The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) and the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) announced today that TEEX will become the sponsoring agency for the state’s Public Works Response Team (PWRT).
The response team, now dubbed the Texas A&M Public Works Response Team, was created over a decade ago to provide resources in assisting communities with restoration of critical infrastructure after a disaster. As a world-class provider of training and technical assistance for public infrastructure, TEEX will provide a foundation for the team based on its considerable resources and subject matter expertise.
Public infrastructure, and specifically public utilities, are vitally important to communities worldwide. As has been seen with disasters across the nation recently, when public utilities are not available, communities cannot rebuild. Only by bringing essential services back online can recovery begin. The PWRT provides damage assessments and technical assistance needed to restore public works impacted by hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, forest fires, ice storms, tornadoes or any other natural or man-made disaster.
“Once the catastrophic event is over, economic damage is just beginning” says Ron Peddy, Director of TX-PWRT. “Businesses are shutdown, schools are closed, basic water and wastewater isn’t available. The PWRT provides a robust team of public works professionals, resources, and equipment that will provide the means to reopen the community as quickly as possible.”
TEEX’s sponsorship of the PWRT comes at the request of TDEM Chief Nim Kidd.
“As TDEM celebrates its 2nd anniversary as a standalone state agency within the Texas A&M University System, the re-establishment of the Texas A&M Public Works Response Team under TEEX allows us to leverage the skills and abilities of science, training and research to improve response capabilities in the State of Texas,” Chief Kidd says.
For more information on the operation of TX-PWRT or information on how to become a member of the team, visit https://teex.org/txpwrt/ or email us at [email protected].
About TEEX
The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) is an internationally recognized leader in the delivery of emergency response, homeland security and workforce training, exercises, technical assistance, and economic development. A member of The Texas A&M University System, TEEX served more than 173,000 people from across the United States and 133 countries last year through hands-on training and technical services.
About TDEM
The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) serves the State of Texas by managing the all-hazards emergency management plan for the state. TDEM works closely with local jurisdictions, state agencies, and federal partners in ensuring Texas becomes more resilient for future disasters. TDEM staff are stationed statewide and serve six different regions. Whether natural or man-made, TDEM is prepared and ready to respond to all future disasters.
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