UPDATE: 2/16/21
The City of DeSoto has opened a temporary warming and overnight shelter for DeSoto residents at the DeSoto Recreation Center. 211 E. Pleasant Run Rd.
COVID-19 precautions will be followed including masks and social distancing. Residents planning to stay the night are instructed to bring their own comfort, bedding, and personal care items. They should also be prepared to provide for their own food and health care needs.
The City does not normally provide emergency shelter and has very limited supplies. Persons with COVID or who have been recently exposed to someone with Coronavirus should not come. No pets will be permitted. Transportation will not be provided but parking is available in the adjacent parking structure. To see the number of people checked-in at the shelter, please click this link: https://bit.ly/3ps6maY
The temporary shelter at the Faith Bible Church on Pleasant Run Road has been closed.
For further information contact: 972-230-9655
Closures & Other Important Information For DeSoto Residents
Many residents in our region have been without power for extended periods of time. Some outages are done by Texas power grid operator ERCOT on a rotating basis to prevent the Texas power grid from crashing. Others are due to extreme weather. Our power provider, Oncor Energy, said they are addressing storm-related issues non-stop but that customers should be prepared to go without power for an extended period of time. Oncor states that customers do not need to report outages for the time being. Here is a link to the information that they circulated earlier today: https://www.ci.desoto.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/18776/021521-Oncor-Message
For future use only, Oncor’s outage line is: 1-888-313-4747/SWRCC: 972-223-6161 and their link to report outages: https://stormcenter.oncor.com/external/default.html/
If you are a DeSoto resident who has been without power for an extended period of time, your house is cold, and if you feel that your health and safety is at risk you can contact the Southwest Regional Communications Center (SWRCC) directly at 469-643-5211 to advise and if possible assist. If you have trouble getting through at first there are two email addresses that you can use as a back-up.
These accounts are not frequently monitored so dialing 469-643-5211 is the best way to communicate: Winter Storm Back-Up Emails: supervisors@swrcc.net and JDuffield@desototexas.gov
If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency please dial 9-1-1.
Due to ongoing weather concerns and power outages, all City of DeSoto facilities including the DeSoto City Hall, Public Library, and Recreation Center will be closed to the public tomorrow, Tuesday, February 16.
Essential workers identified by each department are required to report to work as directed by their Department Heads. Non-essential workers who are able to work from home and have permission from their Department Head are authorized to work from home.
DeSoto’s Municipal Court, located in City Hall, already delivers many of its key services online. While the building will be closed, those who need to resolve their court cases can text the Municipal Court Clerk at 972-737-7558 or video conference the Judge between 8 AM and 4 PM on Tuesday, February 16, 2021, by going to https://zoom.us/join , click JOIN a meeting, and type in MEETING ID 582-661-129 Ticket payments can also be made to the court online. https://trafficpayment.com/SearchByInvoiceInfo.aspx?csdId=501&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
The DeSoto City Council had originally scheduled a virtual Topical Work Session for 6:00 PM Monday evening (tonight) February 15th and a virtual City Council Meeting on Tuesday, February 16th, however, both virtual meetings have been canceled.
NO Trash Pickup On Tuesday
Republic Services has notified the City of DeSoto that they will not be collecting trash on Tuesday due to weather impacts. Here is their message: “We will not be running on Tuesday because of poor road conditions and freezing temperatures. If the weather permits, we will run Tuesday Routes on Wednesday and be back on schedule for the rest of the week. Recycle will either be collected on Saturday or pushed to next week. Household trash will be our main focus and we will collect everything placed at the curb. We appreciate your patience as we work hard to make sure that everyone’s trash is collected in a way that keeps our drivers and residents safe.”
There will be no meal delivery service Tuesday for DeSoto Seniors registered with the DeSoto Senior Activity Center. Service will resume once the streets are safe and drivable. Parks & Recreation will update this status on their social media platforms and via the voicemail at the Senior Activity Center: 972-230-5825.
Fair Park Vaccination Hub Closed Through Wednesday
Dallas County’s Fair Park Mega Vaccination Site will be closed through at least Wednesday: Dallas County HHS States: “According to the National Weather Service, we are expected to have dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills through tomorrow morning, and another winter storm that should arrive Tuesday and Wednesday. Due to this additional storm, Fair Park vaccine operations will be closed through Wednesday, February 17. We will be closely monitoring the weather situation and there may be additional closures after Wednesday if there are still unsafe conditions. We understand the urgency to administer second doses of the vaccine, but we must also balance people’s safety. As soon as we can safely open again, we will.”
There will be no COVID update tonight given the large volume of other critical updates, but here is today’s COVID News Release from Dallas County: https://www.ci.desoto.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/18775/2152021-Press-Release—Dallas-County-Reports-Additional-Positive-2019-Novel-Coronavirus-COVID-19-Cases
STAR Transit has announced that “out of an abundance of caution and for the safety of their passengers and staff, all service has been canceled on Tuesday, February 16th, and that further updates regarding service for the remainder of this week are forthcoming. “
We strongly advise residents to monitor local television weather forecasts, especially the National Weather Service (NWS) for the next few days. Their main website for our area is https://www.weather.gov/fwd/ . You should also watch the news, weather, and traffic on DFW area television stations for a solid overview of conditions and hazards.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE/EARLIER DETAILED FORECAST:
Another Winter Storm Warning will be in effect from 6 PM Tuesday until 6 AM Thursday. Heavy mixed precipitation is expected, with total snow accumulations of 2-6 inches expected (highest amounts northeast of the DFW Metro) and total ice accumulations of 0.10-0.25 inches expected (highest concentrations expected in the Waco/Temple/Killeen areas northeast to Palestine and Canton.) Travel could become dangerous and is discouraged from Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning. Additional Power outages are expected, and cold wind chills could result in hypothermia if precautions are not taken.
COLD WEATHER TIPS FOR DESOTO RESIDENTS:
Listen to weather and travel advice provided by local TV News, Radio News, the National Weather Service (NWS), and by Texas DOT. Most informed voices advise staying inside and off of the roadways.
NWS states, “Please avoid travel as the roads are already covered with snow and ice and more snow now and tonight. However, if you must head out, please read over and heed their safety tips!: https://www.facebook.com/NWSDallasFortWorth/photos/a.140805919289363/3747458108624108/
Uninsulated pipes can freeze in below-freezing weather. To help prevent this please keep a slight trickle of water running into your sink. Also, make sure your sink’s drain is open.
If your water pipes face an outside wall, open the cabinets in that area so the warmth of the interior can reach your pipes.
If you find a frozen pipe, DO NOT use a blow torch or open flame to attempt to defrost it. It could be a gas line. If you must try to thaw a frozen water pipe, and you’re sure it’s a water pipe, a hairdryer would be a safer choice.
Sign-up for emergency weather alerts from the National Weather Service via DeSoto’s Code Red notification system. www.desototexas.gov/codered or https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/02F163C00AB4
If you are facing a life-threatening emergency please call 9-1-1.
