As San Antonio braces for the impending winter conditions this weekend, residents are taking all necessary steps to ensure warmth and safety. According to a Fox San Antonio report, Melva Alonzo-Bernal is among those stocking up on blankets, not just for herself, but for her three dogs too.
Joey Gutierrez, who works for a local delivery company, conveyed to Fox San Antonio he's been quickly handling a surge in requests for basic winter supplies. "Candles, blankets, hand warmers, a lot of water, you know, by the gallons, and by the packs," Gutierrez said, highlighting the most sought-after items. Companies and residents alike are preparing to thoroughly face what's ahead.
Local government is not taking any chances post-2021's crippling freeze. Bexar County Public Information Officer Monica Trevino-Ortega informed that public works staff have prepped for the freezing weather. She highlighted, "The Public Works staff at three county service centers have prepared trucks and equipment for pretreatment of bridges and other high level structures in unincorporated Bexar County."
Additionally, city officials remain vigilant as conditions evolve. "We have a team that is constantly watching and keeping an eye out on things. It doesn't seem like precipitation on the roads is going to maybe be as bad as we've had in the past. But if that were to change, the city would then you know, be ready to pivot as well," Luke Simons, a communications manager for the City of San Antonio, told Fox San Antonio.
With memories of last year's power and water crises still fresh, CPS Energy has announced their operations are normal with crews on standby. San Antonio Water System's Anne Hayden remains optimistic, contrasting this year's forecast with that of Winter Storm Uri. "It's going to get cold. But unlike what happened during Uri, it's going to warm up. So, it won't be a week of below freezing," Hayden stated in the interview with Fox San Antonio. Since Uri, SAWS has prioritized securing power for critical infrastructure to maintain service regardless of power issues, reaffirming residents' access to essential utilities.
Gutierrez summed up the community's proactive stance, "It's good to be prepared, get home prepared, and if something could happen again, you know, so that's, I'm happy that people are also getting ahead of the storm then being affected by the storm." As a reminder, during hard freezes, loss of water is often due to frozen outdoor pipes, so keeping them covered and letting faucets drip is advised. For more detailed preparation tips and information on local warming centers, San Antonio residents can visit the city's official website.
