San Antonio Fire Department officers escort Diane Backhus, manager of San Pedro Branch Library, to an ambulance after she slipped on the rain-soaked porch and hit her head on a bench at about 9 a.m. Oct. 30 outside the library. Backhus was taken to the emergency room of the Metropolitan Methodist Hospital. Photo by E. David Guel
Library manager taken to Metropolitan Methodist Hospital; no weather-related accidents reported on campus this morning.
By E. David Guel and Gabriela Rodriguez
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
A library manager sustained a head injury at about 9 a.m. today outside the San Pedro Branch Library.
Diane Backhus was unlocking the front gate to enter the building when she slipped on a rain-soaked brick porch and struck her head on a metal bench.
Librarian Wilson Puckett said “she slipped and fell … hit her head and bled like crazy.”
The rain caused the porch at the entrance to become slick and caused Backhus to lose her footing, said another librarian who asked not to be identified.
Paul Longoria, engineer dispatcher at the San Antonio Fire Department, said she was transported to Metropolitan Methodist Hospital. The hospital confirmed Backhus was taken to the emergency room.
Sidewalks and roads will continue to be slick and hazardous as rain is expected until Halloween.
A vehicle plows through a large puddle Oct. 30 along San Pedro Avenue past West Cypress. Parts of San Antonio are under fash flood watch until 1:30 p.m. today. Sidewalks and roads remain hazardous as scattered thunderstorms are expected until Halloween. Photo by E. David Guel
San Antonio accumulated 0.3 inches of rain by 10 a.m. today, and 1-2 inches of rain is expected by the end of the day.
According to weather.com, The National Weather Service had placed Bexar County under a flash flood warning until 1:30 p.m.
Scattered thunderstorms are expected after 3:45 p.m.
Despite the ongoing rain since 2 a.m., this college’s students stayed safe. No accidents were reported to campus police on or around campus this morning, said Alamo Colleges Police Officer Timothy Ramon.
A severe weather alert, which comes directly from the city’s dispatch, hadn’t been issued this morning.
In a situation like this, students should call the college’s weather line at 210-485-0189 before heading out into the rain.
“Call before and drive safe. It’s better to come in one piece than to get into an accident,” Ramon said.
According to News 29 weather reports, Bexar County is temporarily experiencing a break in the rain but more is yet to come.
Heavy rain including flash flooding and tornado watches were expected through the evening but all rain is expected to be done by 10 a.m. tomorrow morning.
So far the rain has caused road closures, due to flooding, mainly on the northwest side but more can be found further out toward the Hill Country.
Information on the latest road closures can be found on the City of San Antonio website, www.sanantonio.gov.
Evelyn Reyes contributed to this story.
