Austin City Council recognizes February as 'Winter Storm Uri Remembrance Month'

Local Government
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Austin City Councilmember Vanessa Fuentes | Twitter

The Austin City Council passed a resolution recognizing the rest of February as "Winter Storm Uri Remembrance Month." 

The body honored first responders and memorialized over 200 who lost their lives on Feb. 15 according to KVUE.

"One year ago, we experienced one of the deadliest natural disasters Texas has ever seen," Austin City Councilmember Vanessa Fuentes tweeted. "As we reflect on that winter freeze, today #ATXCouncil recognized the heroes—volunteers, local partners, first responders, city staff—who supported our community in a great time of need."

Austin Mayor Steve Adler thanked the city's volunteer and community organizations and numerous residents who lent a helping hand in Uri's wake.

"No local government can ever bring what is necessary for a community to survive a catastrophe of the level we saw," Adler said, according to KVUE. "When it was over and I had the first quiet time to think about what had transpired, my thought at the time was, 'Thank goodness for a community that reached out to help one another.' Because absent that ... we would not have weathered this storm the way that we did."

The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) earlier this year released the final estimate of the winter storm's death toll. Two hundred forty-six Texans perished during Uri as of Jan. 2, according to The Texas Tribune.

"In addition to hypothermia, DSHS attributed the storm-related deaths to 'exacerbation of pre-existing illness' (10%), motor vehicle accidents (9%), carbon monoxide poisoning (8%), fires (4%) and falls (4%)," The Texas Tribune reported.

According to The Texas Tribune and NBC News, portable generators are some of the deadliest consumer products.

Per KVUEAdler claims that leveraging the community is needed to move forward in times of crisis.

"It will always involve the community stepping forward," Adler said. "Neighbors helping neighbors. Communities helping others. That level of catastrophe happening to a community. Those things take a community coming together."