[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6692079,"mediaKeyId","2215906-85ebf4f5e5e1c9a3ac0d92aa2aeee439","parentId",2215906,"title","Austin Fire Department reports wildfire deployments, mental-health outreach and staffing shortfalls","audioSeconds",844,"startMs",224000,"endMs",1068000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2215906-85ebf4f5e5e1c9a3ac0d92aa2aeee439&start=224&end=1068","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2215906-85ebf4f5e5e1c9a3ac0d92aa2aeee439/thumbnail_224000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6692079/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Austin-Fire-Department-reports-wildfire-deployments-mental-health-outreach-and-staffing-shortfalls","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6692079-5d405df26eebd69d55296551b7b97e11/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168682&Signature=LWhR~ZEcveczSwKZN~HgQYIUpU8iJyKIso8wFwBDSTtlKXULW3LBsYKyq2lMdKVq~5jPfr~z~9M67Abx8wHI9DjgyAEjgGEyVlUrJtf6KIUAxV3iHcZPR4OkT-iVWQ9TufFuv3U2UolrAtU0y4OJlU4M8x5MeAQ6ZDaLPM0TU3DkFhF3TA-W2KYGepCVVQf6G-7M8LeZT3wEiGpW4G9jnRcsFulwxLcGtRLpfOlY4StR1W3OA0h1e1jShk94CKXQtnbZHt4k2fG4t18PhVeDgnCsSuCxKhuCsQjf2cdQVmsGkUPkle--PcRy~tOJ1f6~YEDPy1Z6wD4N6IYeoLjvxQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Austin","date","2025-02-03T00:00:00Z","article","The Austin Fire Department told the Public Safety Commission on Feb. 4 that its personnel deployed to California as part of a regional strike team, that a new station (Station 54) opened for a soft start in January and that the department continues to operate with roughly a 6% vacancy rate.

City and department leaders described the California deployment as both a response and training opportunity. \"They were there for 3 weeks. They were able to help community members as they were allowed to start moving back into their homes,\" the presenter said, adding firefighters also performed clearing, patrolling and some firefighting on active wildfires.

The presentation highlighted multiple program areas: mental-health outreach for sworn and civilian staff, a captain dedicated to mapping calls involving persons experiencing homelessness, a station soft opening and a multi-station remodeling program. The department also reviewed auto-aid training with neighboring departments, overdose-response trends, arson-investigation successes and ongoing recruiting and academy timelines.

Why it matters: the department said deployments and training returned new wildfire and mobile firefighting techniques to Austin, while the mental-health update underscored personnel stress. Officials said those internal supports and recruitment plans affect day-to-day emergency response capacity for the city.

Department details and staffing: AFD staff reported four sworn members (active or retired) and one civilian suicide over the past five years and described an array of wellness resources — staff psychologists, a peer-support team, chaplains and therapy dogs. The presenter said about 70 total vacancies remain, representing roughly a 6% vacancy rate, with typical retirements occurring after roughly 29 years of service and resignations averaging 5.5 years. Recruiting plans call for starting the next hiring cycle in early 2026; the most recent written exam drew 667 candidates, and the department expects to open cadet classes of about 48 recruits.

Facilities and operations: Station 54 began a soft opening in January, and the presenter said five stations have been remodeled and are expected to return to service in the next one to three months. In one exchange, Commissioner Smith asked about Station 25 (Duvall); the presenter said the station’s expected completion date is Feb. 25.

Wildfire, homelessness and public safety coordination: AFD said it has increased structure-ignition-zone evaluations, noting 80 evaluations last year and 120 requests in January alone. The department also described a captain whose role is to harvest call data related to persons experiencing homelessness and to coordinate with the Homeless Strategy Office on encampment risk and prioritization.

Training and mutual aid: The presentation summarized continuing multi-department drills for mid-rise and complex building incidents and highlighted a January 12 incident where coordinated multi-agency response limited harm. On overdose response the department said declines in naloxone administrations in ambulance runs reflect broader distribution of the drug by partner agencies and the public.

What was not decided or changed: the presentation was informational; commissioners asked for follow-ups on specific stations and on outreach to encampments, but the meeting recorded no department policy changes.

Ending: The department closed by repeating a long-term recruiting ask: “We are always hiring,” and shared the recruit site joinafd.com for prospective applicants.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Austin - Public Safety Commission - Feb 03, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At a Public Safety Commission meeting, Austin Fire Department officials reviewed a regional wildfire deployment to California, new station openings and continuing recruiting challenges, and outlined mental-health resources for staff.","taxTitle","Austin, Travis County, Texas","taxId",2819,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6692076,"APD, SAFE Alliance and Travis County DA report improved sexual-assault data and prosecution; commission votes for quarterly reporting",3844,3378000,7222000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2215906-85ebf4f5e5e1c9a3ac0d92aa2aeee439&start=3378&end=7222","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2215906-85ebf4f5e5e1c9a3ac0d92aa2aeee439/thumbnail_3378000.jpg","/articles/6692076/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/APD-SAFE-Alliance-and-Travis-County-DA-report-improved-sexual-assault-data-and-prosecution-commission-votes-for-quarterly-reporting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6692076-7cfcd4aa46a48c797cf0eef349ea296f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168682&Signature=n4LXMHIqNccRH5xwS26ap1yYGgmHYY8C6Lgz3M3qCFdQLVYfsBqyagEaDFGoksZUi2MT-VDRTUsfNVLKMK1c7HbklstE-Xazo8yPH6X6xwZdSjjX~7eX4h0cb2Km-SVsuPQWrD8U9ZlLoC~pCCFT7OtmXrQ2s4Nmk732PWKkHOsiSQ~C5Ek7kxe9CHiYvylQivp-utPPJSnnp5XA5gtAiY1qVs~E80xu2CekOC5vNvdpMWQLVs8Vq9QL8MUs31b3rFRJlFi3TOORsXWiYjoeLV7457tzsHU-s40l73NkJuOSqTYOkKxJloLLHZ8OH0kIZyywH~tztoEbiGOLFfF9HA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Public Safety Commission on Feb. 4 heard coordinated briefings from the Austin Police Department, the SAFE Alliance (sexual-assault response services) and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office about sexual-assault reporting, case handling and prosecution outcomes and voted unanimously to ask those agencies to submit quarterly case data for commission review.

APD detective leadership described improved data quality and increasing calls for service. Commander Deanna Lichter, who leads the department’s special-crimes unit, said enhanced review and a civilian data team from the collective sexual-crimes response model (CSRM) project have improved internal title coding and case accuracy. ‘‘Every case that comes to us is investigated,’’ Lichter said, while noting that an increase in 911 calls does not always equate to more formal reports once officers arrive.

SAFE Alliance forensic-nursing staff described victim-centered medical-forensic services, advocacy and patient options including medical care without making a police report. For December 2024 SAFE reported 64 unduplicated service contacts: 41 evidence-collection exams, five medical-only exams and 18 consults. SAFE’s December patient feedback (18 respondents) reported high satisfaction: respondents said staff ‘‘gave me enough information to make decisions about my care’’ and that they ‘‘felt a sense of regained control over this process.’’

Travis County prosecutors described rising conviction counts and improved case-level communication. A DA’s Office representative said that since criminal courts reopened after the COVID-19 pandemic the office has doubled convictions in sexual-assault-related cases compared with the six previous years, attributing the gains to embedded prosecutors, closer coordination and improvements in discovery and evidence flow.

Commission action and next steps: Commissioners moved and approved a recommendation that APD, SAFE Alliance and the Travis County DA’s Office submit sexual-assault case data quarterly to the Public Safety Commission for review. The motion — moved by Commissioner Smith and seconded by Commissioner Nguyen — passed unanimously, 8–0. The commission also asked the CSRM team to work with the city manager’s office, the SART and stakeholders to assess a permanent, cross-agency data home where discovery and outcomes could be cross-referenced for oversight and longitudinal review.

Context and limitations: APD staff emphasized the difference between calls for service and reports that enter investigative tracks; Commander Lichter said cases can be ‘‘paused’’ (suspended) for reasons including awaiting DNA results or for victim readiness. The DA’s Office cautioned that federal grant funding supports several victim-assistance positions and said proposed administrative actions by the Texas attorney general that would require confidential case-file handoffs could threaten victim privacy and undermine trust.

Ending: Commissioners said they plan to refine future quarterly reports to close feedback loops between APD and the DA’s Office and to use the commission’s review to surface data on underreported populations, language access, victims with unstable housing and nightlife/venue-linked incidents.","At a Public Safety Commission meeting, APD, the SAFE Alliance SANE program and the Travis County District Attorney's Office presented sexual-assault reporting, response and prosecution data. Commissioners voted unanimously to request quarterly data submissions and a plan for a permanent cross-agency data home.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6692078,"Homeless Strategy Office outlines HEAL encampment work, shelter capacity and outreach gaps",958,1414000,2372000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2215906-85ebf4f5e5e1c9a3ac0d92aa2aeee439&start=1414&end=2372","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2215906-85ebf4f5e5e1c9a3ac0d92aa2aeee439/thumbnail_1414000.jpg","/articles/6692078/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Homeless-Strategy-Office-outlines-HEAL-encampment-work-shelter-capacity-and-outreach-gaps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6692078-8a43c4a14cd459e4358659aa2fd490ac/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168682&Signature=hcstgueCZOUivC5gJssjul6PQyPkxvSZjJPy~MJ705Gr7UF5b~wEemZ-8DMQ5zeYQxFawR2ZM1n5LdFKTh2tzVXAiSts1LGWTBltRVD7rKCFpOKvZ~iXdu1NW0SGqOsWID3VNv5nVP8n7VzF0~hoqt57XC1PfZXbHIpdh-JUzOdTwTADcpBWVV5npvEN85lxcub0zyr0oqk7e9ZLIRBwB4O9z37Ez9Ur-4JKKDtdlPHclMSZ7AXIwWuWuMjEzPSqwTiWZgMXzr3deGxwJ8Vkbe8sCNmDGFL1lR~RRC1utTfiHLhXRDumm50L~ioBfl7rSBqfBmpzNw1sYz0ZNwTHJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","David Gray, director of Austin’s Homeless Strategy Office, told the Public Safety Commission on Feb. 4 that the office was established in December 2023 and now administers roughly $30 million in annual service contracts for street outreach, case management and permanent supportive housing.

Gray described three core collaboration areas with public-safety partners — street outreach, public-space management and emergency shelter operations — and said the city’s HEAL (Housing-Focused Encampment Assistance Link) initiatives moved more than 400 people from encampments into shelter during the past year.

The office “conducted 12 HEAL initiatives” and four “supplemental sites,” Gray said, and the city’s work with Transportation, Public Works and Austin Police Department resulted in hundreds of clear-and-clean operations: 283 sites with city departments and 1,240 sites with APD.

Why it matters: Gray framed the office’s work as both public-safety and public-health — prioritizing wildfire risk, overdose prevention, shelter placement and transitions into rapid rehousing or permanent supportive housing. He told commissioners that outreach and shelter-flow capacity are the office’s limiting constraints.

Shelter operations and capacity: Gray described the marshalling-yard emergency shelter model, a triage-based “Embarkation Point” at One Texas Center used during cold-weather activations, and a text-alert system aimed at unhoused residents. The office reported a mass-text database with about 45,100 numbers for people experiencing homelessness; roughly 80% of those messages are successfully delivered and click-through rates increased from under 5% to over 26% during the most recent cold-weather activation.

Coordination with public-safety agencies: Gray detailed cross-agency work: APD officers assigned to an outreach street team, targeted prioritization of encampments in high wildfire-risk areas with firefighter input, and EMS drop-offs to the embankation point during weather activations. Gray also described a downtown-focused Heart Initiative that can send Urban Alchemy street outreach workers to calls that are not immediate safety risks before police arrive.

Technology and data: The office is revamping an internal Homeless Encampment Management tool intended to give city departments shared operational data about encampments, recent 911 calls, outreach visits and closure plans. Gray said the office uses the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) for service tracking and is testing the encampment tool to provide public-safety partners with operational context.

Limitations and needs: Gray urged more shelter, medical-respite and mental-health beds. He said many interventions depend on partner capacity, such as Capital Metro buses for transport during activations, and on contracted outreach agencies. Commissioners pressed for better access to shelter registration — for example, decentralized embarkation points so residents who lack transportation can reach services without long trips downtown.

Ending: Gray said the office is still new — \"if we were a baby, we'd just be learning how to walk\" — and singled out training, data tools and additional shelter capacity as priorities for the coming year.","David Gray, director of Austin’s Homeless Strategy Office, told the Public Safety Commission the office used HEAL initiatives and partnership with public-safety agencies to move more than 400 people into shelter last year, but said shelter, mental-health and respite capacity remain insufficient.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Austin Fire Department reports wildfire deployments, mental-health outreach and staffing shortfalls

APD, SAFE Alliance and Travis County DA report improved sexual-assault data and prosecution; commission votes for quarterly reporting

Homeless Strategy Office outlines HEAL encampment work, shelter capacity and outreach gaps