Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management Honored with RHPC Excellence in Preparedness Award
Harris County, TX – The Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HCOHSEM) was recognized this week by the SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council (SETRAC) at their annual Regional Healthcare Preparedness Coalition (RHPC) Symposium in Galveston, Texas. HCOHSEM received RHPC’s Excellence in Preparedness Award as a Partnering Organization. This award recognizes excellence and commitment to comprehensive emergency management in the regional healthcare community. HCOHSEM was honored for the dedication in community involvement, innovation and overall contributions to the field of Emergency Management.
“We are grateful to be recognized by SETRAC for our preparedness efforts. This achievement is a testament to the strong collaborative partnerships we have built with the region’s healthcare community,” said Harris County Emergency Management Coordinator Mark Sloan. “Hospitals are a key component in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery and I am proud of the work our team has done to strengthen our relationship with SETRAC and our healthcare partners.”
The award recognizes many HCOHSEM programs and achievements from over the past year including strengthening public safety through trusted updates on the ReadyHarris platforms, taking part in more than 300 outreach events, and launching a new multilingual Emergency Preparedness Guide aimed to increase resident readiness. Additionally, through the second largest Community Emergency Response Team program in the nation, more than 8,700 residents received hands-on disaster training this year, bringing the total number of trained volunteers to over 65,000. HCOHSEM also led one of the largest Hazard Mitigation Plan updates in the U.S., with 44 participating entities and expanded public engagement opportunities.
Moreover, in collaboration with partners, HCOHSEM developed and implemented an innovative process to ensure that the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR) registrants receive timely preparedness information and wellness checks before, during, and after disasters. The process was used during the 2024 spring floods, derecho, and Hurricane Beryl, when more than 2,000 medically fragile and vulnerable residents were contacted through coordinated phone banks, targeted alerts and in-person wellness checks.
Beyond its core responsibilities, the award also recognizes HCOHSEM for creating programs that empower, educate, and inspire. Its award-winning EM Impact program has introduced more than 40 young women to career opportunities in emergency management. Through its long-standing internship program, HCOHSEM has trained students from across the country who have gone on to serve in local, state, and federal agencies.
HCOHSEM remains dedicated to building a more prepared and resilient Harris County while contributing to the advancement of emergency management nationwide.
ABOUT HCOHSEM
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is the Director of the Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, a national model of best practices in emergency planning, preparation, response, and recovery. HCOHSEM helps prepare, safeguard, and protect the residents and property of Harris County from the effects of disasters through effective planning, preparation, response, and recovery activities.
ABOUT SETRAC
The mission of the SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council is to develop and sustain a powerful coalition of providers, responders, and other healthcare related partners united together to save lives and improve health outcomes through research, education and collaboration.
