October 6, 2008 Minutes
CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
October 6, 2008
After determining that a quorum was present, the City Council convened in a Special Called
Work Session on Monday, October 6, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. in the Council Work Session Room.
PRESENT: Mayor Burroughs; Council Members Heggins, Moreno, Mulroy, Thomson, and
Watts.
ABSENT: Mayor Pro Tem Kamp
1.The Council received a report and held a discussion with the Fire Department staff
regarding emergency management including CodeRED, Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
operations and review of the City's response to recent hurricanes.
Ross Chadwick, Fire Chief, indicated that Mike Penaluna, Emergency Management Coordinator,
would review the CodeRED and overview of the hurricane responses. Brad Fuller and Chuck
Goodman would detail their relief efforts during Hurricane Ike.
Mike Penaluna, Emergency Management Coordinator, presented information concerning
CodeRED. CodeRED started in 1998 as a result of the major wildfires across central Florida.
Since that time it had been installed in 750 cities/counties across the U.S. CodeRED was an
emergency notification system that used a telephone notification system of both land lines and
cell phones to provide emergency notices. It could make up to 60,000 calls per hour. Residents,
businesses and schools could subscribe to the service. CodeRED was ideal for targeting specific
neighborhoods on emergencies. The system would call back busy signals, no answers and a call
could be replayed if needed. Local uses included Hurricane Gustav update to EOC staff, a
Denton jail break test, a power outage test plus area neighborhood tests. The warning would be
initiated by the City.
The second part of CodeRED was the CodeRED Weather Warning. This was an automated
system from the National Weather Service when warnings were issued about flash flooding,
severe thunderstorm, or tornadoes. A warning would be sent only to those individuals who had
registered and whose address was in the path of the storm. The individual must be a resident of
Denton and must register to be included in the warning system. Since April 10, 2008, 12
automated CodeRED Weather warnings had been activated. Six were for flash flood warnings
and six for severe thunderstorm warnings. Public Education efforts regarding this system
included new stories, the City website, DTV, newsletters, information at libraries,
announcements on utility statements, presentations, public education booths, and the Emergency
Preparedness Fair.
Local notification systems included a partnership with KNTU FM radio system, DTV, Charter
Cable Channel 26 and Verizon Channel 38; the City’s website, press releases to news media
outlets, warning sirens, NOAA weather warning radio, CodeRED telephone notification system,
emergency alert system for TV/radio/cable, cable override system for Charter and Grande Cable
systems, pubic information line, police and fire PA systems, and Denton Hydrowatch.
Penaluna presented information regarding the Hurricane Gustav sheltering efforts. The County
managed the shelter at Camp Copass which opened on 8/31/08 and closed on 9/3/08. One
hundred sixteen evacuees were located at the shelter. The City provided support for the shelter
from Fire, PIO and the Parks Department. A shelter was also open at the UNT Coliseum. That
shelter was managed by the American Red Cross which opened on 9/1/08 and closed on 9/4/08.
City of Denton City Council Minutes
October 6, 2008
Page 2
It sheltered 157 evacuees who were later transferred to the ARC Shelter in Arlington. The City
provided support for the shelter from the Fire, Police and PIO Departments. A UNT Coliseum
shelter was also in operation for Hurricane Ike which opened on 9/12/08 and closed on 9/17/08
for 134 evacuees.
Hurricane response efforts included coordination and control from the County EOC;
representation from the City of Denton Fire, Police and PIO; 8 Fire Department personnel were
deployed as part of the Texas Task Force 1; 1 medic was utilized as part of evaluation flights into
DFW; 2 medics were deployed for special needs evacuations; an engine crew and battalion chief
were deployed as part of an 80 person strike team to Orange County; Denton Municipal Electric
was deployed as mutual aid to Liberty City; and the Denton Police Department provided an
escort for DME deployment.
Council asked about future notification for students at UNT, TWU and NCTC. It was suggested
that the call number for CodeRED be changed from an 800 number so that individuals did not
think it was a telemarketer and not answer their phones. It was also discussed how individuals
who did not have access to a computer could sign up for the service.
Brad Fuller, Battalion Chief, presented information concerning Texas Task Force 1 and the relief
efforts they provided during the hurricanes. Chuck Goodman, Battalion Chief, presented
information on the relief efforts provided by the Texas Interstate Fire Mutual Aid system.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:55 p.m.
_______________________________
MARK A. BURROUGHS
MAYOR
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
_______________________________
JENNIFER WALTERS
CITY SECRETARY
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS