Committee On Emergency Preparedness Submits Winter Storm Report In City Of San Antonio

Press release from the City of San Antonio:

June 24, 2021

SAN ANTONIO — After months of meetings, research, and coordination – the Committee on Emergency Preparedness has submitted its report on Winter Storm Uri to the Mayor and City Council. The four sitting councilmembers on the committee, District 4 Councilmember Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia, District 7 Councilmember Ana Sandoval, District 8 Councilmember Manny Pelaez, and District 10 Councilmember Clayton Perry, issued the following statements in response to the report’s submission:

“Prior to the formation of the Committee on Emergency Preparedness, I had inquired about contingency plans to address a myriad of scenarios where coordination and communication among regional entities is essential in our response,” stated Councilwoman Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia. “I was happy that this committee was able to learn about how crucial planning is, but the work is far from over. Our City leaders and regional partners must be committed to following through with the proposed plans and recommendations. I sincerely hope we continue reviews and discussions with a focus on the vulnerable populations who will remain at risk in future crises if we don’t act now.”

"This report outlines how we can prevent a repeat of the widespread power outages and water failures we experienced in February," said Councilwoman Sandoval. "I'm glad to have worked with Chairman Reed Williams to examine CPS Energy's response and recommend improvements. Residents deserve a prepared and resilient city; this report will bring us closer to that ideal."

“We investigated the winter storm crisis from every angle to assess the causes, impacts, and areas where local response and preparedness fell short,” said Councilman Pelaez. “This process was necessary to answer our neighbor’s questions and meet the community’s calls for accountability. The final report chronicles exactly what happened – from the technical nuances to the pivotal decisions – and sets forth key recommendations to the City, SAWS, and CPS Energy that will guide our path toward collective resilience and readiness.”

“Our community experienced collective suffering during the two winter storms in February, and the systems in place failed the public,” said Councilman Clayton Perry. “During this process, we gathered information and have produced recommendations that will help our community become more prepared and resilient in the face of weather-related crises in the future.”

The public and media can access the report on the City website.

This press release was produced by the City of San Antonio. The views expressed here are the author’s own.