Richardson saw two winter storms: Landon, which lasted Feb. 2-4; and Nancy, which lasted Feb. 23-24. There was also a third round of winter weather on March 11, but that storm mostly involved monitoring as the major elements bypassed the city, Emergency Management Coordinator Alisha Gimbel said.
During the storms, the city received 120 calls in response to Landon and 70 calls in response to Nancy, Gimbel told the City Council at its March 21 meeting. She said 76 of the 120 calls about Landon were for emergency management services, with nine major accidents reported.
Emergency management services dealt with 62 areas of downed trees throughout Richardson as well as several downed power lines.
Because of the danger surrounding the harsh winter weather conditions, Gimbel said she was pleased with the low number of residents driving around during this time.
“For those of you who stayed home, thank you,” Gimbel said. “That's exactly what we want to happen during winter weather. If you can avoid unnecessary traveling and stay away from the hazards that are out there, you’re helping us out.”
Gimbel said the city treated the roads with sand, salt and ice melt to make them as safe as possible. City officials estimated the city poured over 2.2 millions pounds of sand, almost 40,000 pounds of salt and 32,500 pounds of ice melt.
One of the major tasks for the city was keeping residents informed. Gimbel said the city reported 87 social media posts and 20 online web stories across both websites during Winter Storm Landon. For Winter Storm Nancy, the city reported 34 social media posts and four online stories. City officials also posted daily updates within the winter weather tab on the city website.
With spring on the horizon, the city of Richardson is already starting to implement preparations for spring storms. This includes developing a new Stormwater Drainage System Guide, posting preparedness events and resources online and readying outdoor warning sirens in case of tornadoes.
At the meeting, the city also identified improvements made to the city's 22 outdoor sirens. These sirens, as well as three operated by The University of Texas at Dallas, are used to alert residents in the event of a tornado or other emergencies.
These sirens are equipped with new solar panels, control boxes, chargers, batteries and heads. The mobile siren trailers have also been refurbished, according to city officials.
Gimbel said the city began conducting 90-second siren tests in January. The city plans to add a weekly low-tone growl in April and conduct three-minute tests starts starting in July.
