Harris County, Texas – The Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HCOHSEM), the City of Houston and Volunteer Houston hosted the Volunteer Readiness and Engagement Event over the weekend connecting newly registered Volunteer Houston volunteers with organizations that play a vital role in disaster response and recovery across Harris County and the surrounding region.
The event brought together volunteers and 25 disaster response organizations to strengthen volunteer readiness and build connections before the next disaster. Participants had the opportunity to explore volunteer opportunities aligned with their interests, meet organizations working on the front lines of disaster response and recovery, and gain practical skills to help their communities following an emergency. This included participating in a damage assessment exercise, muck and gut training, Volunteer Reception Center simulation, and many other hands-on activities.
"Volunteers are the backbone of disaster response and recovery in Harris County and the region,” said Mark Sloan, Director and Emergency Management Coordinator for HCOHSEM. “We are incredibly grateful to the volunteers who dedicated their Saturday to learning how they can serve their communities, as well as the partner organizations that generously shared their time, expertise and resources. Together, we can better support residents when they need it most.”
The Volunteer Readiness and Engagement Event was supported by our partners at the Lincoln Technical Institute, American Red Cross, Endeavors and Information Technology Resource Center.
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.
