1 Table of contents 36

OEM - Annual Report 2025

2025		1
ANNUAL REPORT		1
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT | CITY OF PEARLAND		1
TABLE OF CONTENTS		3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY		4
Every year the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) establishes program goals and objectives based on current events, emerging state and federal requirements, local challenges, and lessons derived from prior exercises and experience. In 2024, Hurricane Beryl reminded us how important it is to remain vigilant during “blue sky days” by continuing to plan, train, exercise, prepare the community, and cultivate relationships with important partners and stakeholders. Program successes witnessed during recent responses to Hurricane Beryl and Winter Storm Enzo (January 2025) were the result of years of “blue sky” investment in preparedness, capability and response and recovery proficiency. Fortunately, FY25 was less demanding than recent years with respect to threats and hazards and this permitted increased focus on strategic planning and preparedness. The absence of a threat, however, often encourages complacency to reassert itself. Countering complacency is a persistent challenge and OEM’s highest aspiration.		4
OEM priorities are determined in collaboration with city departments and external stakeholders because the success of our preparedness initiatives, and, ultimately, the city’s response and recovery efforts, depend on the commitment and cooperation of all departments, staff, partners, and stakeholders. Therefore, as we highlight FY25 successes, we acknowledge that these accomplishments belong to all of us, across all departments, and that our collective investment in preparedness benefits the entire community – our residents, businesses, and community organizations, as well as municipal government. Ultimately, we aspire to build resilience, across city departments and throughout the Pearland community. Resilience enables our citizens to better withstand disaster and recover from it more quickly and completely while also enabling the city to deliver a more efficient, effective, and safe response. These are core values that unite us in our quest for preparedness.		4
OEM initiatives are focused primarily on organizational preparedness, community preparedness, contingency planning for high-profile special events, and external relationships. The following performance review describes our organizational preparedness efforts, which includes disaster planning, program development, preparedness training, and readiness exercises. Community preparedness reflects our public outreach initiatives, including public preparedness presentations, special interest workshops, social media outreach, and information sharing. Also highlighted is support of city special events and our efforts to establish and strengthen both internal		4
The absence of a threat, however, often encourages complacency to reassert itself.		4
Preparedness Highlights		6
The Office of Emergency Management aspires to see over the horizon and anticipate threats and hazards that could endanger the Pearland community. We strive to prepare for these threats and hazards; respond to them effectively, efficiently, and safely; and recover from them as quickly and completely as possible. Our collective success demands unity of effort across city staff, throughout the community, and with federal, state and county public safety partners. The following program performance report describes our efforts in 2025 to prepare for, respond to, and recover from threats and hazards that could endanger our community.		6
Pearland Integrated Preparedness Plan – A multi-year training and exercise plan		6
Flood response and evacuation exercises		6
Emergency Management professional and organizational development		6
Preparedness training		6
Emergency Operations Plan revision (3 Annexes)		6
Public education and outreach		6
Pearland Disaster Recovery Committee – PEAR Team		6
ORGANIZATIONAL PREPAREDNESS		7
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN		7
Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)		7
Firefighting		7
Search & Rescue		7
Transportation		7
Experience following Hurricane Beryl, a major federal disaster, prompted OEM to develop a ‘disaster recovery’ checklist for integration into the city’s Hurricane Response Plan, so that important tasks would be anticipated rather than overlooked during fast-paced recovery efforts. OEM also collaborated with Parks & Recreation and Animal Services, to refine the city’s concept of operations (CONOPS) for handling of displaced flood victims, based on best practices and recent exercise experience.		8
Additionally, Parks & Recreation validated plans for the STEAR evacuation hub, shelter and mass care, and points of distribution (POD) activation. Staff identified a need for additional evacuation hub personnel to affect the timely evacuation of STEAR registrants, due to the growing number of residents included in the registry and the time required to process each for evacuation. Examination of shelter and mass care plans produced several best practices to expedite shelter registration and validated a need for behavioral health support in city shelters. Review of POD plans exposed communication challenges that would result during a widespread power outage or cellular network degradation. OEM continues to work with Parks & Recreation to identify solutions for each of these challenges.		8
Collection Point CONOPS		8
Receiving displaced flood victims from first responders		8
Providing for their immediate humanitarian needs (.i.e. blankets, first aid, water, etc.)		8
Documenting their personal information and special needs prior to transfer to temporary shelter.		8
PREPAREDNESS TRAINING		9
Incident Command System (ICS) Training (Basic)		9
IMT Proficiency Training		10
Several of Pearland’s IMT staff completed formal preparedness training in FY25, to develop and close knowledge gaps through the following courses:		10
Course Title		10
Partici-pants		10
IMT Organizational Development		10
In addition to preparedness training, OEM staff convened professional development meetings with various IMT components to encourage preparedness and promote disaster response and recovery knowledge and proficiency. The meetings included:		10
Review of IMT position responsibilities		10
Overview of Miscrosoft Teams structure for disaster response		10
Various professional development resources		10
The state’s new preparedness training platform		10
Position-specific training requirements		10
EOC Activations processes		10
Personal and deployment preparedness		10
Collaboration between OEM staff, situation unit leaders and IT to refine the City’s automated situation report.		10
Although IMT professional development continued throughout the year, efforts were hindered by the loss of 20 staff, many of them trained in their ICS positions.		10
FY25 staff attrition, combined with losses in FY24 and FY23, amounts to 47 staff or 39% of the IMT roster over three years.		10
Frequent staff transition highlights the persis-tent need for ICS training, and an imperative for organizational commitment to IMT staffing.		10
City-Sponsored Preparedness Training		11
POINTS OF EMPHASIS:		11
An added benefit of in-house training is that it offers an opportunity for team building among staff who don’t normally interact but will form a municipal response and recovery team when disaster threatens.		11
PREPAREDNESS EXERCISES		12
These exercises were designed to:		12
STEAR Evacuation Exercise		12
STEAR Evacuation Exercise		13
Objective:		13
Exercise Emphasis		13
Exercise Discussion		13
Flood Response Exercise		14
Teams		14
EPW PFD		14
IT		14
PD		14
Duties		14
Pearland’s 2025 readiness exercises ultimately cultivated knowledge and proficiency in 10 of FEMA’s 32 nationally recognized core capabilities including:		15
Catastrophic Planning		15
Situation Assessment		15
Public Information and Warning		15
Operational Coordination		15
Operational Communications		15
Environmental Response, Health, and Safety		15
Critical Transportation		15
Mass Care Services		15
Mass Search & Rescue Operations		15
Public Health, Healthcare, and Emergency Medical Services		15
Exercise After-Action Improvement Plan		16
PUBLIC EDUCATION & OUTREACH		17
Following its 2025 National Household Survey on Disaster Preparedness FEMA asserted that people with awareness were 5X more likely to act on preparedness information, and research indicates that repetition can increase the retention of information. Together this suggests that community preparedness would benefit from greater investment in repetitive engagement and preparedness messaging.		17
Community Preparedness		17
In 2025 OEM continued to expand its public education and outreach efforts, which included emphasis on business and household preparedness, as well as the importance of insurance coverage, Pearland Alerts registration and STEAR registration, among other topics. Our overarching strategy integrated public presentations, distribution of authoritative preparedness publications, OEM website refresh, social media content, a residential healthcare facility preparedness workshop, and a business continuity planning workshop.		17
OEM staff repeatedly engaged the Pearland community through numerous presentations and direct contact in the following venues:		17
National Night Out (~100 contacts in various neighborhoods)		17
Pearland Neighborhood Center Community Forum		17
Mosaic in Action AmeriCorps Volunteer forum (2x)		17
Parks & Recreation Edu-Katie video presentation		17
Country Place Women’s Group		17
DisasterProof Your Business: Continuity Workshop		17
Residential Healthcare Facility Preparedness Workshop		17
Pearland Citizen’s Fire Academy		17
Pearland UniverCity		17
PFD Sensory Day		17
Knapp Cenior Center (2x)		17
Bella Vita HOA (55+ community)		17
Ativa Pearland HOA (55+ Community)		17
St. Helen’s Church		17
Watercrest at Shadow Creek Ranch (Retirement Community)		17
Country Place Men’s Group		17
Pearland Exchange Club		17
Epiphany Lutheran Group		17
Additionally, OEM’s outreach specialist visited local dialysis treatment centers, assisted living facilities and residential nursing and rehab facilities to cultivate relationships and enhance communication and collaboration. Similarly, a great deal of time was invested engaging organizations that previously expressed interest in supporting the Pearland recovery committee (Pearland Emergency Assistance & Recovery – PEAR Team) to encourage their commitment.		18
Preparedness Messaging Distribution		18
Brazoria County Disaster Guide		18
Community Impact		18
Pearland Alerts		18
Digital & Print Messaging		18
University of Houston - Clear Lake, Pearland campus		18
Celebration of Freedom		18
OEM continued to use multiple print and digital products to encourage community preparedness throughout FY25.		18
OEM also forwarded individual preparedness appeals to each Pearland STEAR registrant, in anticipation of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. Registrants were urged to prepare to shelter-in-place for no less than 96 hours and actively explore all options to ensure their wellbeing and comfort during an evacuation scenario, to deter unnecessary reliance on the STEAR program.		18
Pearland Town Center		18
OEM funded production of 11,000 Brazoria County Disaster Guides to encourage personal responsibility and promote public preparedness. Guides were available in city facilities and distributed throughout Pearland’s business community through a collaborative effort between OEM and PFD Code Enforcement; additionally, OEM staff addressed every new hire orientation session and provided all new city employees with a copy of the county guide during their first week of employment to encourage their personal preparedness.		18
OEM staff also negotiated favorable terms with the Community Impact News to feature preparedness messaging.		19
Monthly Community Impact publications featuring preparedness messaging.		19
Half-page promotionalas for Pearland Alerts		19
Double-sided full-page hurricane preparedness letter in English and Spanish		19
$0.02		19
Average Cost per Insert		19
690k		19
108k		19
Estimated Print Readership		19
Website & Social Media Content		19
In addition to assisting with print projects, Communications staff assisted in updating the OEM website, adding links to the 2025 Brazoria County and National Weather Service disaster preparedness guides and user-friendly content with links to authoritative sources of information on flood insurance, hurricane season preparedness, etc.		19
OEM also worked with Communications to record a new video preparedness message featuring Mayor Cole and produced a variety of social media posts, a new focus area this year. With the help of Communications staff, preparedness messaging and city readiness activities were featured on various social media platforms, including Facebook and LinkedIn.		19
Preparedness Workshops		19
OEM, in collaboration with the Pearland Chamber of Commerce, convened its third business continuity workshop, Disaster Proof Your Business, to promote local business continuity planning, with a view toward expediting business sector recovery in the aftermath of disaster. OEM presented a comprehensive template for business continuity planning and hazard mitigation, which was followed by subject matter experts from Worldwide (Insurance) Adjusters, and the U.S. Small Business Administration.		19
Disaster Proof Your Business Roundtable Disussions Led by City Staff:		19
City’s Building Administrator		19
Code Enforcement Supervisor		19
Fire Marshal		19
Discussions were designed to help local businesses anticipate legal prerequisites for the resumption of business operations following disaster.		19
Information Technology staff and cybersecurity experts called attention to cyber threats that could compromise business continuity and offered viable risk mitigation strategies.		19
STEAR		20
State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry		20
STEAR is a voluntary state registry for residents who may require assistance during emergencies, especially during hurricane evacuation. Registrants consist largely of elderly and medically fragile residents, those with disabilities or access and functional needs, and others who simply lack the transportation necessary to evacuate. Using the STEAR registry, local jurisdictions can anticipate the need for evacuation assistance and undertake the logistical planning necessary to conduct efficient, effective, and safe evacuation when a life-threatening emergency emerges.		20
STEAR Validation		20
OEM validates Pearland’s STEAR data annually to verify registrant information and quantify the number of individuals, caregivers, and household pets who will potentially rely on the city for evacuation assistance. Data validation, a labor-intensive process, typically requires multiple phone calls to each registrant to verify their information. Those not reached by phone receive follow-up correspondence urging them to contact the city to validate their information. Those unresponsive to correspondence receive a personal visit from PFD staff at their registered address. The city is confident of its data on these vulnerable residents due to this conscientious outreach effort and can therefore more accurately plan transportation requirements and anticipate other logistical necessities.		20
This past year STEAR data validation was undertaken by PFD Code Enforcement. OEM provided training on this highly nuanced process, after which Code Enforcement officers completed the initial validation in record time. During the validation process a small number of registrants are routinely flagged for medical evaluation to determine whether their needs can be met at a general population shelter or whether they need to be evacuated to a medical shelter. In the latter scenario, evacuation via ambulance is typically the most appropriate course of action but, given the scarcity of these resources, this need must be validated by medical professionals.		20
In 2025 medical evaluations were conducted by two PFD paramedics.		20
Upon completion of annual verification, additional registrants are added monthly as residents identify themselves and their potential need for assistance; these also undergo data verification.		20
[3] Experience demonstrates, and research affirms, that residents, particularly elderly residents, will not evacuate if their pets are left behind.		20
2025 STEAR Statistics		21
249		21
178		21
552		21
117		21
197		21
STEAR and Hurricane Beryl		21
137		21
96.4%		21
SPECIAL EVENT SAFETY & SECURITY		22
In FY25 OEM supported Parks & Recreation with contingency planning for several high-profile special events, including development of event action plans:		22
Given the frequency of violent attacks on public events, contingency planning for public events has become an imperative.		22
OEM staff collaborated closely with Parks and Recreation and supporting city departments to develop action plans intended to establish the city’s operational intent for each high-profile special event, including aligning expectations among supporting staff, synchronizing activities, and, ultimately, achieving unity of effort across multiple departments, with staff and volunteers. Staff worked collaboratively to position the city to respond quickly and effectively to any contingency scenario that could threaten public safety or security during its widely attended public events.		22
Jan. 1, 2025 New Orleans, LA Terrorist attack on New Year’s revelers 15 dead, 8 injured		22
July 4, 2024 Fort Worth, TX Mass Shooting after July 4th Festival 3 dead, 8 injured		22
July 4, 2022 Highland Park, IL Mass Shooting after July 4th Parade 7 dead, 48 injured		22
2021 Portland, Oregon Road Rage at the Grand Floral Parade		22
2021 Waukesha, WI Vehicle attack during Christmas Parade 6 dead, 62 injured		22
ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT & COLLABORATION		23
Organizational success requires seamless collaboration across departments and jurisdictions. with intentional focus on internal and external relationships to elicit cooperation, achieve unity of effort, maintain situational awareness, and collaborate on common interests.		23
New Employee Engagement		23
Human Resources provides an opportunity for OEM staff to address each new hire orientation session. Throughout FY25 OEM staff engaged 139 newly hired city staff to call attention to the threats and hazards confronting the city, encourage personal and professional preparedness and highlight expectations of staff when disaster threatens. Early engagement with staff, at the outset of their tenure, provides situational awareness, aligns expectations, and promotes unity of effort when disaster threatens. OEM presents ‘the why’ behind why preparedness matters.		23
External Engagement		23
Heraclitus of Ephesus, the Greek philosopher, is credited with the timeless observation that, “change is the only constant”, and this certainly applies to emergency management. Federal, state, and local laws and policies evolve, best practices emerge, and new threats and hazards arise. OEM participates in a variety of interagency organizational meetings to preserve situational awareness regarding consequential developments in the world around us.		23
The following list identifies recurring OEM engagements:		23
Behavioral Analysis		24
Transportation Analysis		24
Professional Exchanges		25
CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC PRIORITIES		26
PEAR Team		26
IMT Training		27
Objectives of IMT Training		27
EMERGENCY SUPPLY WAREHOUSE		27
CONSIDERATION OF IMT CERTIFICATION PAY		27
THREAT RESPONSE		28
OEM continually monitors the external environment for potential threats and hazards to the Pearland community, providing advanced warning to city leadership and coordinating staff response when threatening events emerge. Daily monitoring of weather forecasts, news reporting, state situation reports, and developing trends in emergency management allows OEM to anticipate risks and evaluate likely operational impacts.		28
The most consequential threat in FY25		28
Winter Storm Enzo		28
20-degree temperatures		28
Historic 4" snowfall in Pearland		28
Travel by road hazardous at best		28
Most businesses and community organizations suspended operations, including local schools.		28
No isolated power outages throughout the region		28
Energy providers maintained continuity of electrical power and averted cascading effects experienced during 2021 Winter Storm Uri.		28
Jan. 15		28
Jan. 22		28
Jan. 20		28
PROGRAM OVERHEAD		29
STRATEGIC PLANNING & PREPAREDNESS		29
STAFFING & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT		29
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT		29
POLICY & COMPLIANCE		29
INTERDEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION & DOCUMENTATION		29
OPPORTUNITES FOR GREATER PREPAREDNESS		30
The better prepared Pearland is for disaster the more resilient our residents, businesses, and community organizations will be, the better they will withstand disaster, and the more quickly and completely they will recover from it. When our community is prepared, the city's response will be more effective, efficient, and less costly. The faster our community recovers, the more quickly revenue streams on which the city relies to fund essential services are restored.		30
IMT INCENTIVE PAY		30
OEM struggles to recruit, train, and retain IMT staff because...		30
Few staff are inclined to absorb additional responsibilities		30
Staff are largely consumed with daily duties		30
IMT promises more work but offers little incentive		30
A financial incentive that motivates staff to volunteer for IMT duty, and complete basic and advanced ICS training promises a more stable and proficient team prepared to deliver a more efficient, effective, safe, and federally reimbursable response.		30
Damage Assessment Hurricane Beryl highlighted the importance of developing a comprehensive damage assessment plan and designating a team trained to quickly assess both internal and external damage.		30
Rapid and thorough damage assessment is critical because only then can the city bring to bear the resources necessary to stabilize the community and initiate its recovery.		30
Equally important, damage assessment is a prerequisite for federal disaster assistance (i.e., FEMA Individuals and Households Program, FEMA Public Assistance, Small Business Administration disaster loans, etc.).		30
Federal assistance is contingent, however, on satisfaction of state and county financial thresholds that continue to increase making it more challenging to meet the thresholds that trigger a federal disaster declaration.		30
In the aftermath of disaster, Pearland, surrounding counties, and the entire state must be prepared to quickly communicate the magnitude of response costs and uninsured damage to the federal government.		30
In the absence of federal or state reimbursement, disaster response costs are borne entirely by the city and its residents. Therefore, it is in the interest of every local jurisdiction to maintain the capability to rapidly calculate response costs and reliably estimate uninsured damage.		30
If Pearland knows whether financial thresholds have been satisfied, and federal assistance is forthcoming, it can more confidently pursue response and recovery efforts.		30
A Compelling Case for Greater Readiness		31
The case for greater readiness is compelling.		31
Damage associated with a Category 3 hurricane is described by the National Weather Service		31
The NWS describes damage anticipated following a Category 4 hurricane		31
Although Beryl was only a Category 1 storm, it inflicted widespread wind damage throughout Pearland.		32
Hurricane Beryl – July 2024 NWS Houston/Galveston TX, December 30, 2024		32
Daily counts of Heat Related Illness (HRI) as per the Houston Health Department. There is a noticeable HRI increase after the May 16 derecho and a much larger HRI increase after Hurricane Beryl hit on July 8.		32
In light of recent history, Pearland should anticipate increased frequency of disaster in its various forms and increasing demand for disaster response and recovery competence, proficiency, and capability.		32
GULF HURRICANE ANALYSIS		33
OEM staff conducted a cursory analysis of 20 Gulf hurricanes between 2018 and 2024. This exercise produced some valuable insights:		33
17/20		33
53%		33
Cat.		33
25%		33
Landfall Speed		33
Storm		33
Ian		33
Helene		33
Laura		33
Michael		33
Sally		33
Winds at Landfall		33
Storm		33
Michael		33
155		33
Ian		33
155		33
Laura		33
150		33
Ida		33
140		33
Helene		33
140		33
Hurricane Windfield		33
Storm		33
Ian		33
107		33
Helene		33
100		33
Laura		33
Michael		33
Inland Penetration		34
The average inland penetration of the 17 storms that made landfall in the Gulf was 108 miles.		34
Some storms brought hurricane force winds much further inland.		34
Storm		34
Zeta		34
Michael		34
Laura		34
Helene		34
Milton		34
Winds @ Landfall		34
278		34
203		34
177		34
173		34
145		34
Hurricane Windfield		34
8 of the 17 storms (47%) that made landfall in the Gulf brought hurricane force winds more than 100 miles inland.		34
The average hurricane windfield of these storms was 46 miles across, 100 miles inland. Several storms, however, had much larger hurricane force windfields at 100 miles inland.		34
Storm		34
Ian		34
Laura		34
Michael		34
Landfall by Location		34
3 storms dissipated in the Gulf The point of impact of the 17 storms that made landfall follows:		34
Landfall		34
Florida		34
Louisiana		34
SE Texas		34
Alabama		34
Mexico		34
S Texas		34
12"		34
Average Rainfall of 17 Landfalling Hurricanes		34
17"		34
Average Maximum Rainfall		34
Average Rainfall (inches)		34
While natural disasters cannot be prevented, Pearland can certainly prepare for them to ensure our response is effective, efficient, and as safe as possible and that community recovery is as rapid and complete as possible.		35
While natural disasters cannot be prevented, Pearland can certainly prepare for them to ensure our response is effective, efficient, and as safe as possible and that community recovery is as rapid and complete as possible.		35
The city will respond to disaster. This response will be much easier, however, if staff understand what they are supposed to do and how to do it.		35
As the saying goes, however....		35
“Luck favors the prepared.”		35
THANK YOU		35

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