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

• Thursday, April 05, 2012 • Austin, Texas • Press Release
  Gov. Perry Issues Disaster Declaration for Three Counties in North Texas
  Gov. Rick Perry issued a disaster declaration for Dallas, Tarrant and Kaufman counties, which incurred widespread damage from multiple tornados that ripped through North Texas on Tuesday. The governor is reminding homeowners in impacted areas of important new consumer protections signed into law last year to prevent dishonest contractors from taking advantage of families trying to repair their homes.
• Thursday, April 05, 2012 • Lancaster, Texas • Press Release
  Gov. Perry Tours Tornado Damage in North Texas
  
  Gov. Rick Perry toured tornado damage in some of the hardest hit areas of North Texas, and met with emergency management personnel and local officials who continue to assess the impact and damage of this severe storm system.
  » Read the Speech: Gov. Perry Tours Tornado Damage in North Texas
  + Watch Interview of Pastor Glenn Young, Cedar Valley Christian Center
• Wednesday, April 04, 2012 • Austin, Texas • Speech
  Gov. Perry Presents Wildland Firefighting Teams with Governor's Award for Historic Preservation
  
  
  Gov. Rick Perry presented the Texas Historical Commission Governor's Award for Historic Preservation to the Texas Parks and Wildlife, Wildland Firefighting Teams for their efforts to save historic structures in Possum Kingdom State Park, Bastrop State Park and Davis Mountains State Park during wildfires last fall.
• Tuesday, April 03, 2012 • Austin, Texas • Press Release
  Texas State Operations Center Activated as Severe Weather Impacts North Texas
  The Texas State Operations Center activated remotely from San Antonio, where the 2012 Texas Emergency Management Conference is being held this week, and Gov. Rick Perry is urging all Texans to closely monitor conditions and reports, and heed all warnings from local officials as severe thunderstorm and tornado conditions are expected to continue through the early evening. He is closely monitoring the severe weather threat in North Texas and receiving regular updates from his staff and Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd.
• Monday, April 02, 2012 • San Antonio, Texas • Press Release
  Texas’ Emergency Response Team is Second to None
  
  Gov. Rick Perry thanked first responders and emergency management officials for their ongoing efforts to protect Texans' lives and property in times of emergency, most recently during the worst wildfire season in Texas history. The governor spoke at the 2012 Texas Emergency Management Conference, where he also cautioned against a proposal by the U.S. Air Force to relocate eight C-130 aircraft currently based at the 136th Airlift Wing in Fort Worth. The C-130s play a critical role in disaster response efforts in Texas and across the entire Gulf Coast.
  » Read the Speech: Texas’ Emergency Response Team is Second to None
  + Watch Interview of Chief Nim Kidd, Emergency Management, Assistant Director, Texas Department of Public Safety
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