County emergency staff update warming center operations; rural resident urges water pipelines for fire protection

Nueces County emergency management staff briefed the Commissioners Court on the county's overnight warming center operations in Robstown and partners'support during a multi-night cold snap, and a rural resident used public comment time to press the court for water pipelines and hydrants to support volunteer fire departments.

"We opened up officially on Sunday at 6 PM and initially had about 10 to 12 people," said Dee Hawkins, the county's emergency management coordinator. Hawkins said the Robstown overnight warming center grew to about 20'2 people on peak nights and that the county coordinated closely with the city of Robstown, the Salvation Army, H-E-B and the Corpus Christi partners. "We were able to loan them about 80 cots, to help them supply their gymnasium, and we've also taken some of their overflow clients," Hawkins said, and added the county planned to remain open while temperatures stayed below freezing.

Hawkins described the Robstown site as an "overnight warming center," not a full-service shelter; it provides beds, food and basic warming services but not showers. She said the city and local partners were linking residents to other locations for hygiene services when available, and that an incident action plan would be provided in writing after the event.

Later in the meeting, William Charles Chisholm, a long-time county resident, used the public comment period to urge the court to use discretionary or "bonus" funds to extend potable water lines into rural subdivisions and to add hydrants so volunteer fire departments can fight wildland and structure fires more effectively. Chisholm said volunteer fire tankers sometimes must travel 18 miles to fill, creating response gaps. "If you got money to give to colonials, they don't vote, they don't pay taxes. How about helping out those of us who do? Give us a water pipeline that we can put fire hydrants on to protect the…