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

More than 30 Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative members in January reported recent attempted phone scams by people claiming to represent Bluebonnet. The fraudulent callers have told co-op members that their power will be disconnected unless they make a payment immediately over the phone. 

“Attempted scams like this are definitely on the increase,” said Matt Bentke, Bluebonnet’s general manager. “The key to stopping them is to be aware of them and know your account status. Our members can access their account information by calling our member services number or through our website or mobile app.” 

Bluebonnet makes at least two attempts to remind its members whose payments are late – once by mail and again by a courtesy phone call – within 10 days after the payment due date on the bill. The call comes from the cooperative’s automated phone system. 

If you are a Bluebonnet member who has not received a reminder in the mail or a courtesy call about your account, and someone calls demanding an immediate payment, do not pay. Do not provide the caller with personal information, information about your Bluebonnet account, or any banking or credit card account information. 

Bluebonnet members can check their account status 24 hours a day, every day, from their computer, smartphone or tablet through the co-op’s website, bluebonnet.coop, via the MyBluebonnet mobile app or by calling 800-842-7708. 

Along with fraudulent bill pay calls, a neighboring utility has recently received a report of a home robbery by people claiming to represent that utility. Be aware of people who come to your home claiming to represent Bluebonnet, or any other service providers. Bluebonnet employees carry photo identification badges, travel in company vehicles and wear shirts with Bluebonnet’s logo. Bluebonnet’s contractors may contact members in person or by leaving a card at their door; automated calls will notify Bluebonnet members in advance. If the individual or organization seems suspicious, do not let them in your home. Ensure the request is legitimate by calling Bluebonnet at 800-842-7708. 

Report any potential scam attempts to Bluebonnet and your local law enforcement agencies.