HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-11-2025 Storm Ad Hoc minutesA
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE
STORM AND INCIDENT READINESS AD HOC COMMITTEE
OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE
Members Present: Chuck Engelken; Bill Bentley; Mason Peres, Jeff Suggs, Sherri
Ditrich
Members Absent: None
Members Attending Remotely: None
City Officers Present: Matt Daeumer, Assistant City Manager; Lee Woodward, City
Secretary
The Storm and Incident Readiness Committee of the City of La Porte
met on February 11, 2025, at the City Hall Council chamber,
604 West Fairmont Parkway, La Porte, Texas, at 5:00 p.m.
1. CALL TO ORDER - Chair Engelken called the meeting to order at 5:00 P.M.
2. CITIZEN COMMENT (Generally limited to five minutes perperson, in accordance with
state law, the time may be reduced if there is a high number of speakers or other
considerations.)
There were no comments.
3. Presentation, discussion, and possible action to approve the minutes of the
October 22, 2024, meeting.
Member Peres moved to approve the minutes of the October 22 2024 meeting the
motion was seconded by Member Bentley: the motion was adopted 5-0.
4. Committee Charge, Discussion, and Possible Action
Purpose: The City of La Porte is establishing an ad hoc committee to assess
and enhance the City's preparedness for storms and other significant
incidents. This committee will focus on identifying strategies to protect
residents, infrastructure, and resources to ensure the City maintains a
strong preparedness posture to plan for, respond to, and recover from
emergencies.
Objectives:
The committee will review the following topics with the intent to make
suggestions for improvements, implementation and/or modernization.
• Emergency Preparedness Planning
o Review and make recommendations to update the City's response plans.
o Identify potential hazards and conduct risk assessments to preparedness
measures.
• Public Communication and Education
o Review existing public awareness campaigns for pre -incident readiness
such as evacuation routes, shelter locations, and emergency procedures.
o Review the utilization of social media and other communications platforms
for real-time updates pre, during and post incident.
o Review engagement with local small businesses to ensure resilience after
incidents.
• Resource Allocation and Logistics
o Review readiness for deployment of emergency supplies and equipment
with the purpose of optimizing logistics for efficiency.
o Review mutual aid agreements with neighboring cities and regions to
enhance resource availability.
• Vulnerable Population Support
o Review plans for vulnerable groups, including seniors, assisted care
facilities and home bound individuals.
o Review outreach programs to ensure these populations are informed and
prepared for storms and other incidents.
o Review any city partnerships with community organizations that provide
targeted assistance to vulnerable populations.
• Evacuation and Shelter Planning
o Review existing facilities for possible use as cooling stations and/or
distribution sites pre and post event and ensure these sites are equipped
to handle displaced residents.
o Review/develop transportation plans for vulnerable populations, including
the elderly and disabled, to ensure their safety during evacuations.
• First Responder Coordination
o Review training and drills for police, fire, and EMS.
o Review communication and coordination protocols among first
responders.
o Review any rapid deployment strategies foremergency services to ensure
swift and effective responses.
• Financial Planning and Insurance
o Review budget for emergency preparedness and recovery efforts,
ensuring financial resources are available when needed.
o Review existing plans to access federal and state disaster relief funds
pre/post event.
• Post -Event Recovery and Assessment
o Review established procedures for debris removal and damage
assessment following an incident.
o Conduct evaluations of the City's response to incidents, identifying
lessons learned and areas for improvement.
• Technology and Innovation
o Review the existence or possibility to utilize data and predictive modeling
to anticipate storm impacts and inform preparedness measures.
o Review existing and new technologies, including Aland GIS systems, to
enhance emergency management capabilities.
o Review existing Emergency Operations Center (EOC) technology and
capabilities.
Mr. Morales said the list of items for consideration has been updated following the
Committee's town hall. Items discussed for the Committee's recommendations
were:
1. Redesign of the current EOC - The Committee recommended a roof study on
the existing building.
2. Construction of a new standalone EOC
3. Acquisition or upgrade of a mobile dispatch/command vehicle
4. Expansion of the drone program
5. Implementation of redundant communications systems
6. Identification and implementation of emergency communication methods
7, Funding of a volunteer program support
B. Development of a citywide camera system
9. Review and improvement of the City's response plan
10. Establishment of logistics agreement and mobile facilities contract
11. Provision of media relations training
Chair Engelken asked for a one -page summary with a Gantt chart for timelines
and costs per year, as well as anticipated demands of the LPPD and LPFD.
Member Peres suggested checking with LPISD about strengthened facilities with
kitchens and water supplies and the inclusion of local organizations in planning
and training. Member Suggs urged consideration of per -use costs for equipment
and services. The next town hall was set for February 24, 2025, at 5 p.m.