.
LET'S GO TO NEXT SLIDE AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO EFA AND THEN I'LL BE BACK UP JUST TO CLOSE US OUT.
UM, SO HEON PROVIDES THAT COORDINATION ELEMENT, UM, FOR THE UPDATE OF THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE EVACUATION PLAN.
UM, AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, CONSTANTLY REVIEWED, UM, ALONG WITH REVIEWING THOSE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF EACH DEPARTMENT AND EACH PARTNER AGENCY.
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UH, TABLETOP EXERCISES.WE HAD ONE A MONTH AGO LED BY THE NAVAL ACADEMY, UM, WITH OUR, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE TABLETOPS, UH, LED BY TRAVIS COUNTY OEM, UM, AND WITH A LOT OF COORDINATION FROM ALL AGENCIES.
AND SO THOSE HELP US TO REFINE, UM, OUR PLANNING.
AND, UM, THAT IS THE END, UM, OF OUR SLIDE.
I JUST WANNA SAY, JUST WITH OUR PRESENTATION, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE FOUR DEPARTMENTS HERE TODAY.
THERE'S SO MANY OTHERS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS EVACUATION PLANNING AND RESPONDING TO AN INCIDENT GOES WELL BEYOND JUST CITY RESOURCES COUNTY AND, AND THE STATE AS WELL ARE INVOLVED IN THAT, AS WELL AS THE FOLKS BACK IN, UH, INNER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE WORKING ON THIS RIGHT NOW.
UM, I KNOW THAT, THAT THAT IS OCCURRING AS WELL.
UM, SO WE'RE GLAD TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
I KNOW MAYOR PROTE ALTER REQUESTED THIS ITEM, SO, UH, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO FIRST.
UM, SO IF I HAD TO SAY WHAT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, IT IS THE SCENARIO OF A WILDFIRE AND NOT HAVING THE EVACUATION WORK PROPERLY.
UM, SO I'M REALLY PLEASED TO HAVE YOU ALL FOUR HERE, UH, DEMONSTRATING HOW YOU'RE WORKING TOGETHER AND, AND TO HAVE, UM, THIS HIGH LEVEL VIEW OF THINGS.
UM, AND SO I SEE THIS AS PROGRESS FROM WHERE WE WERE.
UM, I KNOW THAT IN OUR AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN, WHICH THIS COMMITTEE WAS INVOLVED IN, UM, WE WE ELEVATED THE IMPORTANCE AND THE ROLE OF THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IN EMERGENCY PLANNING AND WITH RESPECT TO EVACUATION.
AND I KNOW THAT MY OFFICE HAD A, UM, AN AMENDMENT IN THERE OR PART OF THE DRAFT THAT WE WORKED ON WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WOULD BE PART OF THAT STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.
BUT IT'S, IT'S ATDS ROLE AND THIS IS THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE, I THINK IS, IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT IT HAS TO DATE, UM, BEEN REALLY INTEGRATED AND COORDINATED WELL, AND THERE'S HUGE OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, SO I, I RECOGNIZE THIS IS PROGRESS, BUT I'M GONNA PUSH YOU A LITTLE CUZ THIS IS WHAT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT.
UM, THIS WAS ALL SORT OF REALLY HIGH LEVEL AND LIKE IF YOU READ THE EVACUATION PLAN, AGAIN, IT'S SORT OF VERY HIGH LEVEL AND, AND I, I DO WONDER WHEN YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO FACE THE SITUATION, AND I KNOW YOU CAN'T PLAN FOR EVERYTHING AND YOU HAVE TO BE HIGH LEVEL, BUT THERE ARE PARTS OF MY COMMUNITY, AS WE SAW WITH THIS EXERCISE, WHICH I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF THAT AT THE END OF THAT EXERCISE, WE HAD 30,000 PEOPLE TRAPPED BETWEEN 360 AND SIX 20, AND WE DID NOT HAVE A SOLUTION TO GET THEM OUT.
SO WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THAT EXERCISE AND WHAT IS BEING INCORPORATED SO THAT IF EVERYTHING WENT WRONG, AS IN THAT SCENARIO, YOU KNOW, WHICH COULD BE THIS WEEKEND FOR, FOR WHAT WAS IN THAT SCENARIO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT DID YOU GUYS LEARN AND WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THE, THE WEAKNESSES OR THE AREAS FOR, FOR NEXT STEPS FOR, FOR FURTHER WORKING ON THIS.
AS YOU SAID, THIS IS NOT, UM, EVER COMPLETE.
AND I KNOW YOU MAY NOT HAVE, YOU PERSONALLY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THEIR DIRECTOR.
REALLY APPRECIATE THE QUESTION AND, UM, I REALLY, UM, AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL TAKE CARE OF ANSWERING THAT QUESTION.
THEY'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF THE EVACUATION PLANNING AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE IN AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT'S INVOLVED IN IN REVIEWING THAT.
SO, BUT THEY CAN BE ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTION OR AT LEAST I'M SAYING ANDRE CAM.
WE'LL, WE WILL, WE'LL FIND OUT HERE IN A SEC.
UM, HE'S GOT NO, UH, THANK YOU AND REALLY HAS BEEN, UH, BENEFICIAL IN GETTING TO KNOW JIM AND GETTING HIM HIS ENTIRE TEAM INVOLVED.
MORE IN THAT, WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE NAVY POSTGRADUATE EXECUTIVE SEMINAR WAS THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMON OPERATING PICTURE.
WHILE WE HAVE INTERNAL PLANS AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON OUR EDUCATION, INCREASING THE TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS AND SKILLS WITHIN THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHAT BECAME PAINFULLY OBVIOUS IN THAT IS THAT WE ARE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SOLVE THIS A SOLUTION BY OURSELVES.
SO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO, UH, TO SHARE WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN A VERNACULAR AND LEXICON THAT IS UNDERSTOOD BY LAW ENFORCEMENT, BY EMS. THAT'S ALSO GONNA BE ON SCENE BY TRANSPORTATION THAT WE HAVE THE SAME THAT WE'RE TALKING, WELL, IF, IF WE'RE TALKING FIRE BOXES, IF WE'RE TALKING ROAD SEGMENTS, IF WE'RE TALK, WHATEVER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS UTILIZED AND UNDERSTOOD BY THE OTHER PEOPLE ON THOSE RADIO SO THAT WE CAN SAFELY ENACT THOSE EVACUATIONS.
IF IT COMES BACK AND SOMEONE WHO'S THREE MILES AWAY FROM OUR INCIDENT COMMAND POST SAYS THAT ROAD IS SHUT DOWN, DO NOT SEND PEOPLE HERE.
WE NEED TO IMMEDIATELY BE ABLE TO CHANGE THE EVACUATION ROUTES WITH COORDINATION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO EITHER SECONDARY EVACUATION
[00:25:01]
ROUTES OR TO A A, A TEMPORARY ASSEMBLY POINT THAT HAS BEEN PRE DESIGNATED AND SHELTERED.WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW WITH, UH, DRAFT MAPS OF THE ENTIRE CITY THAT WERE, THAT ARE BEEN CREATED TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL ROUTES, UH, EVACUATION ROUTES.
WHAT WE LEARNED IN THE PARADISE FIRE IN CALIFORNIA IS IF YOU SAY THIS IS YOUR EVACUATION ROUTE, IT BECOMES A DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE A HURRICANE WHERE WE KNOW THE DANGER IS COMING FROM AND PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS RESORT TO WHAT THEY TRAINED ON AND WHAT THEY THOUGHT OF IN A BLUE SKY DAY.
SO IF WE TEACH OUR CITIZENS AND OUR RESIDENTS THAT YOU NEED TO EVACUATE BY MAKING A RIGHT OFF OF MESA AND GOING DOWNHILL AND THEN MAKING A LEFT, THEN WHEN YOU HIT THE HIGHWAY, THAT COULD BE LEADING THOSE PEOPLE INTO DANGER.
SO WE HAVE TO DO THAT SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT COMMON LEXICON WITH OUR RESPONDING PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF IT IS JUST WHERE WE REALLY ARE GONNA BE RELYING ON Y'ALL AS WE START, UH, EDUCATING, SENDING OUT THOSE EVACUATION MAPS TO THE JIG.
WHAT WE FOUND OUT AT THAT EXERCISE, AND I THINK YOU WERE THE ONE WHO BROUGHT THIS UP, MARI PROTE, IS Y'ALL, THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE AN INCREDIBLE COMMUNICATION TOOL WITH YOUR RESIDENTS, WITH THE PEOPLE OF YOUR AREA.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL ARE INVOLVED IN THAT AND KNOW THAT SO YOU CAN AMPLIFY THE MESSAGE SO WE CAN GET THE EVACUATION NEEDS OUT TO THE RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA, IN THE APPROPRIATE AREA EARLY FROM A TRUSTWORTHY SOURCE SO THEY KNOW WHERE TO GO.
WE CANNOT, WHAT WE LEARNED IN 2011 IS TRY TO EVACUATE AN ENTIRE MASSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE IN STEINER RANCH BECAUSE IT BECOMES A CHOKE HOLD.
WE HAVE TO DO A PHASED EVACUATION.
SO THAT COMMON OPERATING PICTURE, THAT TRUSTED COMMUNICATION GOING OUTWARDS TO THE RESIDENTS WHERE THEY SEE IT AND THEY LISTEN AND THEY CHOOSE TO GO EARLY SO THEY CAN, WE CAN MINIMIZE THAT AND WE CAN ALL AVOID THAT NIGHTMARE.
THAT I THINK KEEPS THOSE ALL UP.
DID YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING? I THINK YOU WERE THERE, DID YOU? NO.
UM, SO AGAIN, WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF THIS SORT OF HIGH LEVEL, HIGH LEVEL THING.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT DOING CONTRAFLOW, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A PLAN TO CONTRAFLOW 2222 OR SIX 20 OR 360? YEAH, JIM DALE, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT THIS ONE OF THE, RIGHT NOW, UM, WE'RE, WE WILL LOOK AT THE PLANS THAT AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT'S PREPARING FOR 22 22, 1 OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS OR FOR EVACUATIONS IN THAT AREA, WHEN WE DO CONTRAFLOW ANY PART OF TOWN, EVEN DURING EMERGENCY, WE HAVE TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL IN HOW WE SET THAT UP, NOT TO CAUSE ANY TYPE OF SECONDARY INCIDENTS AND SO FORTH.
SO WE'LL BE THOUGHTFUL IN TAKING A LOOK AT THAT.
UM, AND WE'LL HAVE A MORE SPECIFIC ANSWER FOR YOU ONCE WE, ONCE WE LOOK AT THAT ONE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT AREA OUT THERE RIGHT NOW AT RIVER PLACE.
UM, BUT WE'LL ALSO BE LOOKING AT 22, 22.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT THING IS THAT, AND WE'VE TALKED WITH FIRE DEPARTMENT ABOUT CONTRA FLOWING, UH, DIFFERENT ROADWAYS.
UH, A VERY, UM, BIG CHALLENGE OF THAT IS MAKING SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN ACCESS INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD TOO.
WE'D LOVE JUST TO GET EVERYONE OUT, BUT WE NEED TO GET THE FIRE APPARATUS AND OTHER RESOURCES INTO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD TO ADDRESS THAT THREAT THAT'S OCCURRING AT THE TIME.
SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT, UM, MAYOR PROTE AND, UM, WE'LL HAVE AN ANSWER BACK TO YOU.
UM, ONE LAST QUESTION I LIKE TO ASK NOW IS, SO WE NOW HAVE SORT OF THE PRINCIPLES TALKING TO EACH OTHER AND THE DEPARTMENTS, WHICH I THINK IS A STEP FORWARD FROM WHERE WE WERE AT LEAST FOCUSING ON IT.
UM, BUT I'M STILL CONCERNED THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FIREHOUSE CHIEF, I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'RE THE BATTALION CHIEF OR, OR WHAT, WHICH VERNACULAR IS THE, THE BEST, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY KNOW EVEN IN THEIR AREA WHAT THE EVACUATION CHOICES ARE AND THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THIS PLAN.
UM, BUT THE SAME IS TRUE FOR OUR APD OFFICERS AND WHOEVER'S CONTROLLING THE ROOM AT ATD.
LIKE HOW IS THAT TRAIN TRAINING HAPPENING AT LOWER LEVELS WITHIN THE SYSTEM? AND SO I'LL, I'LL TAKE ANDRE'S PROBABLY GONNA HAVE TO ADD SOME TO THIS.
I'LL START OFF, UM, BY SAYING A COUPLE OF THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN THAT REGARD FOR THAT COORDINATION, AND ONE OF THOSE IS HOMELAND SECURITY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
THEY'LL SPIN UP THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER TO HELP US PLAN AND COORDINATE, MAINTAIN THAT SITUATIONAL AWARENESS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE ON THE GROUND AND WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE.
UM, BUT ALSO THERE'S THE, UM, INCIDENT COMMAND TRAINING.
THE NUMBER OF FOLKS HAVE GONE THROUGH TO UNDERSTAND THAT STRUCTURE THAT'S SET UP TO MAKE DECISIONS AND WHAT ROLES
[00:30:01]
EACH OF US PLAY IN THAT.UM, UH, CHIEF DELL RESIDENT, YOU MAY HAVE SOMETHING ELSE TO ADD TO THAT.
I THINK, UH, UH, ONE, UH, WHAT JIM WAS MENTIONING WAS THE ICS TRAINING AND THE INCIDENT COMMAND TRAINING IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE, UH, ASKING IN ALL OUR PARTNER AGENCIES WHO WORK ON THIS FIELD HAVE ACTUALLY STEPPED UP TO BE ABLE TO COME UP.
THAT DOES HELP CREATE THAT COMMON VOCABULARY AS WELL AS THEY FOLLOW THE, UH, NIMS UH, MANDATED ICS TRAINING THAT IS REQUIRED IN THE BIBLE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT OFTEN NOT THOUGHT ABOUT IN THE SUPPORT AGENCY.
SO BEING ABLE TO HAVE US ALTOGETHER IS THERE IS VERY BENEFICIAL IN THE PLANNING STAGE FOR THE COMPANY OFFICER.
WE NOW HAVE HAD ALL OF OUR BATTALION CHIEFS GO THROUGH THAT, RESPONDING TO THE INTERFACE TRAINING THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO WITNESS SOME OF THAT.
SO ALL OF OUR HIGH LEVEL WHITE SHIRTS, UH, BATTALION CHIEFS HAVE GONE THROUGH IT.
WE HAVE, UH, APPROXIMATELY 300, AND I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT OVER 300 OF OUR PERSONNEL HAVE GONE THROUGH IT.
THEY'RE GOING THROUGH IT RIGHT NOW, UH, FRIDAYS AND, AND MONDAYS, THEY STAY UP TILL 10, 10 30 AT NIGHT GOING OUT THERE AND DOING THE TRAINING ON THE FRIDAY NIGHTS AS THEY GO THROUGH THE, THE CLASSROOM PORTION.
AND THEN THEY'RE ACTUALLY OUT IN THE FIELD ON MONDAYS.
THEY'RE WORKING ON HOW TO ACTUALLY EVACUATE AREAS, HOW TO, UH, TRIAGE HOUSES ON WHETHER THEY NEED TO BE EVACUATED OR THEY CAN BE SHELTERED IN PLACE.
AND THEN THE COMMAND LEVEL IS IDENTIFYING IS THERE THE NEED, IF THERE IS THE NEED, HOW DO I DO, WHAT AM I LOOKING FOR THOSE CHOKE POINTS AND WHAT ARE THE, IS THE BEST EVACUATION ROUTE FOR THIS INCIDENT IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD TO GET PEOPLE OUT.
AND THEN WE, WE WORK WITH THAT.
WE'RE STARTING TO GET THAT, UM, APD HAS BEEN INVOLVED AS WELL AS EMS. THEY'RE GONNA BE PLAYING AN INTEGRAL PART IN THEIR ROLES AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ADDRESS ANY POTENTIAL PATIENTS THAT WE HAVE AS WELL AS COLLECT THEM AREAS IN THERE.
SO THEY'RE STARTING TO COME IN ON THIS AS WE HAVE THOSE DRAFT PLANS.
THEY'RE REVIEWING IT WITH THEIR LENSES AND THEIR SETS TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE ARE GONNA WORK THERE FOR THEM, OR WE CAN ADJUST IT BEFORE WE CAN MAKE IT A FINALIZED THAT WE START PUSHING OUT.
AND I THINK WE'LL PROBABLY, UM, INVITE YOU GUYS TO COME BACK SOME POINT NEXT YEAR SO THAT YOU CAN REPORT ON, UM, FURTHER PROGRESS AND SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S A, AT LEAST ANOTHER CHECKPOINT YEAH.
ON HERE, UM, YOU KNOW, TO ENCOURAGE THAT COLLABORATION, WHICH WHICH I, I SEE HAS EVOLVED GREATLY AND I, AND I APPRECIATE IT.
I WAS JUST GONNA MAKE COUNCIL MEMBERS OUTRAN ME, SO I'LL, I'LL, I'LL HOLD OFF ON MY, MY COMMENT IF YOU WANT.
WELL, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE DON'T CONCLUDE WITHOUT LETTING YOU GET YOUR THOUGHT OUT.
UM, THIS IS VERY HELPFUL INFORMATION.
UH, MY QUESTION IS, UM, JUST WANTING TO CATCH UP ON THE LATEST INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, HOW WE, UH, ASSESS EVACUATION ROUTES, UM, AS PART OF OUR, UM, DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES.
SO, UM, I'VE HAD A, A NUMBER OF ZONING CASES AND I KNOW OTHERS HAVE TWO, UM, THAT WHERE THE QUESTION HAS COME UP ABOUT THE ABILITY OF A ROAD TO, UM, TO MANAGE INCREASED TRAFFIC, UM, IN AREAS THAT, UH, BORDER ON ON WILD LANDS.
SO WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW IN TERMS OF, OF ASSESSING, UM, EVACUATION ROUTES, UM, AS WE ARE DURING THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AS PART OF ZONING CASES? UM, THAT, THAT ASPECT IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
I NEED TO CHECK WITH OUR TEAM AND SEE WHAT ASSESSMENTS THAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, WE DON'T WANT TO BE ADDING TO THE PROBLEMS THAT THOSE SINGLE IN AND SINGLE ROAD OUT, UM, AREAS OF TOWN CREATE FOR THAT, UM, EVACUATION, BUT ALSO FOR GETTING THE RESPONSE.
WE, WE LOVE GOING, GOING BACK TO, UM, UH, IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPACTING CONNECTED.
THE CONNECTED IS VERY IMPORTANT, UM, FOR OUR NETWORK IN TERMS OF MOBILITY, BUT ALSO IT PLAYS ANOTHER ROLE FOR THIS EVACUATION AS WELL.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, I'LL NEED TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
BUT THAT, THAT IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT TO US.
AND I'LL FIND OUT ALSO WHAT, UM, A NUMBER OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS ALSO OCCUR IN THE COUNTY AND SEEING WHAT THE COUNTY IS IS DOING OR WHAT, UM, UH, INFLUENCE THEY CAN HAVE IN THAT AREA AS WELL.
THAT'D BE HELPFUL BECAUSE WE HAVE AREAS THAT YOU CAN'T CONNECT MM-HMM.
[00:35:01]
I MAY, IF I'M MISSING SOMETHING THAT'S FINE, BUT I JUST LET ME KNOW.BUT I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR, UM, ZONING CASES, UM, IF THERE ARE CERTAIN SIZE THAT THEY'LL TRIGGER A TRAFFIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT, BUT I'M, I'M NOT CERTAIN THAT THESE TRAFFIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT INCLUDE AN ASSESSMENT ON THAT, UH, ADDRESSES, UH, EVACUATION RISK MM-HMM.
AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, THAT WE DO THAT KIND OF ASSESSMENT ANYWHERE, ANYTIME WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPMENT NEAR, UH, A WILD LAND AREA AND, AND THAT, AND LIKE I'M SAYING, SOME OF THIS MAY BE HAPPENING AND I'M JUST NOT AWARE OF IT MM-HMM.
YEAH, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL DEFINITELY GET AN ANSWER BACK TO YOU.
AS FAR AS THE MECHANISM FOR US TO LOOK AT THAT WOULD BE THAT TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS AND WHETHER THAT MEANS FOR CERTAIN AREAS OF TOWN, WIDER ROADS TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT EVACUATION APPARATUS GETTING IN, UM, AND REALLY MAYBE PUSHING ON SOME OF THOSE CONNECTIONS, UM, THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE THERE AND SEEING HOW WE CAN FACILITATE THOSE HAPPENING.
UM, SO THERE'S, I'LL, I'LL GET BACK TO YOU WITH THAT AND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE MAY CHANGE.
AND THE OTHER ISSUE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, OUR TA TIAS ARE TRIGGERED WITH CERTAIN AT CERTAIN LEVELS, AND ONE ISSUE MAY BE WHETHER THAT'S AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL IN AN AREA WHERE THEY'RE IN AN AREA WHERE, UM, THERE IS ONE WAY OUT.
YOU KNOW, AND WHETHER WE OUGHT TO BE MORE PROACTIVELY ASSESSING AREAS THAT THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY OUT.
MAYBE THERE'S, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, MAYBE WE REDUCE THAT CRITERIA OR ANY, OR, AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THAT SPECI SPECIFIC CONTEXT OF THAT DEVELOPMENT IS SO THAT WE CAN, IN THE DESIGN PROCESS, ADDRESS SOME THINGS THAT MAY, IF THEY DO HAVE TO EVACUATE, IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR THEM TO GET OUT AND, UM, BETTER OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THE PLANNING AND DESIGN PROCESS.
LIKE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS TO PROTECT LIFE AT THAT STAGE BEFORE SOMETHING HAPPENS.
I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT IT'S AFTER THE FACT, YOU KNOW, THAT, UM, WHEREAS, UH, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES DURING A ZONING CASE, WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE HOW MANY ADDITIONAL UNITS, FOR EXAMPLE MM-HMM.
I CAN JUST SPEAK REALLY QUICKLY TO THAT.
YEAH, GO AHEAD AND FINISH THAT OUT.
AND I SEE VICE CHAIR KELLY HAS HER HAND.
SO, UM, YOU MAY RECALL IN THE, I THINK IT WAS IN THE SPRING, UM, WE PASSED A RESOLUTION TO, UM, INITIATE CODE AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD SORT OF FINISH THE ADOPTION OF THE WOOEY CODE BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN, UM, THEY HAD BEEN EMBEDDED IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REWRITE.
UM, I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE IS, IS ADDRESSED IN, IN, IN THAT PROCESS.
UM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE CODE AMENDMENTS BACK YET.
RIGHT NOW, IT'S BEING DONE, UM, SOMEWHAT INFORMALLY AS PART OF THE W CODE, UM, IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, AND I THINK THEY, THAT THE FIRE MARSH FELT LIKE THEY WERE HANDLING IT, BUT THAT IT WAS COVERED, I BELIEVE UNDER, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG CHIEF, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS COVERED UNDER THE INITIATION THAT WE DID TO TO, TO MOVE THAT, UM, FORWARD.
BUT I AGREE THAT IT IS DEFINITELY A PROBLEM.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS I'M SO CONCERNED ABOUT 22, 22 AND AND AND SIX 20 IS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF, LOT OF AREAS, UM, THAT DON'T HAVE THE INS AND OUTS.
UM, BUT I THINK THERE MAY BE ONE MORE PIECE THAT WE HAVE TO DO THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THIS FALL ON INITIATION ONCE THAT THAT COMES BACK.
UM, BUT PLEASE DO, UM, SEND US ALL ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
WELL, I, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, YEAH, I'D LIKE, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY, THAT THERE'S A STEP FOR A CODE CHANGE POTENTIALLY TO, TO ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC ISSUE THAT I BROUGHT UP IS THAT, DID I UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY? UH, CHIEF BOK IS GONNA BE THE ONE WHO'S IN THERE.
I KNOW THAT HE HAS MENTIONED WHEN HE IS BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BLUEY CODE AND HOW THAT, THAT, UH, THAT TIA DOES TRIGGER QUESTIONS AND CONVERSATIONS ON THAT.
AND I, I'LL GET BACK AND I'LL, I'LL WORK WITH A COORDINATED RESPONSE TO WHETHER IT'S ACTUALLY FORMALLY EMBEDDED OR IF IT'S AN INFORMAL CONVERSATION THAT'S HAPPENING.
UM, IN, IN, IN SOUTH AUSTIN, WE HAVE SOME AREAS AND, AND I KNOW THAT OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY DOES ALSO, BUT IN SOUTH AUSTIN WE HAVE, UM, SOME AREAS THAT ARE AT HIGH RISK OF WILDFIRE AND ARE, UM, AND ONLY HAVE ONE WAY OUT.
SO, UH, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THING, THAT TOOL THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY THE WILDFIRE DIVISION ON THE, UH, AUSTIN TRAVIS
[00:40:01]
COUNTY WILDFIRE HUB, DOES DO A GREAT JOB OF SHOWING THAT EMBER AND WE'RE UTILIZING THAT FOR THE WOOY CODE.AND WHAT TRIGGERS THAT, UM, WHERE IT BECOMES EVEN MORE PROBLEMATIC IS IN THE WESTERN WHERE WE HAVE AREAS WHERE TOPOGRAPHY STARTS TO BECOME, SURE.
IF YOU HAVE A ONE WAY IN AND IT'S ON THE FLAT SIDES OF A GRASSY FIELD, THEN YOU CAN DRIVE THROUGH THAT, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT'S MOSTLY DRY CONDITIONS.
BUT IF YOU'RE ABOUT TO, IF YOU'RE ONE WAY OUT, ONE WAY IN, AND ALL YOUR OTHER POTENTIAL, EVEN OFF ROAD ESCAPE ROUTES ARE DOWN PRECIPICES, THAT IS NOT VIABLE AT ALL.
SO WE DO NEED TO ADDRESS THOSE 100%.
AND IT WON'T BE VIABLE IF YOU HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH HOUSES TO GET OUT OF A NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU CAN'T DO THAT EITHER.
SO, UM, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE DETAILS AND I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND IF IT'S COMING, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S, IF IT'S COMING BACK TO US.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS WONDERFUL DISCUSSION.
UM, I'M GONNA CHANNEL MY INNER COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSTON AND JUST LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT NIMS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, WHICH MEANS NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
FOR THOSE OF YOU FOLLOWING AT HOME, UM, I THINK IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY ALSO TO REMIND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT, UM, THEY NEED TO PERSONALLY PREPARE IN THE EVENT OF A WILDFIRE.
AND THERE ARE MANY RESOURCES ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
SO I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING TODAY TO GO LOOK AT THOSE AND TO MAKE A PLAN FOR THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS IN CASE SOMETHING LIKE THIS WERE TO OCCUR IN THEIR AREA.
I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION, AND THAT IS, HOW OFTEN ARE WILDFIRE THREAT ASSESSMENTS CONDUCTED THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND IS THERE SOMEWHERE ONLINE WHERE COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN VIEW THOSE? THEY ARE HAPPENING ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND THEY'RE, WHEN RESIDENTS, UH, REQUEST THEM.
WE HAVE AN ACTIVE FIRE ADAPTIVE COMMUNITY COORDINATORS THAT GO OUT TO DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS, NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY OR, OR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION EVENTS, AS WELL AS JUST EVENTS IN GENERAL IN THE AREA ARE CONSTANTLY TALKING ABOUT THE READY SET GO AND THE IMPORTANCE OF A WILDFIRE HOME HAZARD ASSESSMENT.
UM, WE'RE DOING SOME ACTIVE TRAINING RIGHT NOW.
THERE IS A SITE THAT'S OFF OF THE WILDFIRE HUB THAT WE DEVELOP FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION ON OUR REPORT ON THERE THAT DICTATE THAT WILL SHOW AND IS A VISUAL, THAT'S A REAL TIME SHOW THAT TELLS YOU EXACTLY, UH, HOW MANY HOME HAZARD ASSESSMENTS ARE GOING, WHAT OUR ACTIVITY AND OUR MITIGATION EFFORTS ARE.
I'M HAPPY TO GET THAT THE LINK AND SEND IT TO Y'ALL AFTER.
AND THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR NOW.
THAT IS A GOOD REMINDER THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST 72 BEGINS WITH YOU.
I KNOW WITH WILDFIRE, DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION, THAT SCENARIO MAY CHANGE DEPENDING ON IF YOU'RE, YOU'RE TOLD TO EVACUATE.
BUT REALLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR HOUSEHOLDS ARE PREPARED FOR A, A FEW DAYS OF DIFFICULT WEATHER, WHETHER IT'S WILDFIRE, FLOODS, YOU KNOW, HURRICANES, TORNADO TYPE BEHAVIOR.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE, WE CAN'T TAKE LIGHTLY AND WE CAN'T SIT BACK ON OUR HEELS AND, AND BE SURPRISED UNEXPECTEDLY LATER ON.
UM, I WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION.
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE RECENTLY ABOUT WILDFIRE VERSUS WIND AND, AND THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN THOSE.
COULD YOU SPEAK FOR JUST A MOMENT, CHIEF TAYLOR? IT WAS A GREAT ARTICLE THAT CAME OUT, UH, EITHER YESTERDAY OR THE DAY BEFORE AT THE STATESMAN.
IT HAD, UH, COMMENTS FROM JUSTICE JONES, WHO YOU ALL ALL KNOW AS WELL AS, UH, RANDY DENZEL, WHO'S A RECENT RETIREE FROM AUSTIN FIRE, BUT A HUGE RESOURCE THAT, UH, WE STILL LEAN ON AND IS ACTUALLY OUT IN FLORIDA.
HE DOES WILDFIRES AND FLOODS, IT SEEMS AND IS A GREAT PER, UH, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED.
UM, WHAT THE ARTICLE WAS TALKING ABOUT WAS DURING OUR SUMMER MONTHS, EVERYTHING WAS DRY.
AND WHAT WE WERE, WE WERE FACING IS FUEL DRIVEN FIRES THAT BECAUSE OF THE LIVE FUEL MOISTURES DROPPING DOWN BECAUSE OF OUR HISTORIC DROUGHT CONTINUING, THAT IS WHERE WE WERE GETTING, UH, OUR HIGHEST RISK FACTORS FROM RIGHT NOW IN THE FALL, AS OUR TEMPERATURES START TO DROP, UH, AS OUR HUMIDITY LEVELS START TO INCREASE, THAT IS NOT AS COMMON OF, UH, OR NOT THE, THE MOST PRECIPITOUS RISK FACTOR RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE START SEEING IN OUR FALL MONTHS IS HIGHER WINDS, MORE SUSTAINED WINDS FOR A LONGER DURATION.
SO THE PROBABILITY OF IGNITION DROPS A LITTLE BIT, IT'S STILL DRY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GRASSES THAT GREW DURING THAT, UH, LITTLE BIT OF RAIN THAT WE GOT THAT WAS MENTIONED IN THERE BY, UH, BRAD SMITH, A GREAT INCREDIBLE TFS FORECASTER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR ANALYST.
AND WHAT HE'S SAYING IS THOSE WILL START DRYING OUT EVENTUALLY, BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE HUMIDITY THAT'S KEEPING THEM, BUT JUST BECAUSE THE PROBABILITY OF IGNITION DROPS DOESN'T MEAN IT'S ZERO.
SO IF WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT STARTS DUE TO A HOUSE FIRE THAT EXTENDS INTO THE GRASSES OR A CAR FIRE ON A MEDIAN, THAT IF IT COINCIDES WITH ONE OF OUR FALL WIND EVENTS,
[00:45:01]
THAT WIND CAN DRIVE AND OVERSHADOW THAT RETURN OF MOISTURE THAT WE'RE HAVING IN FUEL.IF ANY ONE OF THEM IS, UH, LONGER, IT INCREASES THE HAZARD.
SO IT'S THE FIRE HA UH, TRIANGLE OF FUELS, WHICH ARE WHAT'S DRY.
AND IN THE SUMMER, THAT WAS OUR LONGEST, IF YOU, MY HANDS WON'T DO IT VERY WELL.
SO IT'S VERY BIG AND IT INCREASES THE RISK AND PROBABILITY OF FIRE.
RIGHT NOW, THOSE FUELS HAVE GOTTEN LESS RISKY, BUT IF WE HAVE WINDS THAT INCREASES ALSO, THE, THE LAST LEG OF THAT TRIANGLE IS TOPOGRAPHY.
SO WE KNOW THAT THE FIRES A BEHAVIOR ALWAYS IS MORE AGGRESSIVE IN A TOP HIGH TOPOGRAPHY, HIGH SLOPE SITUATION BECAUSE IT PREHEATS THE FUELS THAT ARE ABOVE IT.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT ARTICLE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
I DIDN'T WANNA LET THE PROGRAM GO BY WITHOUT ADDRESSING THAT ARTICLE.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE KIND OF THE REFERENCES TO NOT ONLY, UM, MAKING SURE THAT YOUR FAMILY'S PROTECTED AND PREPARED FOR DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
UM, THERE ARE RESOURCES OUT THERE AS WELL FOR BRUSH MITIGATION YEAR ROUND FOR HOMEOWNERS OR EVEN APARTMENT DWELLERS TO MAYBE BRING TO THEIR LANDLORD'S ATTENTION THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.
UM, AND THEN I DID HAVE ONE BRIEF QUESTION IS, IS THERE A GENERAL LENGTH OF TIME WHERE A NEIGHBORHOOD MAY BE SITTING AND WAITING TO, TO LET YOU DO YOUR ASSESSMENT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE GAME PLAN IS? UM, IF IF THERE'S AN ALERT THERE'S A WILDFIRE NEAR THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, IS THERE A GENERAL LENGTH OF TIME PEOPLE MAY JUST WANNA SIT AND WAIT TO SEE WHAT, WHAT Y'ALL'S DETERMINATION IS? UM, ARE YOU, UH, IF YOU COULD CLARIFY, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT A HOME HAZARD ASSESSMENT AS IN THEY REQUEST ONE, HOW LONG IT IT WOULD TAKE FOR SOMEONE TO REACH BACK TO 'EM? OR ARE YOU TALKING IN CASE OF AN ACTUAL WILDFIRE INCIDENT WHERE WE START DOING AN EVACUATION? IN CASE OF ACTUALLY EVACUATION, I, I DIDN'T PUT A GOOD SPACE BETWEEN THE, THE THOUGHTS ABOUT READINESS AND THEN THE THOUGHT ABOUT IF THERE IS ACTUALLY A WILDFIRE.
SO I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE LADDER.
SO AVERAGE RESPONSE TIMES, WE'RE GONNA BE GETTING ON SCENE FOUR TO MINUTES, WE'RE GONNA BE DOING A QUICK ASSESSMENT.
I GUARANTEE YOU THAT THE PEOPLE IN THE HOUSE IS RIGHT THERE NEXT TO WHICHEVER WILDFIRE GOT REPORTED.
THAT FIRE, THEY WILL KNOW WITHIN MINUTES OF US BEING THERE BECAUSE WE'RE ALLOW, WE'LL HAVE OUR SIRENS GOING AND WE'LL START THAT FOR THE REST OF THE EVACUATION.
IF YOU THINK BACK TO OUR PINNACLE FIRE IN THERE, THOSE HOUSES THAT WERE OFF OF SCENIC BROKE THAT WERE IMMEDIATELY, UH, THREATENED, WERE ADVISED VERY QUICKLY THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THOSE SIX, UH, SIX BLOCKS THAT WERE CONTINGENT AROUND THERE, WHERE WE WERE SEEING THE EMBER CAST BECOME A PROBLEM, WERE ADVISED THROUGH PA SYSTEMS OFF OF OUR FIRE, UH, UH, OF OUR FIRE OPERATORS FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT DRIVING DOWN THE STREET FROM A MULTITUDE OF, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AT REVERSE 9 1 1 ALL WITHIN HALF AN HOUR.
IT'S, IT'S THAT AFTER THAT HALF AN HOUR, IT'S WHEN WE START GETTING INTO, UH, EXTENDED EVENT WHERE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE WORRYING ABOUT, OKAY, WHO'S AN EVACUATION WARNING? NOT, UH, NOT IMMEDIATE EVACUATION ZONE RIGHT NOW, BUT ONE IN WARNING THAT THOSE WILL BE HAPPENING WITHIN A COUPLE OF HOURS THERE.
SO, UM, THAT 72 HOURS PREPARE, UH, UH, STARTS WITH YOU, WITH ME.
SO I'M GONNA STEAL THAT FROM YOU.
UM, BUT THAT CONCEPT IS WHEN WE GET INTO OUR HIGH FIRE DANGER SYSTEMS, WHEN WE'RE SENDING THAT INFORMATION OUT, WHEN YOU SEE THOSE NATIONAL FIRE DANGER RATING SYSTEMS AT EVERY FIRE FIRE STATION OUTSIDE OF A LOT OF OUR SCHOOLS, WHEN THEY START CREEPING UP, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE ALL DO OUR PART TO MINIMIZE IGNITION SOURCES BY NOT THROWING CIGARETTES OUT, CONTROLLING THE SPARK BY, BY SECURING YOUR CHAINS IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE USING A TRAILER SO YOU DON'T SPARK SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ACCIDENTAL, UM, BACKYARD BARBECUES THAT START AN, UH, UH, A FIRE THAT BECOMES THE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE ALL SENDING ALL THESE RESOURCES TO.
IF I COULD TAKE ONE MOMENT AND JUST SHARE THAT TOWARDS THE END OF THE SUMMER, WE HAD, UH, BEFORE THAT THOSE WEATHER EVENTS CAME IN, WE HAD A SERIES OF PRETTY, PRETTY SIGNIFICANT WILDFIRES IN THERE.
ONE OF THEM EVEN TRIGGERED AN EVACUATION, AND I AM, I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT IT WENT VERY SMOOTHLY.
LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS THERE, WE ACTUALLY WAS TOWARDS THE COUNTY.
SO SHERIFFS CAME IN, THEY STARTED EVACUATION EVACUATING, UH, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD IN A BUSINESS AREA THAT THERE, RIGHT NEXT TO WHERE THE FIRE WAS GOING.
WE HAD TFS OR TEXAS FOREST SERVICES SHOWING UP ON SCENE QUICKLY WITH DO DOZERS THAT WERE ABLE TO HELP LEVERAGE THE RESOURCES WE ALREADY HAD ON SCENE.
WE HAD PEOPLE STANDING BY AT THE TANKER BASE AT A B I A WHO WERE, WHO WERE EVALUATING WHAT RESOURCES THEY HAD IN CASE WE NEEDED TO START UTILIZING THAT.
SO THERE WAS A COORDINATED COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO IT THAT THOSE MEMBERS WHO WERE, UH, THE, WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT SAID THEY NEEDED TO EVACUATE, LISTENED, WE HAD, UH, CAP METRO SEND OUT, UH, BUSES TO, BECAUSE
[00:50:01]
IT WAS HOT TEXAS SUMMER TO BE READY TO HELP, UH, IF ANYBODY COULDN'T DRIVE AWAY, NEEDED A PLACE FOR TEMPORARY SHELTER.SO, UH, WE HAVE TO DO EACH OF THE INCIDENT THAT WE GO TO.
WE HAVE TO DO BETTER THAN WE DID THE LAST THAT COMES WITH PLANNING AND TRAINING AND WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING DOWN THAT WAY.
SO I'M THANKFUL FOR THE EFFORTS THAT Y'ALL PUT INTO THIS AS WELL AS OUR PARTNER AGENCIES.
AND I APPRECIATE THE COLLABORATION WITH OTHERS CUZ I KNOW, YOU KNOW, FOR SOME OF US WHO REPRESENT THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN, WE KNOW THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE PREPARED AS WELL IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, AT THE EDGE OF WHERE THE CITY LIMITS ARE.
UH, IS THAT CONTRAFLOW STUDY ALSO HAPPENING IN OTHER AREAS? I KNOW MAYOR PROTE ALTER LISTED A FEW IN HER DISTRICT.
IS THAT HAPPENING ALL AROUND TOWN? I'LL LET JIM TALK TO THE CONTRAFLOW AS AS THE TRAFFIC TO THE TRAFFIC THE ENTIRE EVACUATION ROUTE.
FOR, FOR THE EVACUATION ROUTES, POTENTIAL EVACUATION ROUTES NOT SET IN STONE EVACUATIONS, BUT THE DIFFERENT POTENTIAL ONES THAT WE COULD UTILIZE IS CITYWIDE.
SO IT'S GOING EVERYWHERE THERE.
PRIORITIZING THE TRAINING AND, AND EFFORTS TO GET THE SECONDHAND VETTING OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND OUR TRANSPORTATION ON THE AREAS THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST WILDFIRE RISK THROUGH OUR, UH, WILDFIRE RISK MAP THAT'S ON THE HUB.
AND THEN THEY'LL BE UTILIZED FOR THE ENTIRE AREA BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT JUST IN THE HIGH RISK AREAS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A POTENTIAL FOR WILDFIRE.
AND THE LAST THING WE WOULD WANT IS TO SAY, OKAY, YOU NEED TO GO THIS DIRECTION, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE'S A DIFFERENT FIRE SOMEWHERE IN ANOTHER COUNTY WHERE PEOPLE ARE BEING TOLD TO COME THIS DIRECTION.
I THINK THAT IS THE LAST OF MY QUESTIONS.
I WILL, I WILL JUST, OH, MAYOR PRO TIME.
I APPRECIATE, UH, MY COLLEAGUES' QUESTIONS, UM, AS WELL.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DIDN'T TALK MUCH ABOUT, ALTHOUGH YOU MENTIONED WAS THE REFUGE AREAS.
UM, WHICH AGAIN, IN THE SAME AREAS WHERE YOU HAVE ONE WAY IN AND ONE WAY OUT, YOU DON'T HAVE REFUGE AREAS, UM, IDENTIFIED, UM, OR CLEARED.
SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING TO PLAN WHEN WE HAVE A NEW DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF DEVELOPMENTS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE ESSENTIALLY ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT.
UM, AND I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO GET AN ANSWER ABOUT THESE REFUGES.
UM, SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER NOW, IF YOU, IF YOU CAN GET ME ONE, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW LIKE LONG CANYON IS ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE BASICALLY BEEN TOLD IF THERE'S A FIRE, WE'RE NOT EVEN GOING IN THERE.
SO WE NEED TO HAVE THESE REFUGES IDENTIFIED.
SO THERE'S A MULTIPLE PRONGED APPROACH TO THE NEED FOR THESE AREAS.
SO, UM, THERE IS THE RESILIENCE HUB THAT THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY IS WORKING ON, AND WE'RE HELPING WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THE RESILIENCE HUBS, UH, LOCATIONS THAT THEY FOUND WE'RE DOING WILDFIRE RISK ASSESSMENTS ON THOSE SO THAT THEY CAN BE NOT ONLY USEFUL IN CASE OF, UH, WINTER STORM LIKE URIE OR OF A POWER OUTAGE, BUT ALSO THAT THEY COULD BE UTILIZED AND HARDENED TO BE GOOD SHELTER IN PLACE LOCATIONS IN CASE OF A WILDFIRE, MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT IN AREAS THAT'LL FLOOD AS WELL.
UM, ADDITIONALLY TO THAT, UH, ON THE, FOR WILDFIRE SPECIFIC, WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO IDENTIFY TEMPORARY AREA, UM, ASSEMBLY POINTS, WHICH ARE AREAS THAT ARE SAFE.
THEY COULD BE THE GOLF COURSES, THEY COULD BE SOME OF THE PARKS THAT WE HAVE IN AIR, ESPECIALLY DOWN TOWARDS THAT.
THEY COULD BE AREAS THAT ARE UP AGAINST A LARGE POT OF WATER THAT HAVE A HIGHER, UH, PROBABILITY OF SURVIVAL.
SO WE'RE WORKING TO IDENTIFY TEMPORARY AREA ASSEMBLY POINTS, TAPS IN ALL ALL OUR HIGH RISK AREAS AS WELL.
WE NEED TO VET THOSE OUT WITH TRANSPORTATION, WITH POLICE AND EMS. WE, WE DON'T WANT AN AREA THAT IS IDENTIFIED THAT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR EMS MEDICAL, UH, PATIENT CARE.
IT WOULD BE IDEAL IF THEY ALSO ALLOWED FOR A MEDIVAC IF WE ENDED UP NEEDING THAT.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T IDENTIFY ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T WORK WELL.
SO THOSE, THOSE, UH, THOSE REVIEWS ARE GOING ON BY ALL OUR, OUR BROTHER AND SISTER PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES YOU SHARE ABOUT, YEAH, IT'S NOT WILDFIRE SPECIFIC, BUT I DID WANT TO MENTION THAT WE DO HAVE, UH, CERTAIN SITES, UM, SELECTED AND WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING MORE, UH, WHERE WE HAVE MISSION READY PACKAGES PLACED.
UH, SO IT'S BASICALLY A, A SPACE THAT'S IDENTIFIED WITHIN ALL OF THE DISTRICT AREAS, UM, THAT WOULD HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME BASIC NEEDS TAKEN CARE OF SUCH AS, UH, WATER, FOOD AND, AND OTHER CRITICAL SUPPLIES FOR 72 HOURS FOR UP TO 75, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE HOPING TO EXPAND ON AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE,
[00:55:01]
UH, VIABLE SITES, UM, SPOTTED ALL AROUND, UM, THE CITY.AND I'M, I'M AWARE WE, I THINK WE'RE WORKING WITH YOU TO IDENTIFY LOCATION IN DISTRICT 10, BUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE RESILIENCE HUBS THEMSELVES, THEY'RE NOT IN THE HIGH WILD FAR RISK AREAS IN THE WEST.
THEY'RE ALMOST ALL THE ONES THAT ARE PILOTED ARE ON THE EAST SIDE.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU WANT THE HUB THERE, BUT I I WAS REALLY TALKING ABOUT SORT OF THOSE TEMPORARY SHELTER IN PLACE AREAS WHERE, WHERE YOU NEED A, YOU NEED A BIG PARKING LOT OR YOU NEED A, YOU NEED A, A FIELD THAT'S CLEARED AWAY FROM, FROM THE TREES.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW WHERE SOME OF THOSE ARE, AND I DON'T EVEN THINK WE HAVE THEM IDENTIFIED.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S THE NEXT STEP THAT, THAT, THAT WE NEED, AT LEAST IN MY DISTRICT.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
WE APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION THAT YOU SHARED AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MORE INFORMATION.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING SENT OUT, UM, FOLLOWING UP ON ANY OF THE QUESTIONS, CAN YOU PROBABLY SEND THEM TO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS, EVEN THE ONES THAT AREN'T ON MOBILITY, IT'S PROBABLY HELPFUL FOR THEM.
[4. Update on Airport Expansion and Development Program.]
ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS AN UPDATE ON THE AIRPORT EXPANSION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MAYOR PRO KIM.
I'M THE NEW CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER AT THE AIRPORT.
UM, I'VE RECENTLY STARTED IN THE, UM, THIS PAST AUGUST, UM, COMING AND MOVING BACK TO TEXAS, MY HOME STATE AND BACK TO AUSTIN.
SO I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE AND I'M HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THIS, UH, EXCITING TIME WITH THE AIRPORT AS WE ARE, UM, STARTING TO KICK OFF MAJOR GROWTH AND CATCH UP WITH THE GROWTH OF THE AIR SURFACE HAS ALREADY BEEN SEEING.
UM, JUST FOR A LITTLE BIT OF BACKDROP OF WHAT WE'RE DOING OR WHY WE'RE DOING IT, I GUESS, UH, IS WE HAVE SEEN UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH IN AUSTIN.
UM, BEFORE COVID WE WERE SEEING UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH OF 10%.
UM, INDUSTRY AVERAGE NOT HAS BEEN 4% AROUND 20 18, 20 19, BUT YOU WILL SEE IT IN OVERALL AVERAGES BETWEEN TWO AND 3%.
AUSTIN RETURNED AFTER COVID SETTING NEW RECORDS, NOT ONLY FOR AUSTIN, BUT WITH ANY OTHER AIRPORT, UM, DOMESTICALLY IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND WE WERE THE NUMBER ONE AIRPORT AND WE GAINED 37 NEW NONSTOP ROUTES.
THAT'S MORE THAN ANY OTHER AIRPORT IN THE UNITED STATES AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE GROWN TREMENDOUSLY OVERNIGHT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WE COULD NOT HAVE PREDICTED IN 2019 AND IN 2020, JUST SO FRAME A REFERENCE.
UM, WHEN THE AIRPORT OPENED IN 1999, UM, IT WAS DESIGNED TO SERVE FOR 11 MILLION PASSENGERS.
THE 2019 EXPANDS WERE THE NEW GATES.
UM, IT, IT HELPED US OR SHOULD ALLOWED US TO EXPAND FOR 15 MILLION.
WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW IS EXPECTED TO HIT 22 MILLION ANNUAL PASSENGERS.
WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT WITH SOME ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGIES AND SOME IMMEDIATE, UM, UH, PROJECTS AND, UH, PROCESSES THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE.
SO NOW WE COME TO THE JOURNEY WITH AUSTIN AND THE AUSTIN EXPANSION PROGRAM, THE ADP AND WHAT IS THIS? UM, SO WE'RE HERE TO MEET THE CONTINUOUS CONTINUING GROWTH.
WE EXPECT TO SEE THE SAME SORT OF GROWTH THAT WE SAW PRIOR TO COVID.
AND THE ONLY THING THAT'S REALLY KIND OF BOUNDING US AT THIS POINT IS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE WANNA MAINTAIN AN EXCELLENT PASSENGER, UM, EXPERIENCE AND WE WANNA BE ABLE TO HAVE A PROGRAM THAT IS VERY FLEXIBLE FOR THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY, WHICH MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO BE AGILE AND DYNAMIC, BE ABLE TO START AND STOP.
UM, AS WE GROW WITH THE AIRLINES.
WE ALSO WANNA TAKE ADVANTAGE IN THIS PROGRAM TO REPLACE REPAIR, UM, SOME OF THE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT GOES ALONG WITH HAVING A 24 YEAR OLD TERMINAL AND IN BUILDINGS.
SO AS WE GO THROUGH THIS JOURNEY, AND IT REALLY IS A JOURNEY, SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T SEE PREVIOUSLY WITH THE NEW AIRPORT THAT OPENED ONE DAY THAT YOU'RE KIND OF SEEING THESE PROJECTS AS IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, SOME IMMEDIATE RELIEF IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS TO ALLOW FOR THE GROWTH.
AND THEN WE'RE EVEN PLANNING FOR 20
[01:00:01]
YEARS AND BE, UH, BEYOND.UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THESE BIG PROGRAMS, WHETHER IT'S A NEW CONCOURSE, A TUNNEL UTILITY PLANT ROADWAYS, AND AN ESSENTIAL PROCESSING UNIT THAT WILL CONTINUE TO GO ON AND ON FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS.
SO NOT JUST ONE RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY.
UH, FOR US, I THINK THERE'LL BE MANY, MANY MORE, UM, IN AN ONGOING, UM, FOR ONGOING GROWTH IN THE NEAR TERM.
THERE ARE SOME EXCITING THINGS PLANNED TO HELP PROVIDE SOME RELIEF, SOME ADDITIONAL CHECK IN TICKET COUNTERS ON THE CURB SIDE, SOME FILL-INS OF ATRIUMS AND SPACES TO ADD ADDITIONAL SECURITY CHECKPOINTS TO PROVIDE THAT RELIEF THERE.
UM, WE HAVE A LARGE BAGGAGE PROJECT UNDER UNDERWAY TO MORE THAN TWO, MORE THAN EVENTUALLY TRIPLE THE SIZE OF OUR BAGGAGE CAPACITY.
UM, IMPROVEMENTS AT OUR GATE 13 TO ALLOW FOR A BUSING OPERATION, WHICH WILL REALLY HELP US DURING THE CONSTRUCTION TIME FOR PHASING AND PROVIDE THAT SORT OF, UM, NON-CONTACT GATE, UM, UH, LOADING AND OFFLOADING OF PASSENGERS SO THAT WE WON'T HAVE AN IMPACT WHERE WE CAN STILL SERVICE AT A SAME LEVEL.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE NEW WEST GATES WHERE WE'LL BE EXPANDING THREE ADDITIONAL GATES, BUT A LOT OF MORE AMENITIES THERE AS WELL.
NEW LOUNGE SPACE, NEW, UM, OUTSIDE DECK FOR ALL CUSTOMERS, RESTROOMS, CHILD PLAY AREA, A NURSING MOTHER'S ROOM, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS WERE CONSIDERED IN THAT NEW EXPANSION AS WELL.
SO SOME OF THIS IS KIND OF THE PLAN OF THE LAYOUT OF THE, THE BARB JORDAN TERMINAL, THE BJT.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE EXPANSION OF THE WESTGATE CURBSIDE COUNTERS ARE COMING THIS SPRING TO PROVIDE THOSE RELIEF.
THE WEST INFILL IS A PROJECT WHERE WE'LL BE ADDING MORE CHECKPOINTS ON THE CONCOURSES LEVEL, BUT IT'S ALSO THERE TO PROVIDE THE STRUCTURE FOR THE NEW BAGGAGE EXPANSION PROJECT.
UM, AND WE'LL ALSO, WE'LL START, UM, MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ATRIUM INFILL THAT WILL HELP US PROVIDE MORE SPACE, UM, AS WE ARE GROWING AS WELL FOR QUEUING AND CHECKPOINTS, UM, SPACE THROUGHOUT THAT.
UM, HEADHOUSE AND THE ATRIUM INFILL, ONE THING THAT WE WANT TO DO OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS IS REALLY STUDY WHAT WE CAN DO HERE.
WE KNOW THAT EVENTUALLY WE WILL HAVE TO BUILD OUT THAT TERMINAL, BUT WHAT ARE SOME REALLY, UM, UM, DIFFERENT LEVERS AND SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN DO NOW? SO AS WE LOOK INTO AND FILLING THIS WITH, UM, WITH NEW STRUCTURE COLUMNS AND STUFF, WE WILL BE EVALUATING ALL NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE ARE SEEING IN OTHER PORTS, OTHER AIRPORTS, UM, THAT WITH THE AIRLINES LEADING THE WAY ON THESE NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL ACTUALLY EXPEDITE THE PROCESSING AND ALLOW US TO MOVE, UH, THE PASSENGERS THROUGH THE SPACE, UM, MORE QUICKLY.
SO AS WE START TO DO THE, THE STRUCTURES ON THAT, YOU WILL START TO SEE THOSE THINGS GO THROUGH.
WE'LL ALSO DO THOSE STUDIES IN THE MEANTIME.
SO REALLY, THE PROJECT LIFE CYCLE, I'VE GIVEN HERE JUST THE, THE INITIAL FIVE OF THE VERY, VERY NEAR TERM, THE NEXT FOUR YEARS OF PROJECTS.
AS THE OTHER PROJECTS, WE ARE REALLY STARTING TO KICK OFF THAT PROGRAMMING OR ENVISIONED, UM, PHASE.
BUT RIGHT NOW FOR THE PROJECTS THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT FAR ADVANCED, SO THAT ARE EITHER IN DESIGN OR IN BUILD OR CONSTRUCTION IS SKATE 13, WE EXPECT THAT TO COME ONLINE NEXT SUMMER.
UM, THE BAGGAGE SYSTEM, WE EXPECT THOSE TO THE FIRST PHASE TO OPEN IN THE, UM, SECOND QUARTER OF 2024, UM, WITH THE PHASE TWO COMING ONLINE IN 2026 WITH THAT WEST AND FILL SPACE WITH MORE CHECKPOINT LINES.
AND THEN, UM, AT THE BEGINNING OF 2026, WE ALSO EXPECT THE WEST GATE EXPANSION OF THE THREE GATES TO COME ON BOARD.
UM, THE OTHER PHASES THAT WE SHOWED PREVIOUSLY WITH THE, THE, THE BUMP OUT OF THE BJ T, THE GATES, THE TUNNEL, WERE REALLY STARTING TO KICK OFF THAT ENVISION PHASE WHERE WE ACTUALLY DECIDE WHAT'S IN THOSE SPACES NOW AND WILL THOSE THINGS WILL START TO COME ON LATER AS WE START TO DEFINE THOSE BIGGER ELEMENTS.
SO AN UPDATE ON OUR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT.
UM, THE COMMENT PERIOD ON THE DRAFT, YAY WAS OPEN UNTIL APRIL 7TH OF THIS PAST YEAR.
UM, THE FINAL EA FILED WITH THE FAA WAS ON JUNE 13TH.
AND A DECISION, A FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, A FONZI FROM THE FAA WAS RECEIVED ON JULY 26TH.
SO WE HAVE APPROVAL ON THE EA TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS METHODS OF FUNDING.
SO WE HAVE INITIAL HIGH LEVEL COST AND MORE REFINED COST ON THOSE INITIAL, UH, FOR, UM, IMMEDIATE RELIEF PROJECTS.
BUT WE ARE, AS WE GO INTO THE ENVISION PHASE OF THE OTHER PROJECTS, WE'LL BE STARTING TO REALLY REFINE WHAT THE OVERALL, UM, UH, PROGRAM WILL BE.
[01:05:01]
THE, THE PROGRAM WILL BE FUNDED THROUGH OUR CASH RESERVES AND FUTURE REVENUES FROM THE AIRPORT.UM, THIS PAST YEAR WE DID A 400 MILLION BOND SALE.
SO ALL THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE JUST SAW ARE ACTUALLY FUNDED THROUGH THAT BOND.
WE ALSO GET ANNUAL GRANTS FROM THE FAA FOR OUR AIRFIELD IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, AND WE'LL BE ALSO, UM, RECEIVING, UM, GRANTS FROM THE BIL AS WELL.
AND WE CONTINUE TO EVALUATE FOR ADDITIONAL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.
I OPEN, I'M OPEN FOR FEEDBACK.
I DEFINITELY WANNA HEAR FEEDBACK ON HOW OFTEN YOU WANT TO HEAR THESE UPDATES OR IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO DO THOSE UPDATES IN A MORE ONE ON, IN A ONE-ON-ONE SESSION OR, OR HOW YOU WANT TO GIVE THOSE FEEDBACK TO ME AS WELL.
WELL, WELCOME TO THE NEW POSITION.
EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, UM, YEAH, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THIS FORUM KIND OF, IS THIS THE PLACE FOR GETTING REGULAR AIRPORT UPDATES MM-HMM.
BUT I'LL, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO JOIN THE CHAIR AND AND WELCOMING YOU TO AUSTIN.
IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU AND THANK YOU.
UM, I, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE, UM, FOCUSES A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE AIRPORT, GIVEN THE EXTENT OF THE INVESTMENTS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE APPROPRIATE CADENCE IS, BUT I THINK, UM, WE CERTAINLY HEARD THAT THERE WAS A SENSE IN THE COMMUNITY OF A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY MM-HMM.
UM, TWO THINGS THAT I WANTED TO RAISE.
UM, ONE IS TSA AND, AND I HAPPEN TO HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE AIRPORT ON MULTIPLE TRIPS IN THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, AND I DID NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES.
UM, BUT I KNOW THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL, UM, TSA BOTTLENECKS PROBABLY BEFORE YOU CAME ON.
UM, AND I KNOW THERE WERE SOME INVESTMENTS.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO, UM, WHAT HAS CHANGED WITH RESPECT TO THE TSA INVESTMENTS, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T EXPERIENCE, UM, THOSE LONG LINES, UM, THOSE DELAYED FLIGHTS? THOSE MISSED FLIGHTS LIKE WE DID? UM, I THINK IT WAS IN THE SPRING.
I MEAN, CURRENTLY WE'RE EVALUATING, UM, DESIGNS WITH THE TSA TO BRING IN SOME OF THE NEWER NEW EQUIPMENT TO EXPEDITE, UM, SCREENING AS WELL AS, AND, UM, OTHER LOCATIONS TO ADD, UM, IN THE CENTRAL AREA WHERE THE, UM, CENTRAL SCREENING CHECKPOINT TWO, UH, THE TWO ARE THERE WHERE WE COULD ADD ADDITIONAL SCREENING CHECKPOINTS AS WELL.
SO WE ARE, THE TSA HAS DEFINITELY BEEN INVOLVED IN TRYING TO BRING THAT SORT OF EQUIPMENT THAT WILL INCREASE THE, THE THROUGHPUT.
UM, AND AS FAR AS OPERATIONAL STAFFING, I DON'T QUITE HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK MY, MY COLLEAGUE OVER OPERATIONS HAS A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL, BUT I CAN FIND OUT MORE OF THAT.
YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD BE CURIOUS ALSO IF WE HAVE SOME SORT OF MARKETING PROGRAM TO GET MORE PEOPLE INTO THE PRE TSA PROGRAM.
CAUSE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD MORE PEOPLE DOING THAT, THEY WOULDN'T BE IN THE OTHER CHECKBOOK POINTS.
BUT, BUT MY IMPRESSION OF WHEN I HAD TO RENEW IT WAS THAT IT WAS KIND OF A PAIN STILL TO SIGN UP.
UM, AND, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING TO MAKE THAT ACCESSIBLE, YOU KNOW, TO NOT HAVE IT BE ONLY AT THE AIRPORT OR TO MAKE IT REALLY EASY AT THE AIRPORT, UM, TO TAKE CARE OF THAT PAPERWORK, ET CETERA.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE, UM, ONE WAY, ONE WAY TO ADDRESS THAT.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, A GOOD CHUNK OF THE, THE, THE FUNDING FOR THIS DOES COME THROUGH THE AIRLINES AND FEES THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UM, PAYING.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE NOTICED IN GOING TO OTHER COMMUNITIES, ON ONE HAND, WE HAVE THE BEST AIRPORT.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE MOST LOCAL IT HAS HAS THE MOST, UM, CHARACTER, I THINK MM-HMM.
UM, BUT THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND IN THESE OTHER COMMUNITIES, THE AIRLINES ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THOSE COMMUNITIES IN LOTS OF WAYS, AND THEY SEEM REALLY ABSENT.
AND, AND I KNOW WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY THE HUB FOR THEM.
UM, WE HAVE A SPECIAL PROJECT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES
[01:10:01]
AND I HAVE ASKED THE AUDITOR TO LOOK AT HOW, UM, HOW THIS WORKS IN OTHER CITIES.UM, BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE GROW AND AS WE PUSH THE ENVELOPE ON THIS AIRPORT, UM, WE NEED TO BE ASKING THE AIRLINES THAT ARE COMING IN TO BE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, UM, PARTICULARLY FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE NEAR THE AIRPORT, BUT EVEN BEYOND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU GO IN OTHER CITIES AND THE AIRLINES ARE DOING ALL SORTS OF THINGS TO SPONSOR THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER.
AND, AND YOU JUST DON'T, YOU DON'T SEE THAT HERE.
AND WE NEED TO REFRAME THAT AND MAKE THAT THE EXPECTATION, NOT JUST FOR THE AIRLINES, BUT FOR ALL THE CORPORATIONS THAT ARE, THAT ARE, THAT ARE COMING HERE.
UM, SO I APPRECIATE THIS UPDATE AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOK FORWARD TO, TO LEARNING MORE.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS? I DON'T THINK SO.
I THINK THAT'S IT FOR TODAY, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO CONNECTING WITH YOU FURTHER TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW OFTEN YOU COME TO THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE, UM, AND TRYING TO GET THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETINGS TELEVISED, UM, WHERE THEY CAN LIVE ON ATX N AND FOLKS CAN GO BACK AND WATCH THOSE LATER WHEN, WHEN TIME ALLOWS.
I THINK THAT COULD BE JUST REALLY HELPFUL IN LAYERING OUT THE, UM, SHARING OF INFORMATION AS, AS THE AIRPORT CONTINUES ON ITS PATHWAY.
[6. Update from Assistant City Manager Gina Fiandaca on the City's Strategic Mobility Outcome]
TAKES US TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER'S REPORT.THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, MY ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER'S MONTHLY MOBILITY REPORT IS INCLUDED IN BACKUP, AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER RENTER ON, ON THE BIKE TRAIL OVER BY THE HOLLY PLANT.
I, THAT LOOKED LIKE A REALLY LOVELY EVENT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER? I SEE MAYOR PROTE HAS HER HAND UP.
UM, I WANTED TO KNOW FOR THE ELECTRIC VEHICLES, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KEEP GETTING ASKED BY MY CONSTITUENTS IS WHEN APD IS GONNA MOVE TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
AND I HAD SOME CORRESPONDENCE, UM, WITH THEM, I DON'T KNOW, OVER THE SUMMER, UM, HAVE THE FORD LIGHTNING PICKUP TRUCKS FOR APD ARRIVED FOR THE VEHICLES THEY WERE EXPECTING.
I MAY HAVE THE WRONG, UM, WE DID RECEIVE ONE FORD LIGHTNING.
UM, I BELIEVE WE'RE WAITING FOR THE OTHERS, BUT I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH OUR FLEET DIRECTOR AND GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
AND THEN, UM, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO THANK OUR, OUR STAFF WHO ARE HELPING OUT FROM FLEET AND, UM, FROM US AND ENERGY IN FLORIDA.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THE WILDFIRE, YOU KNOW, RISK AND WHAT THAT CAN DO, UM, FOR HER COMMUNITY.
UM, FLORIDA'S REALLY GOING THROUGH THAT KIND OF DISASTER RIGHT NOW.
AND I'M, I'M PLEASED THAT OUR CITY IS ABLE, UM, TO HELP IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY.
WE APPRECIATE THOSE KINDS WORDS AND I'LL BE SURE THAT OUR FLEET DEPARTMENT IS AWARE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I, I THINK THAT DOES IT.
UM, I HAD FAILED TO MENTION THAT ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS BEING POSTPONED.
UM, BUT THAT LEADS US TO ITEM SEVEN,
[7. Identify items to discuss at future meetings]
IDENTIFYING FUTURE ITEMS. SO THAT ITEM IS DEFINITELY STILL ON THE LIST OF INFORMATION TO BE PRESENTED IN THE FUTURE.NOVEMBER 10TH WILL BE OUR LAST MEETING OF 2022 FOR THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE.
SO WE HAVE A FEW IDEAS ON THE LIST.
WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GET TO THEM ALL, BUT WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THE 2023 COMMITTEE SCHEDULE, UH, 2020 ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION AND SAFE MOBILITY BOND UPDATE, VISION ZERO, THE PUBLIC WORK SERVICE PLAN UPDATE THAT WE ARE POSTPONING TODAY, UM, AND POTENTIALLY BARTON SPRINGS ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
UM, SO WE'LL BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THOSE ITEMS COMING IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN A FEW MORE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE ON THE LIST, UH, THAT DON'T QUITE HAVE A DATE YET, WOULD BE AN UPDATE ON SCOOTERS AND MICRO MOBILITY SOUTH CONGRESS PARKING DISTRICT STATUS UPDATE ON COMPREHENSIVE TRAIL SYSTEM AND THE GAPS LEFT TO FILL IN THAT SYSTEM.
THE SD 23 METRIC REGARDING OVERGROWN TREES AND PLANTS, BLOCKING BIKE LANES, AND UPDATE ON PROGRESS MEASURING OUR AS S P MODE, SHARE SHIFT GOALS.
SO WE HAVE QUITE A FEW THINGS ON OUR LIST.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING MORE, WE'RE HAPPY TO ADD THOSE TO THE LIST TODAY.
WE JUST WON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHICH MONTH WE MIGHT DO VICE CHAIR KELLY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RECOGNIZING ME.
I REALLY ENJOYED TODAY'S MEETING.
UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE MOVE CONFERENCE LAST WEEK WITH MY STAFF AND WE SAW SOME PRESENTATIONS ABOUT AUTONOMOUS RIDE SHARE SERVICES.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A VERY INTERESTING TOPIC FOR US TO
[01:15:01]
DISCUSS HERE IN AUSTIN.AND THEN I ALSO, UM, WANNA ECHO THE BRIEFING FROM PARKING ENFORCEMENT REGARDING MICRO MOBILITY.
I KNOW THAT AS WE REALLY ENTER INTO THE FESTIVAL SEASON, UM, THAT'S GONNA BE AN INTERESTING TOPIC FOR US TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT.
ANY OTHER TOPICS WE WANNA ADD TO THE LIST TODAY? YOU CAN ALWAYS EMAIL US YOUR THOUGHTS TOO, IF YOU THINK OF ANYTHING LATER.
ON THAT NOTE, IT IS TWO 19 AND WE HAVE FINISHED ALL OF OUR BUSINESS FOR THE DAY.
AND I WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING OF THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE AT 2:19 PM LAST NIGHT, I WAS OUTTA MY HEAD.
WHAT I SAID, I WAS A LITTLE BIT WHEN I CALLED YOU UP DOING THINGS, SHAKE OUT.
IT GETS STANDS BY, MAKES ME CRY.
LIKE NO ONE'S HOLDING HANDS UNDER THE TABLE, BABY TAKE A SHOT AS.