Oncor Electric is still in the process of clearing downed powerlines throughout the city. Several streets remain closed due to these downed powerlines. Always assume a powerline is active...do not touch it.
We are surveying the city to determined where houses have been damaged by falling trees and wind. If you have a downed tree on your property or, specifically, on your house, the homeowner/property owner is responsible for the removal of the trees. Often, homeowners insurance will cover storm damage. For homeowners, especially those with trees on their structures, call your insurance company to check on coverage, then contact a tree service. We will be posting names of tree service companies that the city commonly uses. The city is exploring other options for home/property owners who cannot pay for tree services. Hopefully, we will be able to let you know more information today.
If you have large trees on your home or that are threatening to fall on your home, do not attempt to cut the trees down unless you have experience in cutting trees. Please reach out for assistance.
At approximately 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 the Haltom City Fire Department was dispatched to the intersection of Haltom Rd. and Vicki St. for a reported gas leak. When the fire department arrived it was discovered that a 1 inch gas main was struck by a contractor, causing the leak. Atmos Energy was notified and the fire department began monitoring the situation. A strong south wind is aiding in dispersing the gas.
At 8:15 p.m., Atmos Energy stated they should have the leak stopped by 8:45 p.m. and repairs completed by 10:15 p.m. While the repairs were being made, three homes near the scene will be without gas service.
Both the HCFD and Atmos Energy are monitoring gas levels in the vicinity of the leak.
the insurance industry uses ISO ratings to calculate insurance rates
The City of Haltom City recently was awarded a Public Protection Class 1 rating by the Insurance Services Office (ISO). On February 25, 2019, the Haltom City Fire/Rescue Department officially announced the award at the city council meeting.
A protection class rating of 1 is the top rating a city can received. ISO ratings are used by the insurance industry to calculate insurance rates for communities. The ratings range from 10 (no protection) to 1 (highest protection). The awarding of a Class 1 rating for the city is the result of twenty years of work and cooperation between the City Council, Fire Department, Police Department, and Public Works. In 2018 the Haltom City was evaluated by the ISO, who examined four areas to determine the classification.
According to the ISO's Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS), the four main criteria to a fire rating score are:
50% - quality of your local fire department...including staffing levels, training and proximity of the firehouse.
40% - availability of water supply, including the prevalence of fire hydrants and how much water is available for putting out fires.
10% - quality of the area's emergency communications systems (911).
Bonus of 5.5% comes from community outreach, including fire prevention and safety courses.
At the end of the evaluation the scores in the four areas are added up, with communities earning scores of greater than 90% receiving a Class 1 classification. The awarding the Class 1 rating to Haltom City is a great source of pride and the results of hard, conscientious work on the part of city staff and elected officials. Fewer that 1% of cities in America receive a Class 1 rating.
Medstar Saver membership is available to anyone who lives or works in the MedStar service area. For $69/year (with insurance) your entire household will be provided with unlimited emergency transports for the full year of your active membership. The membership covers anyone who permanently resides in your household and who is included in your annual application. The annual rate for those without insurance is $110.
More information, along with an application, can be found at medstarsaver.org.
The Haltom City Police & Fire/Rescue Departments would like to emphasize that single family dwellings should have their street address number clearly visible, sized at 3.5" by .5”, with contrasting colors. The address can be displayed on the curb/driveway approach, mailbox or home dwelling.
There are a number of homes in the Haltom City that either don’t have addresses clearly visible or they are in such poor condition (faded, hidden or plain missing) that they are extremely difficult to see, especially at night. This hinders/slows emergency services should they have to respond to such an address.
There are several do-it-yourself address marking kits online and at local stores that are cheap and effective.
The International Residential Code states that:
“The 2012 International Residential Code R319.1 and 2012 International Fire Code 505.1 state single family dwellings shall have approved numbers of a minimum 3 1/2" in height, minimum spacing width of 1/2" and a color contrasting with the background (structure, mailbox or curb) clearly visible and legible from the street fronting the property and rear alleyway where such alleyway exists. Where access is by means of private road and the building address cannot be viewed from the public way, a monument, pole or other sign or means shall be used to identify the structure.”
Oncor Electric is still in the process of clearing downed powerlines throughout the city. Several streets remain closed due to these downed powerlines. Always assume a powerline is active...do not touch it.
