Emergency Management

Ron Schmitz, Emergency Management Coordinator has served as the City's EMC since 2012, and also serves as the City's Emergency Services Director. The Emergency Management Coordinator (EMC) is responsible for the planning and implementation of the City's comprehensive Emergency Management Program, which guides the City through each of the four phases of emergency management: preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.

National Incident Management System

In the event of either a natural or man-made disaster, The City of Alvin would transition into and operate under the National Incident Management System (NIMS), a program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This program is a comprehensive approach to incident management that can apply to emergencies of all types and sizes. The NIMS approach is intended to be both flexible, to work in all incidents; and standardized, to provide a coordinated efficient response to each incident.

The NIMS model for incident management is the Incident Command System (ICS). ICS is a standardized on-scene emergency management organization designed to aid in the management of resources during incidents. The ICS model is used by jurisdictions and agencies, both public and private, to organize field-level incident-management operations. ICS is sometimes referred to as the Incident Management System (IMS); the terms are interchangeable. Click here to read more about the NIMS.

City of Alvin employees and elected officials have been trained to use NIMS in response to emergencies of all types and sizes.

Emergency Operations Center

In the event of a natural disaster such as a hurricane, the City of Alvin would open the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) which is housed in a dedicated room within the Alvin Police Department. The size of the incident will dictate whether the EOC is operated on a limited or full time basis. When the EOC is opened for use during an emergency incident, the EMC will begin use of the NIMS which includes the Incident Command Structure. Under this structure, trained employees will take on new roles and responsibilities under each functional area: Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics and Finance/Administration. When the EOC is operating on a full-time basis, trained employees will work in 12 hour shifts around the clock until otherwise deemed necessary by the Incident Commander.

If it is not feasible to use the EOC during an incident, the City of Alvin also has a mobile command center that can be stationed on site of the incident. This all-terrain vehicle is equipped to handle command staff on scene and is marked Mobile Command for easy identification.

Communication During an Emergency

The City of Alvin has an emergency notification service, Alvin Alerts by Everbridge, that allows officials to disseminate messages to those residents and businesses who have registered to receive emergency notification through a single telephone call, text message, or email. Register Here.

During an emergency, Alvin residents can also keep up to date through local radio station 740 KTRH AM, the City of Alvin's social media platforms, and the City's website.

Emergency Management