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  • NEWSROOM: TEXAS A&M FOREST SERVICE RESPONDS TO FLOODING OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Sept. 19, 2019

    Texas A&M Forest Service responds to flooding of Southeast Texas

    COLLEGE STATION, Texas – As torrential rainfall from Tropical Depression Imelda has led to life-threatening flooding, responders from Texas A&M Forest Service are supporting state incident operations and leading initial Incident Management Teams (IMT) in Southeast Texas.

    An eight-person Incident Planning Section is en route to the Beaumont Disaster District Chair (DDC). The team is comprised of four Texas A&M Forest Service responders and four Regional Incident Management Team (RIMT) responders from across Texas.

    During regional events like Imelda, county judges and emergency management coordinators manage vast and sometimes overwhelming requests. Texas A&M Forest Service works with the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), local DDCs and Texas responders to deploy to regional and state incidents.

    “While TFS is most known for responding to wildfires, we are also active participants in the state’s response to all types of disasters,” said Texas A&M Forest Service Incident Response Department Head Les Rogers. “We are always prepared to assist local government and communities in their time of need.”

    Texas A&M Forest Service is leading an All-Hazard IMT made-up of RIMT responders in Hardin County to assist their Emergency Operations Center and has additional All-Hazard IMTs and chainsaw crews available on standby.

    Agency employees are also in Austin staffing the State Operations Center (SOC) as the Emergency Service Branch Director and the Fire Emergency Service Function Coordinator for the state’s Emergency Management Council.

    “We are fortunate to live in Texas—a state that maintains a high level of preparedness and coordination in anticipation of major incidents like Imelda,” said Texas A&M Forest Service Fire Chief Mark Stanford. “TFS is always ready to serve as part of the state’s response, coordinated through TDEM.”

    Incident Management Teams are composed of personnel who are trained to manage or assist in the management of emergency response operations. An IMT provides a coordination and control infrastructure to handle a wide range of emergencies from human-caused to natural disasters. The size of an IMT is contingent on the severity of the incident and the needs of the affected jurisdiction. Texas currently has 18 IMTs regionally located around the state.

    Follow https://twitter.com/AllHazardsTFS

    Contact:

    Texas A&M Forest Service Communications Office, 979-458-6600, newsmedia@tfs.tamu.edu
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