20210223 Staff RecognitionPresentations
Agenda Item 1.
Recognition of members of the Town of Prosper staff for
outstanding service during the recent winter storm
emergency. (HJ)
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Winter Storm
Emergency
Power and Heat Outages
Water Distribution/Water
Quality Problems
Frozen Pipes & Water
Damage
Icy Road Conditions
Trash/Recycling Delays
Our community is still recovering from the winter storm emergency that
occurred just over a week ago. Here’s what happened state‐wide and locally:
Power and Heat Outages ‐ internet in some cases, due to power outage
and/or damaged infrastructure
Water Distribution/Water Quality Problems – some cities had to ration
water, or issue boil notices; NTMWD asked their cities to conserve. One
third of Texans are still having water issues. Our water supply and
distribution system had no issues throughout the emergency.
Frozen Pipes & Water Damage – some were without water due to frozen
pipes; others had pipes burst which caused water damage
Icy Road Conditions
Trash/Recycling Delays – CWD is resuming collections this week. Make
sure to have your trash out on your regular day, with up to three bags of
additional trash next to your cart.
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Town of Prosper
Emergency
Response
•Warming Station At Library
•WiFi Hot Spot Checkout
•Water Leak Notifications
•Water Shut-off Assistance
•Water Cleanup Assistance
•Water Distribution Site
•Fees Waived for Plumbing Permits
•Sanding Streets and Parking Lots
•Emergency Communication Updates
•Disaster Recovery information
Town staff stepped up to respond to the emergency. The Town provided:
•Warming Station At Library – Police officers, Emergency Management
Coordinator Kent Bauer, CERT Team Members, and Librarian Leslie Scott,
stayed overnight to keep the station open 24/7 for anyone who might
need it.
•WiFi Hot Spot Checkout – This service was rolled out a few weeks ago, and
several residents were able to take advantage of it when their internet
service was out.
•Water Leak Notifications – Utility Billing staff monitored water usage daily
to identify potential water leaks due to ruptured pipes. Staff contacted
residents by phone to ensure residents were aware of any leak that may
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be outside the home and had gone unnoticed.
•Water Shut‐off Assistance – the Public Works crews, Meter Crews, and Fire
Department personnel responded to over 125 calls for assistance due to
frozen or broken pipes. All reserve Fire Department apparatus were
staffed, and every fire vehicle was stocked with a shop‐vacs, squeegees,
and water tools.
•Water Cleanup Assistance – Fire crews went above and beyond shutting off
water. They moved furniture and cleaned up water to minimize damage to
homes and businesses.
•Between February 14‐February 19, Prosper Fire Rescue ran a total of 288
calls, and they ran 80 calls just in one shift. For comparison, last year,
Prosper Fire Rescue ran a total of 222 calls for the entire month.
•The Fire Department’s water emergency response last week was in addition
to three structure fires, including a triple fatality homicide in Celina, and
multiple mutual aid emergencies in Frisco. Our dispatchers did an
outstanding job handling the increased number of calls during the storm.
•Water Distribution Site – Emergency Management personnel and our CERT
Team set up a water distribution site in downtown on Saturday for those
who had no water service. Public Works staff retrofitted a fire hydrant so
residents could fill containers with water. Prosper ISD Transportation
Department and Cornerstone donated bottled water for residents who
needed it.
•Fees Waived for Plumbing Permits – the Town is waiving all permit and
inspection fees for plumbing repairs related to storm and power outages,
and plumbing permits are being expedited.
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•Street crews came in early and worked overnight to sand intersections,
streets, and Town parking lots.
•Water & Wastewater crews assisting with water shutoffs, leaks, and
ensured that all of the Towns water distribution systems were working
properly.
•The Town’s Communications staff provided Emergency Communication
Updates on the Town’s website and social media throughout the storm
•Disaster Recovery Information – Town staff has connected with state and
federal disaster recovery programs to assist residents with applying for
assistance due to winter storm damage. Staff will hold two public
informational meeting via Zoom tomorrow and Thursday.
The Cert Team contributed 24 hours of volunteer service during last week’s
Winter Storm.
The Fire Department logged over 1,200 hours of overtime.
Street Crews logged 130 hours of overtime
Water/Wastewater Crews logged 231 hours of overtime.
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Community Response
The community was there to support our public safety personnel and others.
We heard countless stories of neighbors helping neighbors during the crisis
Many donated food to our Public Safety personnel:
•Shane & Stephanie Funk with Funk Realty Group
•Jennifer Sanchez with Mathnasium
•Councilman Marcus Ray and wife Gwen Ray
•Poppas Pit BBQ
•Mark and Kathy Speed with BradensVoice.org
•First Baptist Prosper
•Hope Fellowship
•Prosper Pantry
•Our amazing Chaplains ‐ Special thanks to Mike Martin, Isaac Varela, & John
Herring for delivering and organizing.
•Prosper Ladies Association
•Emma Dixon
•Gateway Church
•Simple Church of Frisco
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Eugene Lochman, the owner of Prestige Pool and Patio, brought his Bobcat to
clear snow from the driveway of Central Fire Station, and to clear the entrance
to the Library while it was serving as a warming station.
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Thank You to our staff.
Winter Storm Emergency Response
Once again, our staff stepped up and exceeded my expectations in their response to this
latest emergency. They over‐delivered at a time when many of them were without heat
and power at their own homes. Many continued to work from home, charging their
phones and laptops between power outages so they could continue to perform their
duties. And many worked long hours outside in freezing temperatures. Teams from
multiple departments collaborated to quickly work through the logistics of setting up a
warming station at the Library, and a water distribution event in downtown. They helped
people and solved problems as they arose.
At this time, I’d like to invite any staff members, CERT Volunteers, or Public Safety Chaplains
who are in the audience to come forward so we can recognize you. Mayor and Council, I
invite you to come down and join them.
(Staff & Council should face the audience. Robyn or Karolyn will take a few photos).
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