The Tarrant County Office of Emergency Management (TCOEM) aims to help communities and jurisdictions with preparing for, mitigating against, responding to and recovering from natural and human-caused disasters in Tarrant County. The TCOEM staff maintains regular contact with local municipalities, private agencies and the unincorporated areas of Tarrant County to coordinate planning efforts related to emergency management, coordination, collaboration and communication with stakeholders. Additionally, the TCOEM seeks out grant funds for Homeland Security and emergency planning programs and equipment for local government, police, fire, EMS, emergency management and all other agencies and organizations who are responsible for safety and support of the community.

The Four Phases of Emergency Management

Mitigation

Preventing future emergencies or minimizing their effects

• Includes any activities that prevent an emergency, reduce the chance of an emergency happening or reduce the damaging effects of unavoidable emergencies.
• Buying flood and fire insurance for your home is a mitigation activity.
• Mitigation activities take place before and after emergencies.

Preparedness

Preparing to handle an emergency

• Includes plans or preparations made to save lives and to help response and rescue operations.
• Evacuation plans and stocking food and water are both examples of preparedness.
• Preparedness activities take place before an emergency occurs.

Response

Responding safely to an emergency

• Includes actions taken to save lives and prevent further property damage in an emergency situation. Response is putting your preparedness plans into action.
• Seeking shelter from a tornado or turning off gas valves in an earthquake are both response activities.
• Response activities take place during an emergency.

Recovery

Recovering from an emergency

• Includes actions taken to return to a normal or an even safer situation following an emergency.
• Recovery includes getting financial assistance to help pay for the repairs.
• Recovery activities take place after an emergency.

Weather Hazard Information

(enter your city and state in the "local forecast" box on the left side of the page and hit the "Go" button)

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