Alert systems keep Valley residents informed of disasters

WESLACO, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Two incidents this week prompted Rio Grande Valley residents to get emergency alters on their phones.

A gas leak on Tuesday closed a section of the interstate in hidalgo county and this morning there was a chemical leak in Weslaco.

Danny Ramirez is the emergency management coordinator for the City of Pharr and oversees the Integrated Public Alert Warning System (IPAWS).

“It will take over your phone and you'll get the message," Ramirez said.

Established in 2019, the system covers the entire Rio Grande Valle by providing notifications that something of significance is happening. Residents in all four counties were alerted on Tuesday about the gas leak on the interstate after a contractor hit a natural gas line.

“It was about an hour after we initially got here that the wind shifted and the vapor started going over the expressway, and so in order not to have a possible ignition source on the freeway and have possible explosion or fire, that's why the decision was made," Ramirez said.

Cities also have their own alert systems. On Friday, Weslaco sent an alert to residents about the chemical leak at the water treatment plant on Texas Boulevard and Sugarcane Road.

A shelter in place was issued and a local daycare was forced to evacuate. Antonio Lopez, who is the City of Weslaco fire chief and emergency management coordinator, says this is important to protect the public.

“These are the steps that we have to take when we deal with these type of situations," Lopez said. "There is a big checklist that we have to go through to make sure that there's no life safety issues.”

Repairs were made to the pipes at a water plant and the shelter in place was lifted. The Pharr Fire Department was also called in to help with the emergency as they have expertise in hazmat incidents.

Just like with the alert system, Valley cities also are part of a interlocal mutual agreement.

“It happens quite a bit," Ramirez said. "It doesn't always make the news, but it happens quite a bit where we get calls to go help with the cities, with hazmat incidents.”

Weslaco officials also say the drinking water was not impacted by today’s leak.