Starr County currently relies on schools, churches, and private organizations to help the community during times of hardship. Our first responders need a dedicated facility to train and respond to emergencies.
Rio Grande City on Friday broke ground for the construction of its new Public Safety Building and Emergency Shelter.
“The shelter will consolidate police, fire, and emergency dispatch services into a single facility. It will also provide emergency shelter provisions, training for first responders, and a centralized hub for first responders to coordinate in the event of an emergency,” a news release from U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar stated.
The building will have a capacity to house 50 people during an emergency and when it’s not being used for that need, it will host community outreach programs and serve as a training space for emergency management.
The project’s total cost is $7.1 million.
However, 35% of it will be paid for by a $2,509,264 federal earmark secured by Cuellar, who is a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, according to the release.
“This new shelter will be a gathering point for entities to strengthen collaboration and provide a more efficient emergency response service to Starr County,” Cuellar said in the release. “Starr County currently relies on schools, churches, and private organizations to help the community during times of hardship. Our first responders need a dedicated facility to train and respond to emergencies.”
Cuellar said the facility will also be a vital community center during weather-related and public health-related events.
“I look forward to the expeditious construction of this facility,” Cuellar said.
The congressman also thanked Starr County Judge Eloy Vera, Rio Grande City Mayor Joel Villarreal and Rio Grande City Commissioner Alberto Escobedo, who Cuellar credited with initially presenting the idea to him.
Vera, in turn, also thanked Cuellar for his support for Starr County.
“Rio Grande City’s new Public Safety Building and Emergency Shelter will be in a centralized location that will allow our first responders to better prepare and respond during times of emergency,” Vera said in the release. “It will be a safe place for the community to turn to during hazardous conditions.”
Villarreal said the strength of Rio Grande City is synonymous with the strength of its public safety.
“Public safety is priority one in Rio Grande City because a safe community is a prosperous community,” Villarreal said in the release.
Escobedo said the power of collaboration and working together as a community equates to greater outcomes than individuals working alone.
“Coming together is important for the betterment of our community and the impact we have on the world around us. La union hace la fuerza,” Escobedo said in the release.
