HAYS COUNTY, Texas — Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra is addressing concerns over communication issues during wildfires last week.
As wildfires broke out across the area, some residents were confused by alerts and multiple evacuation orders sent across different platforms.
KUT reported that initial push alerts and posts from the Hays County Sheriff’s Office about a wildfire east of Buda didn’t explicitly mention a fire and instead referred to an “ongoing incident,” instructing people within a 3-mile radius to evacuate. Then a second fire, on the other side of Interstate 35, began burning the same afternoon along Onion Creek near Kyle.
The sheriff’s office, Hays County Office of Emergency Services and other county offices continued to post information about the fires on Facebook throughout the evening. But when additional push alerts were sent out, there was confusion about which evacuation orders pertained to which fire.
In a Facebook post on Monday, County Judge Ruben Becerra said the county’s emergency services performed in a “textbook fashion” and everyone performed their duties “in an exemplary manner.” However, he did recognize communication could’ve been smoother.
“While we did experience a software glitch with Integrated Public Alert Warning System (IPAWS) the issue was identified immediately and corrected within six minutes,” Becerra said. “IPAWS is a new software that Hays County is pioneering with Capital Area Council of Governments to expand public safety communication. When the system was put to live action the alert was sent to unintended universe or polygon. With a minor correction information was immediately available to the intended recipients.”
KUT said the Hays County Sheriff’s Office also recognizes that it was vague to use the term “incident,” and the office later updated its initial Facebook post on the fire east of Buda to provide more accurate information.
Becerra said he will be conducting an after-action meeting with relevant emergency response leaders to evaluate last week’s fires and ensure everyone is on the same page with the new IPAWS technology.
“Our goal is to ensure a flawless execution during future incidents and keep the residents of Hays County safe,” Becerra said. “While the fire response itself went smoothly and without loss, we are always looking for ways to improve. We can always do better, and we are committed to refining our processes and technology to ensure the highest level of public safety moving forward.”
Hays County is currently under a burn ban until March 12, though that could be extended now that fire danger weather is expected later this week.