The picturesque snowfalls in Texas in the spring of 2021 initially provided delight for residents and their children, but the severity and longevity of the storms soon proved to become one of the costliest events in the state’s history. The storms caused massive power outages throughout Texas, which combined with record low temperatures to produce a dangerous situation for those exposed to the cold without access to heat. Helping Texans manage this crisis was nonprofit organization BCFS Health and Human Services, a leader in emergency response and disaster management. The organization provided multiple capabilities to Texans, including power generation, food and water, and blankets, cots, and other materials to help them survive.
The aided cities and sites throughout Texas due to the widespread impacts of the colossal storms. For example, it provided aid to Breckenridge Village of Tyler (BVT), a nonprofit facility offering care for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. BVT lost power during one of the storms, and residents were evacuated due to falling indoor temperatures. They were moved to the nearby Robert M. Rogers Chapel, where BCFS Health and Human Services provided generators, cots, and blankets to ensure the residents were comfortable and could survive the few days until power and stability was restored.
BCFS Health and Human Services also supported San Antonio residents through a variety of services. It furnished a warming center at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. This center offered cots, blankets, and emergency power generators for up to 500 people at a time. The organization also provided bottled 15 semi trucks of water to San Antonio.
BCFS Health and Human Services’ staff members also continued to provide medical care during the snowstorm which was enabled by the organization’s transportation services that safely and reliably brought staff to their essential jobs despite the challenging road conditions.
Several of the organization’s residential services facilities lost power and water during the storm. They were able to function due to BCFS’ proactive planning that included on-site generators along with adequate stores of food and water. This preparedness meant the organization’s staff could properly care for everyone at the facilities and ensure their safety during the historic storms.
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