Sahar Chmais
As the city of Dripping Springs continues to grow, so do the services. The latest service residents will be able to utilize is the city’s Emergency Management Department.
In years prior, Dripping Springs would depend on the Hays County Emergency Management Department. The underlying issue is that Dripping Springs is the only city located in the northern part of the county, making it distanced from the services.
The plan will include procedures on emergency plans the city follows before, during and after an emergency. Getting the protocols together has been ongoing for a couple of years.
“The plan was designed so the City of Dripping Springs can adequately prepare, mitigate, respond and recover from a natural or man-made disaster or other emergency,” said Dripping Springs Emergency Management Coordinator Roman Baligad. “We’ve always been prepared should an emergency occur, but during a disaster time matters, and the less time we spend waiting for help the better off we will be. Our plan has identified our own local resources that can respond on short notice.”
Part of the Dripping Springs Emergency Management plan includes: finance and FEMA reimbursement, debris management, temporary housing and immediate personal item assistance, citizen property rebuilding assistance, temporary shelter and feeding of citizens, pets and livestock, crisis mental health services, public relations, disaster education for preparedness and more.
“It is hard to face any sort of emergency and disaster as they occur suddenly in our lives,” Baligad said. “But at the same time, we can certainly reduce their negative consequences through well thought out plans and strong preparations. …We will continue to assess and expand the plan as needed. The safety of our citizens is our top priority.”
