safety
A year after deadly floods, Texas lawmakers haven’t addressed training for emergency coordinators
By Texas Tribune, Emily Foxhall at KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC)
· July 3, 2026
· 6 min read
In legislative hearings after last year’s July 4 floods, the state’s emergency management chief made some recommendations to state lawmakers. They included empowering the agency to vet volunteers who show up after disasters and establishing clearer guidelines for local officials to decide whether...
Key takeaway “I do think it’s time that we as a state decide there needs to be a baseline for people that get appointed into that position,” Kidd told lawmakers at a July 23 hearing focused on the floods.
Why this matters in Tomball News
The lack of required training for local emergency management coordinators in Texas has significant implications for communities like Tomball , where effective disaster response can be a matter of life and death. As a city within the Houston area, Tomball is no stranger to flooding and other natural disasters, making it crucial that its emergency management coordinators are adequately prepared to respond. The fact that two bills aimed at addressing this issue failed in the last legislative session means that cities like Tomball may still be hiring coordinators with no formal training in the field. This raises concerns about the city's ability to respond effectively to disasters, particularly given its location in Harris County, which is prone to flooding. As state lawmakers prepare to return to the Capitol in January, Tomball residents will be watching to see if they will take action to address this critical issue and ensure that their city's emergency management coordinators have the training they need to keep the community safe.
About this story
Original reporting by KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) . Tomball News surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: safety ·
Published: July 3, 2026 ·
Source: KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) ·
Reading time: 6 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? In legislative hearings after last year’s July 4 floods, the state’s emergency management chief made some recommendations to state lawmakers. They included empowering the agency to vet volunteers who show up after disasters and establishing clearer guidelines for local officials to decide whether...
When was this published? This article was first published on July 3, 2026 by KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) and curated for Tomball News readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Texas Tribune, Emily Foxhall at KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC). To learn more about how Tomball News selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more safety coverage from Tomball News, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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