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Emergency Management

Planning for Emergencies and Disasters in Texas

In Texas, Mayors and County Judges have responsibility for emergency preparedness and response within their local jurisdictions. These officials may appoint an Emergency Management Coordinator (EMC) to manage day-to-day program activities. Local emergency management and homeland security programs include threat identification and prevention activities, emergency planning, providing or arranging training for local officials and emergency responders, planning and conducting drills and exercises, carrying out public education relating to known hazards, designing and implementing hazard mitigation programs, coordinating emergency response operations during incidents and disasters, and carrying out recovery activities in the aftermath of a disaster.

Local emergency management and homeland security organizations may be organized at the city level, at the county level or as an inter-jurisdictional program that includes one or more counties and multiple cities.  Local emergency management organizations may be organized as part of the Mayor or County Judge's staff, as a separate office or agency, as part of the local fire department or law enforcement agency, or in other ways.  Local emergency management and homeland security agencies may be identified as emergency management offices or agencies, homeland security offices or agencies, or some combination of the two.

Most local governments have an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) staffed by members of its various departments that is activated to manage the response to major threats and incidents and coordinate internal and external resource support. Some local governments have an alternate or mobile EOC as well. Most local governments use the Incident Command System (ICS) as their incident management scheme. Under ICS, an Incident Commander typically directs the on-scene response by local responders from a field command post set up at or near the incident site. Responders from other jurisdictions and state and federal responders that have been called on to assist when local resources are inadequate to deal with a major emergency are integrated into the local incident command system.

Citizens should be aware of who their local emergency management contacts are for their county of residence.


Citizens Basic Planning Materials:

Texas Prepares

Are You Ready?  An In-depth 204 page Guide to Citizen Preparedness: Are You Ready? also provides in-depth information on all hazards including what to do before, during, and after each hazard type. The following hazards are covered: Floods, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Thunderstorms and Lightning, Winter Storms and Extreme Cold, Extreme Heat, Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Landslide and Debris Flows (Mudslide), Tsunamis, Fires, Wildfires, Hazardous Materials Incidents, Household Chemical Emergencies, Nuclear Power Plant, and Terrorism (including Explosion, Biological, Chemical, Nuclear, and Radiological hazards).

English  http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/
Spanish http://www.disasterassistance.gov/?langcode=ES

Get valuable information on Making a Plan, Building a Kit that meets your families' needs and viewing Texas specific Videos on the importance of preparation:
http://www.texasprepares.org/ (English & Spanish, Checklists in various languages)

The Texas Division of Emergency Management has a variety of materials for preparedness and safety tips for different types of disasters and emergencies, including an evacuation checklist.

Basic Information regarding Emergency Preparedness for Texans who are Deaf:
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem/asl

Surviving Disaster Videos link on www.accessibleemergencyinfo.com (Sign Language, Braille, Large Print options)

The Texas Emergency Portal includes information on the hurricane season: preparing for a storm, evacuating to safety, accessing government resources, dealing with emergencies and avoiding scams and frauds.

The Red Cross also has materials in other languages, as well as large print and text only, to help people with disabilities prepare for a disaster.

DESCRIPTION:  2-1-1 (https://www.211texas.org/211/) provides a voluntary registry for people who need assistance and evacuation in the case of a hurricane or natural disaster. The public may register year-round. Registry information will be forwarded to local Offices of Emergency Management (OEMs).  Local OEMs have the responsibility for coordinating evacuations.

Any Texan is eligible to register.

  • Dial 2-1-1 to register in advance for a ride.
  • If you have a disability or a medical health care need which requires assistance to get out.
  • If you cannot drive and cannot arrange transportation.
  • If you do not have a vehicle and you have no one else to help you evacuate.

INTAKE PROCEDURE:  Call 2-1-1 and select Option 4 to register or ask questions.
211 Video Relay accessible 1-877-541-7905 and TTY 1-877-833-4211 contact numbers.  These are also prominently displayed on the Texas 211 website (https://www.211texas.org/211/).

N2N:  Neighbor to Neighbor Initiative

The N2N or Neighbor to Neighbor is a challenge to the Disability Community and to Community organizations to reach out to citizens with and without disabilities who have medical or access and functional needs to make a personalized emergency plan in their home and neighborhood in non-disaster times.  It is based on the premise of taking personal responsibility for preparedness efforts.

Get eye to eye with people with or without disabilities who have medical or access and functional needs in their homes, in your community to create a personalized emergency management plan based on the N2N toolkit.  The N2N Toolkit is based on an all hazards format to leave or shelter in place.  Make a Kit, Make a Plan and Stay Informed.

Participants: Any organization at the local level, for example:

  • Boy Scouts
  • Girl Scouts
  • Churches
  • Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster
  • Volunteer Disability CERT Teams
  • Centers for Independent Living
  • Mayor's Committees for People with Disabilities
  • Disability Organizations such as the ARC, Easter Seals, etc.
  • Associations or Community organizations for the Deaf and/or Blind

  • Senior Centers

Get a Kit

  • Texas Prepares: 
    The Texas Department of State Health Services has Texas themed video and preparation materials on their site: http://www.texasprepares.org/ 

Hold Your Own Neighborhood Screening

Make a Plan

Be Informed

For Texans, preparedness must now account for man-made disasters as well as natural ones.  Knowing what to do during an emergency is an important part of being prepared and may make all the difference when seconds count.
http://www.ready.gov/be-informed

After a Disaster

Disaster Recovery Guide and eBook (download information)
This disaster recovery guide provides simple informaiton on how individuals, families, and businesses can recover from a disaster such as a wildfire, hurricane, severe weather, and more. Created by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, The Texas A&M System. An eBook is available for download to many mobile devices. A PDF version is also available in English and Spanish.

 

Resources for Emergency Responders

State of Texas Functional Needs Support Services Plan
https://www.preparingtexas.org/preparedness.aspx?page=32137bc8-eed7-42bb-ad7e-2765fd8abdb9 (Word/PDF)
An interdisciplinary committee, including Texans with disabilities met to develop this tool to help emergency managers plan for the whole Community. 

FEMA Guidance on Planning for the Whole Community

Texas Law on Emergency Notifications

  • Allows a public service provider to enter into a contract for an emergency notification system, provided that the system meets certain requirements. These requirements include transmitting the emergency message in at least two formats (e.g. audio and text messages) and allowing recipients to select the language they would like to receive messages in. See Senate Bill 925 from the 82nd legislative session for more information.