Austin Energy winter storm e1613689288234 300x200 Lets recognize public workers helping Texas bounce back from winter stormsThe Texas SPI Team has struggled valiantly this week just as others throughout the state did. Because of the wicked winter storm that hit Texas over the weekend, most of us have been – and many still are – functioning without power and water and limited to no access to the Internet.

In spite of very cold houses, there has been no way to move to a place with power because roads have been iced over all week. One almost, but not quite, humorous note I received said “Do everything possible to avoid a fire because all the fire hydrants are frozen solid.”

Texas is not equipped for this kind of weather event, and it hit the state hard. The suffering continues, but weather experts say there will be a break by the weekend. Let’s hope they are right.

There will be lots of activity as we all struggle to get back to our normal routines. Along with restocking of food, batteries, and bottled water, we will also be forced to factor in time for boiling and storing city water.

But in our haste to readjust, let’s remember the thousands of people who worked through long, cold days and nights trying to keep us safe. Kudos to public employees who are dealing with one crisis situation after another.

Thank you for your service. You are all heroes, and we appreciate you more than we ever say. We applaud you for everything you did through this very difficult time and hope you can all get some much-needed rest soon.

Mary Scott Nabers

As President and CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc., Mary Scott Nabers has decades of experience working in the public-private sector. A well-recognized expert in the P3 and government contracting fields, she is often asked to share her industry insights with top publications and through professional speaking engagements.