Harris County Recognized for Continuous Support to Area School Districts School Partnerships Essential during Disasters
(Houston, TX) – Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HCOHSEM) Planner Ammy Gierzak and Harris County Flood Control District Meteorologist Jeff Lindner were recently honored at the Region 4 Superintendents Recognition and Awards Ceremony for the collaboration and support they provided during Hurricane Harvey and for their ongoing support to the superintendents in the Region 4 area.
“It is always an honor to get recognized for a job well done. Ammy, Jeff and all those who worked in our Emergency Operations Center during Harvey worked around the clock to keep everyone safe and informed,” said Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. “I am proud to have a great team of professionals dedicated to the residents of Harris County.”
HCOHSEM values its partnership with Region 4 Education Service Center (Region 4) because schools are an integral part of the community. Region 4 serves as the liaison between Harris County and area school districts and charter schools. This partnership is important because during a disaster schools are valuable resources for shelters, evacuation sites and transportation centers.
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“During Harvey, we worked closely to share and facilitate information, the opening of shelters, and the utilization of district busses for rescue operations and transportation to shelters,” said Region 4 Executive Director Dr. Pam Wells. “School district superintendents depend on information from Harris County’s Emergency Operations Center to help make effective decisions and take measures to promote the safety of their students, staff and communities.”
When an emergency occurs, Region 4 is HCOHSEM’s point of contact for school updates and for disseminating critical and timely information regarding safety issues that may affect area students and staff. Region 4 is the largest service center in the state with 48 independent school districts and 37 public charter schools serving more than 1.2 million students, 156,000 district employees and 1,500 campuses.
The Superintendents Recognition and Awards Ceremony is a special event to recognize the dedication and accomplishment of superintendents who have retired in the past year. In addition, superintendents select honorees to recognize for their contributions to public education in Texas.