In Texas, we hope for the best, but prepare for the worst, and Texans can be assured that no state is more prepared than ours to handle the full spectrum of threats, including man-made and natural disasters.

Our emergency response team in Texas is second to none, an effort that speaks to the dedication and abilities of our emergency planners, the courage of those who willingly head into danger while everyone else flees, and the essential generosity of our citizens.

The strength of Texas' proven ability to prevent, protect, respond and recover from disasters is a result of leveraging local elected officials (mayors and county judges).  There are 3 individuals responsible for the safety of the citizens of the State of Texas: the Governor, the county judge and the mayor.  The asset of well-equiped, highly trained first responders protect and support their communities.

Action Items

»  Under Governor Perry’s leadership, Texas has adopted the National Incident Management System (NIMS), which provides a standard operational picture to manage incidents effectively for local, state and federal governments.
»  More than 1,300 multi-agency emergency exercises have been conducted in Texas since 2002 to test emergency plans, procedures, training, equipment and facilities and identify necessary improvements.
»  Multi Agency Command Structures have been established in communities across the state to improve communication and coordination during times of disaster.
»  Working with local officials and health care associations, Texas has established a system to identify people with and without disabilities who have access or functional needs during evacuations, their categories of medical needs, and the types of transportation and sheltering these individuals require. Using a point-to-point sheltering system, vehicles are assigned to designated host communities, and the state can track critical these vehicles via GPS as they evacuate.
»  Based on lessons learned from Hurricane Rita, Governor Perry has fostered greater cooperation between the state and private sector. A Fuel Team comprised of representatives from the refining, supply, terminal and transportation sectors coordinates fueling increases in both evacuation areas and evacuation routes. The state has also leveraged partner distribution systems at Wal-Mart, HEB, Home Depot and others to provide ice, water, prescription medicine, food, clothing and emergency materials.
»  Texas does not wait for the storm to hit before evacuation orders are recommended to local officials. Before the 2008 Hurricane Season, contra-flow plans for major highways were examined, and procedures were developed to determine the optimum timing to implement contra-flow in order to improve the success of evacuations. Additionally, comfort stations have been established along evacuation routes to provide assistance to evacuees should their vehicles become disabled.
»  The Rapid Response Task Force assists local jurisdictions with continuity of operations, including Immediate Mass Care, Health and Medical, Search and Rescue, and Communications functions.
»  The Public Works Strike Team supports an impacted jurisdiction, providing assistance with assessments of critical infrastructure such as water/wastewater facilities, storm drains, bridges, building inspections and generator installations.

News & Announcements

• Wednesday, July 16, 2003 • Press Release
  Gov. Perry Gets Hurricane Damage Report
  AUSTIN - Gov. Rick Perry today received the latest assessments of damage caused by Claudette, which made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane near Port O'Connor on Tuesday. The report, delivered during a visit to the state's Emergency Operations Center in Austin, was based on aerial surveys completed by state and federal damage assessment teams.
• Tuesday, July 15, 2003 • Press Release
  Gov. Perry Requests Federal Disaster Declaration for 15 Counties Affected by Hurricane Claudette
  AUSTIN - Gov. Rick Perry today requested a federal disaster declaration for 15 Texas counties after Hurricane Claudette moved ashore near Port O’Connor.
• Tuesday, July 15, 2003 • Press Release
  Gov. Perry Issues Proclamation to Help Gulf Coast Respond to Claudette
  AUSTIN - Gov. Rick Perry announced today that he has signed a proclamation to help accelerate state and federal response to flooding and damage as Hurricane Claudette moved ashore near Port O’Connor.
• Thursday, June 26, 2003 • Press Release
  Gov. Perry Requests Aid For Webb County Following June Storm
  AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry announced today that he has asked the Small Business Administration (SBA) to declare Webb County a disaster area following wind and hail damage in a storm June 2. If the governor’s request is approved, an SBA declaration will enable citizens and businesses affected by the storm to apply for low interest loans.
• Tuesday, June 03, 2003 • Press Release
  
  AUSTIN - Gov. Rick Perry announced today that the Small Business Administration (SBA) has granted his request to declare Webb County a disaster area following wind and hail damage in a storm on June 2. The declaration means people and businesses in Webb County, and neighboring Dimmit, Duval, Jim Hogg, La Salle, Maverick, McMullen and Zapata counties, are eligible to apply for low-interest SBA disaster loans.
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