Lea esta nota en español New coronavirus cases in the Austin area have increased this week as students, teachers and staff head back to in-person classes. The city’s medical director, Dr. Desmar Walkes, told a joint meeting of Travis County commissioners and Austin City Council members that the surge was expected given the varying mask […]
Public Safety
Posted inEMS
Alter, Tovo find more funds for EMS
As a result of budget amendments provided by City Council members Alison Alter and Kathie Tovo, Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services will gain a new deputy medical director and three paramedic practitioners beginning in November. In addition, three EMS division chiefs and three new coordinators for the Office of the Chief Medical Officer are expected […]
Posted inPublic Safety
City eyes $3M for two resiliency hubs to aid weather emergency response
City staffers are recommending a pilot project to create two facilities to act as tryout resiliency hubs that would provide basic utilities and services to nearby residents during climate emergencies and other extreme conditions. A memo released last week by chief sustainability officer Lucia Athens and climate program manager Zach Baumer suggested creating two hubs […]
Posted inEMS
EMS Association president says medics are ‘exhausted’ and ‘hopeless’ as Covid cases surge
Emergency medical services in Austin are facing a huge crunch as Covid-19 cases surge. Selena Xie, the president of the Austin EMS Association, said EMS workers are significantly understaffed at a time when their call volume is skyrocketing. “Medics are just so tired and exhausted, and in a lot of ways, hopeless,” Xie said. She said […]
Posted inPolice
Austin narrows police chief search to three finalists
The city of Austin has narrowed its search for a new police chief down to three candidates: Joseph Chacon, Austin’s interim police chief; Avery Moore, an assistant chief with the Dallas Police Department; and Emada Tingirides, a deputy chief with the Los Angeles Police Department. The city named the finalists Friday. KUT contacted the candidates […]
Posted inPublic Health
Austin and Travis County officials mandate mask-wearing in city and county property, public schools
Austin and Travis County officials are mandating people over the age of 2 wear a mask on public property, including in buildings owned by the city and county and in public schools. “Today’s order to require masks in certain places is both to support Austin ISD’s decision to protect children and the city’s duty to […]
Posted inPolice
APD Animal Cruelty Unit down to one detective
The Animal Advisory Commission may be philosophically divided on some issues, but commissioners were united Monday in calling for the restoration of recent staffing cuts made to the Austin Police Department’s Animal Cruelty Unit. Responding to queries from the Austin Animal Center and Commission Chair Craig Nazor, APD Det. Tim Diven confirmed in early August […]
Posted inPublic Health
Last time Covid cases surged, Austin opened a field hospital. Here’s why that won’t work now.
When Austin-area hospitals began admitting about 100 new Covid patients a day last January, the city of Austin did something it hoped it would never have to: It set up hospital beds in the convention center, transforming the conference space into a field hospital. “I want to be very clear: Our hope is that we never see […]
Posted inPublic Health
Austin Public Health offers vaccine incentives
Austin Public Health is offering $50 HEB gift cards to people who receive Covid-19 vaccinations at APH community vaccination sites and fill out a survey afterwards. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccinations require two separate shots to be effective. Those who come back for their second shot will receive a second HEB gift card worth […]
Posted inPublic Health
Austin area moves to Stage 5 risk as Covid-19 hospitalizations continue to soar
Lea esta nota en español Austin and Travis County have moved into Stage 5, the highest level of risk in the local health department’s Covid-19 guidelines. Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin-Travis County Health Authority, said during a news conference Thursday that this is the fastest Covid-19 surge in the pandemic so far. Patients in intensive care units […]
Posted inFire
Alter finds funding for more EMS, fire services
When City Council Member Alison Alter heard that the Loop 360/Davenport Fire and EMS Station would not be opening in Fiscal Year 2022 as planned, she thought of how savings from that station could be used to help the Austin Fire Department and Austin Travis County EMS. She laid out a plan for use of […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Public Safety Commission recommends ceasing Prop B citations
The Public Safety Commission Monday recommended that City Council halt citations and arrests related to Proposition B, arguing that public camping should not be criminalized when people don’t have anywhere else to go. “There are myriad reasons listed for why this feels appropriate,” Commissioner Nelly Paulina Ramirez said. “First and foremost, it’s impossible at this […]