Emergency Management
Department Mission
To minimize loss of life and damage by maintaining a program that addresses preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery for all hazards. To accomplish this mission, the North Richland Hills Office of Emergency Management will work in close coordination with mutual aid partners, Tarrant County, the State of Texas and federal agencies in the preparation of a program of outreach coordination, planning, training and exercising.
Goals
- Assisting all city departments with emergency mitigation and disaster planning
- Coordinating emergency management training programs as well as emergency operation drills
- Managing the Emergency Operations Center
- Serving as the city's primary liaison for emergency management and emergency preparedness
- Serving as the first responder to emergency events which could have a significant impact to the city
Emergency Management Coordinator
Billy Owens joined the City of North Richland Hills as Emergency Management Coordinator in August 2013. Prior to that, he was an Emergency Management professional for the City of Irving. He graduated from the University of North Texas with a degree in Emergency Administration and completed his Master of Public Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas.
While with the City of Irving Emergency Management Division, he worked in the Emergency Operations Center, developed and coordinated community education programs such as CERT, coordinated disaster and emergency response exercises, and was assigned to Emergency Operations Planning for Super Bowl XLV.
Mr. Owens is the point of contact for emergency and disaster planning, disaster exercises, West Nile reporting and tracking, the emergency notification system and a host of other community preparedness responsibilities.