NEWS RELEASE

City of Houston Office of Emergency Management Receives Notable EMAP Accreditation

October 17, 2024 – The City of Houston’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has achieved EMAP accreditation status following a comprehensive, two-year self-evaluation, documentation, and peer review process by the Emergency Management Accreditation Program.

With 671 miles of service area and 2.3 million residents, Houston is the largest City in the nation to attain EMAP accreditation, an honor awarded to emergency management programs that showcase compliance with the Emergency Management Standard certified by the American National Standards Institute.

Houston OEM has activated in response to various storms, incidents, and events throughout the years, most recently Hurricane Beryl in July 2024. OEM’s work in ensuring emergency response teams are prepared to address potential crises swiftly while proactively building a culture of preparedness for residents has been recognized by EMAP. Currently, the OEM staff is preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup games to be held in Houston.

This achievement indicates an agency is the “gold-standard,” ever working to build a safer community through credible standards of excellence. Now in place, this accreditation will remain valid for five years.

“This recognition is a testament to the hard work and commitment to excellence of the Houston OEM Team”, said Brian Mason, Executive Director of City of Houston OEM. “We will continue to meet, and even exceed, these vigorous standards for years to come.”