State Operations Center

Mission

The SOC is operated by TDEM on a 24/7 basis and serves as the state warning point. It uses an extensive suite of communications to receive and disseminate warnings of threats to regional warning points and to state and local officials, monitors emergency situations throughout the state and provides information on these events to federal, state and local officials, and coordinates state assistance to local governments that are responding to emergencies.

SOC Daily Operations

The SOC serves as the state warning point and primary state direction and control facility, and is managed and staffed by the Operations Section of TDEM during its normal daily operations, which is 24 hours a day and seven days a week. The Daily Operations staff monitors threats, makes notification of threats, provides information on emergency incidents to local, state and federal officials and coordinates assistance requests from local governments through the DPS District offices.

In a typical year the SOC Daily Operations coordinates 3,000 to 4,000 local incidents.

State Management Team

The State Management Team (SMT) is a dedicated SOC staff responsible for standardizing SOC management and operation during a disaster, developing a NIMS-based resource request process, and incorporating state agency liaisons to support operations.

The SMT consists of experienced managers who facilitate the flow of resources and services to affected areas during large disasters and emergencies within the state.

During emergency SOC activations the SMT has team members that serve as the lead points of contact in the following areas:

  • Operations
  • Logistics
  • Plans

Additionally, the SMT has state agency liaisons that support the SOC. They include representatives from:

  • Texas A&M Forest Service
  • Texas Military Department
  • Texas Engineering Extension Service – TX Task Force 1
  • Texas A&M Agrilife Extension
  • Texas Highway Patrol
  • Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

Texas SOC Clock

The Texas SOC Clock sets the official time for the H-120 countdown as well as any other incident or event that needs a uniform and set time statewide.

The easy to remember URL for the SOC Clock is https://clock.soc.texas.gov/ or you can select this link for the SOC Clock.

What is a Disaster Summary Outline?

As soon as possible, all jurisdictional departments should begin gathering response costs and initial damage estimates. These figures need not be exact but are necessary to complete the Disaster Summary Outline (DSO). The DSO is the first snapshot TDEM receives regarding the extent of damages.  The DSO is used as a basis for obtaining a Presidential Disaster Declaration. DSOs will automatically be sent to the State Operations Center (SOC) through the form.

SITUATION REPORTS

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ESD Reports

Under Section 775.083 of the Texas Health and Safety  Code, emergency services districts are required to file an annual report with the Texas Division of Emergency Management. The report is due by January 1 each year.

TDEM has arranged with the Texas State Association of Fire and Emergency Districts (SAFE-D) to collect the annual reports.

To view filings for the most recent year, click to: https://www.safe-d.org/esdreports23/

To submit a new/updated report use this link: https://form.jotform.com/232744947160157

Watch for information about 2024 filings in the fourth quarter of this year.

For more information about SAFE-D visit: www.safe-d.org (or contact admin@safe-d.org).