San Antonio and Bexar County authorities are coordinating emergency preparedness with local utilities and VIA Metropolitan Transit ahead of a strong arctic cold front forecasted to move through the San Antonio area.
According to the National Weather Service, the cold front will bring the coldest temperatures seen locally this season with temperatures are expected to drop below 20 degrees on late Dec. 22 and wind chills ranging from 10 below zero to 10 degrees.
A Dec. 19 news release from the city said CPS Energy has bolstered the resiliency of its power plants against sustained freezing temperatures by implementing winterization initiatives.
Energy Reliability Council of Texas said it expects sufficient generation to meet forecasted demand, but CPS Energy urges energy conservation to help residents save money on their bills, the release said.
CPS Energy said it has crews prepared to respond to any local weather-related outages. High winds are in the forecast, and CPS Energy reminds residents to stay away from downed power lines and report them at 210-353-4357.
CPS Energy customers may up for Energy Alerts or call 210-353-2222 to provide your emergency contact information, the utility said. More information on safely preparing one's home or business power supplies for severe winter weather can be found at https://cpsenergy.com/prepare and www.cpsenergy.com/wintersafety.
Fire, warming safety
The city, county and its preparedness partners spilled out safety tips for people, pets, plants and water pipes.
Authorities urge people to keep warm and dress in layers. Check on family, friends and neighbors who may be more vulnerable to this week’s cold weather or may not have access to housing and heating, including the elderly and those with disabilities, the release said.
The San Antonio Fire Department recommends keeping anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from heating equipment, such as a furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
The SAFD also recommends installing and maintaining carbon monoxide alarms to avoid the risk of poisoning. Additionally, the SAFD said to never use your oven to heat your home or use a generator indoors.
The SAFD also said to always plug portable heaters directly into a wall socket and remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
The city’s 311 customer service hotline is open from 7 a.m. to midnight Dec. 22-23. The hotline will operate throughout the holidays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents may call 311 or use the 311 SA mobile app, the release said.
Regarding rental properties, landlords are obligated to maintain their rental properties to the minimum standards set by the city’s property maintenance code, the release said.
Heating equipment must be able to maintain a minimum inside temperature of 60 degrees, measured 3 feet above the floor, the city sad. To report suspected violations, call 311.
Warming centers
The city and county said they will public warning centers open beginning 3 p.m. Dec. 22. Anyone coming to the center should bring clothes, supplies and medicine. The centers are accessible and inclusive:
- Normoyle Community Center, 700 Culberson Ave., San Antonio
- South Side Lions Senior Center 3303 Pecan Valley Drive, San Antonio
- Garza Community Center, 1450 Mira Vista, San Antonio
- Christ the King Lutheran Church, 1129 Pat Booker Road, Universal City
- Emergency Services District 5, 7120 E. Sixth St., Somerset
- Emergency Services District 3, 23103 Bulverde Road, San Antonio
- Emergency Services District 7, 11617 Galm Road, San Antonio
Kennels will be available in a separate area for pets at Normoyle, South Side Lions and Garza centers, the release said.
Additionally the town of Hollywood Park has activated its public warming center, now open at City Hall, 2 Mecca Drive, through the morning of Dec. 22. A notice is posted on the entrance door of City Hall with contact numbers to admit residents into the warming center, the city said.
VIA passengers may travel fare-free to or from a warming center. Passengers using VIA bus service or VIA Link should alert the bus operator when boarding; VIAtrans passengers should alert the reservation agent when booking a VIAtrans trip, the release said.
Residents may also call 311 to request a trip to a warming center. Emergency trips cannot be arranged directly with VIA, the release said.
Unsheltered individuals
For unsheltered individuals, Haven for Hope has expanded its intake hours and emergency bed capacity. Communities Under the Bridge will open for meals and shelter Dec. 22-25.
The Homeless Connections Hotline at 210-207-1799 is available 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and will remain open until 8 p.m. on Dec. 22 and 23, the city said.
Pets
Authorities said pets should be brought indoors and provided with a warm place to sleep.
State law prohibits dogs from being tethered with any size chain at any time; it also prohibits dogs from being left outdoors restrained and unattended, especially in severe weather conditions.
San Antonio Animal Care Officers will be on patrol through the rest of the week. Potential violators can face impoundment of their pet, fines up to $2,000 and 180 days in jail for repeat offenders. To report suspected violations, call 311, the release said.
Authorities also urged farmers and ranchers to protect their animals and livestock during the severe winter weather by providing steady supplies of fresh water and food, warm bedding and extra feed.
San Antonio Animal Care Services and God's Dogs Rescue are among the local animal shelters and pet rescues who have requested additional temporary pet fosters to help care for mainly dogs in their care during the holiday season.
Plants and water utilities
The release said people may need to cover their outdoor plants or bring them inside to avoid frost damage.
The San Antonio Water System reminds residents to allow one internal faucet to slowly drip to keep water moving in your pipes during coldest temperatures.
If your home has plumbing in cabinets on outside walls without insulation, leave the cabinet doors open to allow warmer indoor air to circulate, the SAWS said.
The SAWS also asked customers to cover and insulate outdoor pipes and to know where their water meter cutoff valve is. If pipes freeze, the SAWS created a video on how to turn off water at the meter.
