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 distasters 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

• Sunday, September 11, 2011 • Austin, Texas • Proclamation
  Gov. Perry Issues Proclamation Recognizing Texas First Responders Day
  Gov. Perry noted the importance of taking time to remember those who were killed in the line of duty on September 11th, and to honor the brave men and women who daily answer the call for help in Texas, across our nation and around the world. Texas First Responders Day was created through House Bill 1937 in 2003.
• Friday, September 09, 2011 • Austin, Texas • Press Release
  Gov. Perry Announces Emergency Hotel Voucher Program for Victims of Bastrop County Fire
  Gov. Rick Perry today announced that up to $250,000 from the Texas Disaster Relief Fund will be distributed through Combined Community Action Inc. to provide seven-day emergency hotel vouchers for individuals and families whose homes have been destroyed in the Bastrop County fire. Combined Community Action will also administer flexible assistance cards using up to $350,000 from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs to cover essential expenses for these individuals and families.
• Tuesday, September 06, 2011 • Austin, Texas • Press Release
  Texas Task Force 1 Deploys to Bastrop County
  Texas Task Force 1, the state's elite search team, was deployed to assist local officials and first responders in Bastrop County. With ongoing fires across Texas, the governor also urged all individuals who have been evacuated from their homes to register themselves and their families with the American Red Cross' Safe and Well program.
• Tuesday, September 06, 2011 • Austin, Texas • Press Release
  Gov. Perry Takes Aerial Tour of Wildfire Damage in Central Texas
  
  Gov. Rick Perry took an aerial tour of wildfire damage in the Steiner Ranch community west of Austin, and met with emergency management and local officials who have been battling fires in the area. The governor continued to urge all Texans to closely monitor conditions and reports, and heed all warnings from local officials as extremely dry and windy conditions are expected to continue fueling wildfires that continue raging across the state.
  + Watch Interview of Roy Harris, Volunteer Texas Search & Rescue
  + Watch Interview of Chief Nim Kidd, Texas Emergency Management
• Monday, September 05, 2011 • Austin, Texas • Press Release
  Gov. Perry: All Necessary State Resources Made Available to Protect Lives, Property
  
  Gov. Rick Perry continues to closely monitor the ongoing wildfires with updates from his staff and State Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd. He will return to Texas this afternoon. The governor is urging all Texans to closely monitor conditions and reports, and heed all warnings from local officials as extremely dry and windy conditions are expected to continue fueling wildfires that continue raging across the state.
  » Read the Speech: Gov. Perry’s Remarks Regarding Wildfires in Bastrop County
  + Watch Interview of Nick Harrison, Texas Forest Service
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