SAN ANTONIO – Three San Antonio City Council members are calling for a special session after five people were hospitalized in two, separate home explosions in the same North Side neighborhood last Tuesday.
Marc Whyte (District 10), Marina Alderete Gavito (District 7) and Teri Castillo (District 5) want the City Council to review how the city, its utilities and first responders coordinate during emergencies, according to a memo filed Monday with the City Clerk’s office.
“Recent events in our Preston Hollow neighborhood in District 10 have highlighted the critical importance of establishing clear, systematic protocols and coordination between the City, our municipal utilities, SAPD and SAFD and other emergency response agencies,” the memo states.
The council members asked Walsh to convene the session next month, and include participation from leaders of CPS Energy, the San Antonio Police Department, San Antonio Fire Department, San Antonio Water System and emergency services.
The proposed session would cover current emergency response protocols, inter-departmental communication structures, coordination procedures between city departments and utility partners, real-time information sharing during active incidents, resource allocation and mutual aid frameworks, and public communication and transparency standards during emergencies, according to the memo.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the natural gas-fueled blasts and expects to release a preliminary report within approximately 30 days from the incident.
KSAT continues to follow updates on the Preston Hollow home explosions. Read more of our coverage below: