Texas Border Business
San Juan, Texas – San Juan Mayor Mario Garza and City Commissioners met for a special work session on Thursday, July 19, 2018, to discuss the city’s hurricane preparedness plan and activating the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in the event of future natural disaster emergencies. City leaders hope that discussing a plan of action in advance and pinpointing areas of improvement will help them be better prepared for future events. The meeting comes in light of the severe rain and flooding that occurred in late June, which devastated cities across the Rio Grande Valley.
“Our number one priority is the safety of our citizens,” stated Mayor Garza. “We want to ensure that we are proactive and prepared for emergency situations such as the recent flooding,” he continued. “This meeting was crucial in helping us identify areas that we already know are impacted the most, and to know what resources, partnerships, and personnel we have in place in order to respond faster and ultimately be better prepared.”
During the meeting, Fire Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator Tirso Garza reaffirmed what most cities across the region have stated. “Our systems did not fail,” he said. “As was the case in many other cities in our area, too much rainfall accumulated in such a short period of time.” He added, “San Juan officials and personnel did a great job responding to rescues, coordinating resources, and coming together as one community to help one another.”
City officials also discussed their partnership with the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo (PSJA) Independent School District, which under an existing agreement, provides shelter, transportation, and food in case of an emergency situation or natural disaster.
“Our commitment to the City of San Juan and its residents remains in place,” stated Jorge Zambrano, Assistant Secretary-Treasurer of the PJSA ISD School Board of Trustees. “We are ready to assist the city in any way we can and have already identified resources, personnel, and sites that will be designated in the case of such an event.
City leaders stressed the importance of reaching out the public to ensure that their citizens also know what do in case of an emergency. They stressed personal responsibility and discussed possibly launching an emergency preparedness awareness campaign, which could help residents prepare their families for any future natural disaster.
“Our citizens need to have a plan for their families,” said Commissioner Leonardo “Lenny” Sanchez. “We need to help educate citizens, so they are also better prepared and know what to do in the event of an emergency,” he continued.
In identifying areas of concern and planning for future events, city leaders pledged to develop a plan to have personnel and resources set-up at designated sites throughout the city that are prone to flooding issues during heavy rains.
“We will be sure to pre-stage pumps in the areas that did flood in advance of a future storm or event,” confirmed Chief Garza. “This will allow us to react faster, without having to worry about taking the equipment during the event, which can take longer.”
Also, in attendance, having just returned from a Culture, Recreation & Tourism Committee hearing in Austin was Texas State Representative Armando “Mando” Martinez, whose house district includes San Juan.
“The city did a great job in working with citizens on rescues and providing essential information on where and how to get help,” said Representative Martinez. “I recently met with Nim Kidd, Chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, and we had a great discussion regarding post-disaster preparedness,” Martinez stated. “We need to be ready not only pre-disaster but most importantly, post-disaster,” he continued.
Among the ideas and resources discussed by Representative Martinez was the city’s ability to apply for a Hazard Mitigation Grant.
“The grant, which is 75% paid for by the federal government and requires a 25% investment by local governments, can be a great resource for the city,” added Martinez. “If the city can identify projects or needed resources that can help prevent future disasters, they can apply for the grant through the state to ensure that the appropriate infrastructure is in place for future events.”
The meeting, which brought together not only personnel from all city departments, but from PSJA ISD, Hidalgo County Office of Emergency Management, the state, and others, offered helpful insight and provided a good starting point of discussion for the city.
