Bravo District, Community Outreach

City Officials Outline Spring Break Plans During News Conference at Emergency Operations Center

Occurred March 7, 2012                       2406 Leopard Street

Local, County and State Officials unveiled the 2012 Spring Break Public Safety Plan during a 1:00 PM news conference today at the City of Corpus Christi’s Emergency Operations Center.

The City of Corpus Christi wants everyone visiting our Sparkling City by the Bay during Spring Break 2012 to enjoy a safe and relaxing vacation. For months, the Police, Fire, and Parks and Recreation Departments, along with our local and state partners, have been conducting planning sessions and making preparations to accomplish that goal.   In order to enhance public safety and better coordinate resources from the various departments and agencies, this year the City will conduct a partial activation of the Emergency Operations Center on the two busiest weekends. Staff members at the EOC can remotely monitor traffic and beach conditions through the use of closed circuit cameras, as well as direct additional resources to the personnel on the beach. In addition, the partial activation provides EOC staff with an outstanding opportunity to gain experience and training should the need for a full activation, such as a hurricane or man-made disaster, arise.

Spring Break Beach Patrols begin on March 8th and continue through March 18th. The first shift will begin patrolling each day at 11 AM and continue until 9 PM, or when the large crowds disperse.  A second shift will begin at 5 PM and patrol the beach until 3 AM.  Contingencies are in place for additional officers to respond to the beach if needed.

The Fire Department will have a squad patrolling the beach emergency lane from 11 AM to 9 PM on weekends.

Lifeguards will be patrolling the beach from 11:30 am to 5:30 pm to respond to minor incidents and beach rescues.

On peak days, beach goers will be directed to enter the beach at Access Road 3 and exit at Zahn Road.  Beach traffic will be one way from Access Road 3 to Zahn Road. Traffic officers will control traffic with a portable signal at Zahn Road and SH 361.

Beach goers are encouraged to leave early and expect delays due to heavy traffic on the Island. The CCPD PIO will provide traffic and beach updates on Citizen Observer (www.citizenobserver.com/cov6/app/index.html) and CCPD’s official Twitter feed (@CorpusChristiPD).

While the City of Corpus Christi encourages everyone to have a good time and enjoy the beach, officers will be on the lookout for alcohol related crimes such as DWI, public intoxication and underage drinking. Beach goers are reminded that the following are prohibited at the beach by city ordinance:

  • No glass containers (City Ord 10-65)
  • No littering (City Ord 10-57)
  • No dogs on beach from Access Road 3 to Zahn Road (during Spring Break by Special Order of the City Manager City Ord 10-59)

Due to safety concerns, the City of Corpus Christi strongly requests pallets not be taken to the beach.  Burning of pallets is prohibited as the nails leave dangerous litter.  Fires on the beach also have to comply with City Ordinance 10-67.