Fort Bend County Emergency Management Recognized with "Excellence in Emergency Management" Award

MUD Readiness Program Deemed Successful

Posted March 25, 2010 10:09:01 AM CDT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Richmond, TX

The Excellence in Emergency Management Award - Municipal Utility District Readiness Program The Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management has been recognized with an "Excellence in Emergency Management" Award for the Municipal Utility District Readiness Program. This is one of three "Excellence in Emergency Management" awards presented to Fort Bend County on behalf of the Emergency Management Association of Texas.

Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management, at the direction of County Judge Bob Hebert created the MUD Readiness Program for Municipal Utility Districts within Fort Bend County. A Municipal Utility District, or MUD, is a political entity established by the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality to deliver water, wastewater and other utility services for residents within its boundaries. The MUD Readiness Program prepares MUDs to respond in an emergency, and enhances communications between utility districts and the Office of Emergency Management during an incident. To date, several companies have succesfully participated in the program that consists of training for MUD operators, education of emergency response measures and instilling the need for collaboration.

Judge Hebert, with over thirty years experience in the water utility industry, brings a unique approach to Emergency Management in Fort Bend County. He mentioned, "It's important that Fort Bend County build and maintain a consensus for action and a positive working relationship with all the partners to successfully complete this vital project and make every effort to prepare for the next disaster. The program is based on assuring that participating operating companies are fully informed on the workings of the National Incident Management System and the role of the county in supporting all first responders during a declared emergency. The idea is to ensure improved communications between emergency management personnel and utility operators and to include utility district representation in the County EOC in all future activities."

Those recognized have earned the distinction by taking actions to become an integral part of the County's emergency management network. The program involves a series of actions to be taken to make these operating companies more prepared for the 2010 Hurricane Season, improve communications with emergency management staff at the County level, and truly begin to make the County's water districts responsible for emergency management activities.

For more information about the MUD Readiness Program visit the Fort Bend County OEM website at http://www.fbcoem.org, and don't hesitate to contact Fort Bend County OEM.

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Fort Bend County is located in the Texas Southeast, immediately South and West of Harris County and the city of Houston. It is the home of over 500,000 people and is one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. For more information about Fort Bend County, visit the county homepage at http://www.co.fort-bend.tx.us.

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) was established to protect the residents and property of Fort Bend County from damage relating to disasters. The OEM accomplishes this through effective planning, preparation, response and recovery. For more information about the Fort Bend County OEM, visit the OEM homepage at http://www.fbcoem.org.

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