Hays County Office of Emergency Services preparing for winter weather

Staff Reports

SAN MARCOS – Hays County Office of Emergency Services (OES) is preparing for any potential severe weather events that may occur this winter season after Hays County experienced a historic snowstorm earlier this year. During the aftermath, power and water went out for thousands of residents around the region, causing mass panic.

According to OES Director Mike Jones, many people were without food and water for several days and the temperatures were below freezing. While emergency plans were in place, Jones said treacherous driving conditions made it difficult to get to county residents.

“Despite having food and water to distribute, it was a challenge to attempt to drive anywhere for the first two days after the major snow fell,” he said. “For more remote parts of the county, it was near impossible to get to anyone in a quick timeframe.”

Heading into this winter season, OES is once again stocking up on resources such as water and shelf-stable food, as well as coordinating with community organizations for shelters and warming stations should they be needed.

“Most importantly, Jones said, “we urge our Hays County residents to prepare for any severe weather or emergency event.”

He said one of his main goals for OES is to help build a more resilient community where individuals can take care of themselves and their neighbors should an event occur.

“February’s freeze event showed where we have a need in the community,” Jones said. “When the power and water went out for days at a time, we saw how unprepared most of our residents were.”

He said having a minimum of one gallon of water per person each day is critical. Jones added that alternate sources for cooking and heating food should be considered, whether it’s an outdoor grill, a propane burner or something else that is safe to use.

Officials have been sharing winter preparedness tips to urge residents to make plans in the event of an emergency such as a winter storm or power outage. Tips for creating a family emergency communication plan is among the recent public education messages.

Jones said home generators are also popular now but cautioned about using them properly and never using them inside a home. He said running a vehicle in a garage should be avoided due to carbon monoxide poisoning.

One thing all residents should do, Jones said, is sign up to receive emergency alerts via phone, email or text.

“We encourage Hays County residents to sign up for emergency alerts through warncentraltexas.org,” he said. “Residents can also turn to haysinformed.com for countywide emergency information.”

In addition to Warn Central Texas and Hays Informed, residents can refer to the Hays County official Facebook page and the OES Facebook page for updates and information during an emergency.

To learn more emergency preparedness tips and see important emergency information, visit haysinformed.com