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Lee County Amateur Radio Emergency Services will purchase new radio communications equipment to strengthen Lee County’s response during emergencies, thanks to an $11,349 grant from Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative and the Lower Colorado River Authority.
The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $3,500 in matching funds from the recipient, will allow the group to expand its geographic reach and resiliency through the purchase of new radios, antennas and other electronic equipment.
The volunteer organization, founded in 2019, serves as the Lee County Emergency Operation Center’s official backup for communications during events such as tornadoes, hurricanes or cyberattacks. In the event official channels go down, the group will assist in connecting first responders with members of the community, as well as state and federal support networks.
“Imagine a world without phones, without internet, and you are half an hour from any city,” said Marida Favia del Core Borromeo, LeeCARES emergency coordinator and founder. “Maybe there are trees down so you cannot drive through the road. What do you do? We can shadow a responder, and they can say ‘call in, I need XYZ’ and we can call it in.”
The EOC building itself offers an ideal vantage point for the group to communicate with the State Operations Center and other counties.
“We started asking for grants to equip the EOC so that if something happens, we can have a presence there with a stationary radio and antennas,” Borromeo said. “We are increasing our vertical antenna, and we would like to put up a directional antenna. Redundancy is the name of the game. If one doesn’t work, hopefully the other does.”
The organization predominately relies on the personal equipment of its 18 volunteer members, including local ranchers and farmers, first responders and people in the information technology and oil industries. “We all have different backgrounds,” Borromeo said. “Everybody brings to the table something different.”
She emphasized, though, members have a shared mission. “It is all people who are very much in love with Lee County, who really care about taking care of their neighbors. All we have in our hearts is Lee County’s well-being.”
The community grant is one of six grants being awarded by Bluebonnet and the LCRA through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves. Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program.
Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in July. More information is available here
Is summer heat melting your game plan to reduce your electricity use? Did your gritty resolve to turn up the thermostat wilt with triple-digit temperatures?
Help is here! Energy Coach Alyssa and her four-legged cheerleader, Millie, have a game plan that will help you cut your electric bill and conserve energy.
Let’s not mince words. The fastest, most effective way to cut your electric bill when it’s hot outside is to turn up the thermostat. You may be comfy at 68° but it’s going to cost you. For every degree you bump up the temperature, you could cut your electric use by 2% or more. That’s most important from 3 to 8 p.m., the hottest part of the day and the time everyone in Texas is running their AC.
We’ve got plenty of ways to save energy around your house and put money back in your pocket.
Start with quick, simple changes, and work your way up to the larger investments that can make a significant difference in your power use in the long-term.
FREE WAYS TO SAVE
- Set your water heater temperature no higher than 120°F, or 115°F if there are only one or two people in the household.
- Save on the suds. Wash clothes in cold water and try to do only full laundry loads; if you must do smaller loads, adjust the water level to match the load size.
- Get comfortable using fans, which can make you feel up to 6° cooler. And don’t forget to turn the fans off in rooms you’re not using.
INEXPENSIVE WAYS TO SAVE
- Replace your HVAC filters monthly. Dirty filters, coils, and fans reduce airflow through HVAC systems. Reduced airflow decreases system performance, causing the HVAC system to run more frequently.
- Add insulation around electric wall plugs and wall switches with foam pads. If you have an attic, make sure your attic door is insulated. While you’re up here, consider beefing up or replacing old attic insulation and you could save up to 15% on your electric bill.
- Block out the sun with blackout curtains or blinds. Windows let the sun’s rays warm up air in our homes, so these window coverings can reduce additional radiative heating.
PRICIER UPGRADES FOR BIG SAVINGS
- If you’re replacing old or damaged appliances, do your research and buy Energy Star approved appliances. Look for the blue Energy Star label and review annual cost impacts to your electric bill.
- Time to replace your HVAC? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the most efficient air conditioners use 30% to 50% less energy to produce the same amount of cooling as air conditioners made decades ago. Even if your air conditioner is only 10 years old, you may save 20% to 40% of your cooling energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient model. When buying an air conditioner, do your research and look for a high-efficiency model with a an Energy Star or EnergyGuide label.
- Fix up those leaky old ducts! If you’re installing a new HVAC system, ensure your contractor uses a duct-sizing methodology, installs duct work within the conditioned space (not in the attic) wherever possible; make sure that all ducts are sealed with duct mastic and are heavily insulated.
MILLIE’S PAWSITIVELY AWESOME PLAYS TO KEEP YOUR PET COOL
- On very hot days, limit exercise to early morning or evening hours.
- Any time your pet is outside, make sure they have protection from heat and sun, as well as plenty of fresh, cold water.
- Keep your pet from overheating indoors or out with a cooling body wrap, vest, mat or raised bed.
- Plan outdoor summer activities with your pooch that involve some water play—sprinklers, pools or lakes can all be fun and cooling.
- Never leave your dog in a parked car in the summer, even if the windows are cracked! Even on milder days, temperatures inside vehicles can quickly rise to dangerous, life-threatening levels.
5 TIPS TO RACK UP POINTS AND SAVINGS
1. SEAL IT UP
Hot air can sneak in around windows, doors and electrical outlets. Weather stripping, insulation and insulated curtains can help keep the cool air in and the hot air out.
2. TURN ’EM OFF
Lights can eat up a chunk of your electric bill. If you are leaving the room, close those curtains, too.
3. GET SMART
Upgrade to a programmable or smart thermostat to better control your temperature settings. A smart thermostat lets you adjust the temperature with your smart phone and some thermostats can even learn and adapt to your habits.
4. KILL THE VAMPIRES
Computers, small appliances and electronic devices can silently eat electricity, even when they are in standby mode. Plug them into an advanced power strip and turn that off when the devices aren’t in use.
5. TOSS THE GARAGE FRIDGE
That extra refrigerator that holds cold drinks or other items is probably 1) old, 2) hot and 3) an energy guzzler. If you can’t live without it, consider yourself warned.
Three ways to build your defense
Temperatures are a tough opponent in the scorching summer months, but you can still up your energy-saving game and beat the heat — and high electric bills.
Our online tools tell the tale: Hot temperatures mean higher electric bills. Analyze your electricity use with three handy tools online at bluebonnet.coop (log in to your account and look under the My Usage tab), or on the MyBluebonnet mobile app (click the Usage tab).
1. USAGE EXPLORER:
Get a detailed look at your past and current energy use, all in one place. View your electricity use and temperature trends by the month, day or hour.
2. USAGE COMPARISON:
Compare past monthly bills side by side and determine if new energy-saving habits are making a difference.
3. AVERAGE USAGE:
Select a time period to see how much electricity you used.
Energy Coach says: Keep your head in the game! Watching out for ''Heat Beaters'' making foul plays in the summer heat.
Energy Coach says: Coach Trav helps Heat Beaters save this summer and make smart plays to beat the summer heat!
Energy Coach says: Make the right moves for your HVAC! Coach Alyssa and Coach Trav give their tips for what you can do with your HVAC as an amateur and what to leave to the pros.
Energy Coach says: Looking for your winning temperature? Setting your thermostat correctly can be a winning play this summer.
Energy Coach says: Set your water heater at the optimal temperature to keep your energy consumption -- and your bill -- at an unbeatable level.
