While hundreds of thousands of North Texans have been preserving heat and layering up inside their homes, Dallas first responders have suited up to brave single-digit forecasts.
As the state approaches the end of a week of what could be the costliest weather event in Texas history, the winter storm has caused power outages that resulted in homes dropping below freezing. Although Dallas temperatures are projected to reach the mid-50s this weekend, Dallas Fire-Rescue is still receiving almost 100 calls a day due to the storm.
Capt. Cristian Hinojosa said his station at Lake Highlands normally sees about 15 calls in a 24-hour shift.
“I’d say we’re definitely in a crisis at this point,” Hinojosa said.
Firefighters have responded to flood-related calls from strained pipes, and the number of fires have increased as people have been desperate to find heat.
“One of the calls we made was somebody burning parts of their bed frame inside of their fireplace to stay warm because they didn’t have anything [else],” Hinojosa said.
Dallas police have also faced a spike in calls due to the sub-freezing temperatures. Many North Texans have sought refuge in their cars. However, leaving a car running in an enclosed area, like a garage, can lead to death from carbon monoxide poisoning.
“That’s not your average call,” said Terrance Hopkins, president of the Black Police Association of Greater Dallas.
This once-in-a-generation storm has led to first responders being busier than normal, and even when they’re not working, many haven’t been able to rest properly.
“Usually we get our two days off after 24 [hours] on, but during those 48 hours off, we’re dealing with a lot of the same things that we deal with when we’re on duty,” Hinojosa said. “The busted water pipes, the flooding, the freezing temperatures, the need to evacuate our homes.”
Hinojosa, who lives blocks away from Fire Station 28 on Greenville Avenue, has gone without power and hot water for over three days. He’s been able to take hot showers at work, but 15 of the county’s 58 stations have faced outages.
The winter weather has also affected operations for fire and police departments in other ways. One of the most critical components of emergency response is arriving in a timely manner. Ice on the roads has forced responders to take extra caution.
And looking out for other drivers is a priority, too. Even without icy conditions, the roads can be dangerous.
Last week, Officer Mitchell Penton died after a driver slammed into his squad car. He was directing traffic at the scene of an accident.
Both fire engines and police cars have chains that improve traction, but first responders only receive chains on an as-needed basis, and Hinojosa said there’s always the possibility of the chains breaking.
Frigid weather makes responding to fires more difficult. Each fire truck carries hundreds of gallons of water inside the tanks that can freeze. And the engines run on diesel, which turns to gel at certain temperatures. Firefighters have also seen frozen hydrants.
“Our goal is to find the fire hydrant that’s closest to the fire,” Hinojosa said. “But if we open that cap and the water is frozen, we have to go search for another one.”
Even though their work conditions have been more difficult than normal, Hinojosa said “it’s an honor to serve in this capacity.” The hardest part of the week has been seeing the destruction of people’s homes.
Because most infrastructure in the state isn’t prepared for wintry weather, pipes have burst, causing apartments and houses to flood. Ceilings have caved in. In multistory buildings, if the top area floods, the floors below are affected, whether or not their pipes are intact.
“We can do our best to cut the water off from the connection in the street, but trying to figure out where that water is flowing from inside somebody’s home is very challenging,” Hinojosa said.
“You have people who are in 40 degrees inside their homes with no heat, and now you have to witness their homes getting flooded. It just adds insult to injury in an already difficult time.”
Hinojosa added that the worst days are still to come. As pipes start to thaw with increasing temperatures, more pipes will burst.
He added that residents should learn how to cut off their water supply from the street. Every home — including apartments and condos — has a small manhole near the front. For those who live in houses, it’s normally near the mailbox. A water meter key, a tool sold at home improvement stores like Lowes, opens the manhole. Once opened, the water valve below can shut off the water.
As the thaw begins, the outages are decreasing. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the agency that oversees the state’s power grid, ended emergency operations Friday. Many North Texans are still without power, including first responders, but they’re committed to answering their call to duty.
“That’s just what we do,” said Hopkins, who faced intermittent outages at his Midlothian home for several days last week.
“Of course it’s difficult leaving home and your family. A lot of people can just stay home. That’s an option that a lot of us just do not have.”
