Emergency Preparedness for Possible Acts of Terrorism Announced

Ready South Texas Program Unveiled for Tri-agency Area

Today, Mayor Ed Garza, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and Comal County Judge Danny Scheel announced a tri-agency emergency preparedness public education outreach effort called Ready South Texas.

This tri-agency effort was made possible through the FY04 San Antonio Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant provided to the three government agencies. The UASI grant was made available by the Department of Homeland Security, through the Office of Domestic Preparedness.

“Homeland security is no longer the sole responsibility of our law enforcement. Today, it requires the collaborative effort among citizens, schools, corporations, and the government,” said Garza.

Ready South Texas’ mission is to educate citizens in the three communities, through public outreach, in appropriate actions prior to, during and after critical incidents, like a possible act of terrorism. Ready South Texas is an educational public outreach program and a proactive approach to emergency preparedness in the event of such a threat. The tri-agency communities are not under any type of immediate terrorist threat at this time.

"This is about awareness. We want to encourage residents to prepare and plan to keep their businesses, homes and families safe." Ready South Texas gives you tools and resources to respond to the very real possibility of an attack on our communities," said Wolff.

Components of the Ready South Texas program include:

• Coordinated emergency preparedness website: www.readysouthtexas.gov.
• Brochures and Pamphlets: Includes educational information regarding emergency alert systems, the significance of emergency preparedness plans for families and businesses, as well as emergency numbers.
• All Hazard Emergency Alert NOAA radios: Emergency management officials encourage every home and business to acquire an All Hazard Emergency Alert NOAA radio, in order to receive civil emergency and weather alerts. The radios will be available at a discounted price for the Ready South Texas program, exclusively at HEB stores in San Antonio, Bexar County and Comal County. Both HEB and Midland Radio have helped to make the radios available inexpensively for the program. KENS 5 is the exclusive English television Ready South Texas media partner for the promotion of the alert radios.
• Demonstration videos: Emergency preparedness videos will be available on the topics of shelter-in-place, evacuations, emergency supply kit needs and emergency alert systems.
• Children’s Activity Book and “Tex” the Shelter-In-Place Turtle: Educational emergency preparedness activity books for children will be available for parents and educators.
• Special needs component: The program will include working with organizations that represent people in the tri-agency area to assess the emergency needs of people with disabilities.
• Emergency preparedness activity: September is National Preparedness month and Ready South Texas will conduct “Practice the Plan” month. Emergency Management officials will encourage residents in the tri-agency area to practice emergency preparedness plans.

"Although we hope we never have to respond to an act of terrorism, it is our responsibility to ensure that the citizens are prepared to respond. We need to plan and prepare for all hazards and be ready to respond to any type of disaster which may affect our communities," said Scheel.

The brochures, pamphlets, videos and website are available in both English and in Spanish. In San Antonio, brochures are available at City libraries, fire stations and police substations beginning this week. The pamphlets will be available next week at the same locations. The demonstration videos can be accessed on-line at readysouthtexas.gov and at City libraries.

Citizens interested in contacting the City, Bexar County and Comal County for more information about Ready South Texas, can use the following numbers:

• San Antonio – Fire Department: 207-6634 or 311
• Bexar County – Emergency Management: 335-0300
• Comal County – Emergency Management: 830-608-8656 or 211