Would you like to receive emergency notifications from the City of Houston Office of Emergency Management in your e-mail box?  You can sign up online by clicking the appropriate button below:

City of Houston Resident

Community Organization

Business Community

You can request a copy of the Disaster Preparedness Guide by clicking the button below, or by calling our office at (713) 884-4500.

Request Preparedness Guide

A: Residents can sign up for AlertHouston, which provides updated information about emergencies within the City, they can follow Office of Emergency Management on twitter @HoustonOEM, on Facebook at facebook.com/houstonoem.  Information that is pertinent to emergencies within the City will be distributed to local media partners, including the two Emergency Alert System (EAS) Stations in the City, KUHF 88.7FM and KTRH 740AM.  Also, NOAA Weather Radios can be purchased an any electronics retailer, or online through redcrossstore.org, and will deliver immediate information on emergencies.

Yes, each individual who needs assistance in evacuating must fill out a form. This allows emergency personnel to ensure transportation is provided for each person in your household.

Please note that only the individual needing assistance has to register.  Family members and caretakers who may be accompanying the individual in an evacuation will be able to ride along with them without registering. 

Facilities such as nursing homes, assisted living or other group homes should fill out a "facility form" instead of an individual form for each resident.

If you have been ordered to evacuate your area and are registered for the STEAR but no one has contacted you regarding transportation, contact the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Greater Harris County (METRO) at 713-225-0119 or 311

If an individual you know may need assistance, with their permission, you may fill out the online form, call 2-1-1 for them.  Some information needed for the form is fairly detailed, and will require input from the individual being registered or their caretaker.

The information you fill out on the STEAR is kept until January 1 of the following year.  At that time, you will be encouraged to renew your registration by either filling out another form online, to call 2-1-1 or by mailing in a new downloadable form.  This helps make sure that the information in the STEAR database is the most current.

Once your form is completed and submitted, OEM staff enter it into a database that is then available for emergency service providers to get in contact with you in the event that an emergency affects your area.

You may dial 2-1-1 from any phone and speak with an operator who can register you for evacuation assistance.

Hurricanes are not the only hazard that could impact Houston.  If you live outside of an evacuation area, you may still register for evacuation assistance in the event that another type of hazard, such as a hazardous chemical release, or a flood impacts your community.

Registration with STEAR only provides the City with information on where individuals who register live, in order to facilitate the evacuation of those living in mandatory evacuation areas.  Not all Houston residents will live within mandatory evacuation areas. Visit the Hurricane Evacuation page see if you live in a mandatory evacuation area.  All residents should make plans to evacuate during a hurricane if they feel they would not be able to sustain their basic needs in their homes during and after the hurricane's impact.

Any Houston resident who is unable to evacuate themselves should register with TAR.  This includes individuals with special medical needs, special transportation needs, or anyone needing assistance in evacuating.

In the event of an emergency which requires evacuation, some individuals may need additional assistance leaving their homes.  The State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR) (formerly the Transportation Assistance Registry) allows residents to provide information on their specific situation to emergency management officials who can help them what they need in order to evacuate to safety. This information also helps emergency planners as they develop plans and procedures for assisting residents during emergencies.

Facilities who care for the most vulnerable of our residents can also register their facilities with emergency responders, to help when planning for, and responding to disasters.

Who Should Register?

Any resident may register for assistance under the STEAR program if they have any condition, healthcareneed, or may need additional assistance during an emergency.  Some examples include individuals who:

• Don't speak English well, or have any kind of disability which keeps them from communicating effectively.
• Individuals who may need transportation assistance during an evacuation.
• Require electricity for life-sustaining equipment (such as life support machines, electric wheelchairs, or are insulin-dependent and require refrigeration)

You may complete registration forms for individuals who may not be able to complete the form themselves. Be sure to obtain their permission first. 

Please note that registration with STEAR does not guarantee any delivery of services by responders, and should not replace developing your own emergency plan. 

How Do I Register?

There are three ways to sign up for the STEAR Program:

• Register Online - The fastest and easiest way for an individual to register for evacuation assistance. (Online registration is only open to residents of the City of Houston)
• Call 2-1-1 - A trained telephone operator will be able to take your information in minutes.
• Download the paper form and send it to United Ways of Greater Houston.

How Is The Information Used?

Information provided during registration is shared with emergency planners and emergency responders to help ensure that Houston residents with access and functional needs have the services they need in an emergency.  This information is never sold, and remains confidential.

What If I Still Have More Questions?

You can visit our FAQs page, or call our office at (713) 884-4500 for more information on the STEAR program.

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The "2013 Houston Healthcare Hurricane & Emergency Preparedness Summit" will provide a unique opportunity for non-hospital healthcare providers (i.e. nursing home, home health, assisted living, rehabilitation, dialysis, pharmacy, etc.), to enhance facility preparedness for hurricanes and other emergencies.

Summit attendees will hear experienced speakers present on a variety of topics critical to comprehensive preparedness. Attendees will hear lessons learned from healthcare providers that experienced major emergencies in their own facilities.

Summit Goals

• 2013 hurricane season forecast
• Advance knowledge, skills, and provide necessary tools for enhancing and strengthening emergency preparedness.
• To provide guidance to enhance all-hazards preparedness for healthcare facilities (i.e. hurricane, fire, severe weather, power/utility failure, chemical, bomb-threat, active shooter, informational technology, pandemic outbreak, etc.)
• Understanding critical core components regarding continuity of care for maximize protection for occupants (i.e. staffs, residents, patients, visitors, vendors, pets, etc.) and property.
• Understanding "continuity of operations" for extended or long-term emergency or disaster situations requiring sheltering-in-place or evacuation (internal and external).   
• Identify, share, and establish contact information with partners for providing support and guidance beyond the Summit.

Who Should Attend

• Health care professionals that provide direct or indirect care and related support services (i.e. nursing homes, home health, assisted living, Alzheimer, hospice, dialysis, mental health, pharmacy, maintenance, information technology , materials management, etc.).
• Speakers will bring years of experience in respective fields, providing relevant and important information on a variety of topics that are considered vital for enhancing and strengthening all-hazards emergency preparedness. The Summit will allow many opportunities for attendees to engage, collaborate, share, and network with local and regional planning partners.

Topics Presented

• General & Breakout Sessions will include:

-   2013 Hurricane Season Outlook

-   Hurricane & Severe Weather Preparedness

-   All-Hazards Preparedness for Healthcare Facilities

-   Emergency Operations Plans - Fundamental Core Components

-   Licensing Requirements for Texas Healthcare Facilities

-   Health & Medical - Continuity Planning & Preparedness

-   Understanding Power/Utility Infrastructure

-   Real-World Case Study Presentations

Summit Information

Cost: Free

Location: George R. Brown Convention Center

Address: 1001 Avenida De Las Americas, Houston, TX 77010

3rd Level #370

Date: June 26, 2013

Registration: 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

Summit: 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

Lunch: Own Your Own (List of local dining will be provided at check-in)

Parking Cost: Ranges $10.00 - $20.00 (NOTE: Other events ocurring locally may limit availability of lower cost parking) 

Sponsors	Participants

Whether you have a disability, require electricity for medical equipment, or simply don't have reliable transportation in the event of an evacuation, some of us who may need help when disaster strikes.  The State of Texas is partnering with local offices of emergency management to help make sure that residents have a way to let their local governments know of their situation, so they can provide the necessary services to keep them safe.  The State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR) builds on previous programs to help ensure that residents have the assistance they need when it matters most.  

There are two different ways to sign up for the STEAR program, by calling 2-1-1 or by filling out an online form: 

Call 2-1-1

Online Form