The city of West Lake Hills has enrolled in the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry, or STEAR, program in order to meet the needs of individuals who require help due to disability, medical fragility or other similar challenges during city emergencies requiring evacuation.

The overview

STEAR, which is administered by the Texas Division of Emergency Management, or TDEM, is a registry program which provides information on community members to local emergency responders, aiding them in efforts to assist individuals facing challenges like disability, communication barriers, or reliance upon others for transportation or personal care in case of an emergency or declared disaster.

The program currently lists over 150 Texas jurisdictions participating, and West Lake Hills will soon join, following approval at a City Council meeting held Jan. 22.

Municipalities are entitled to use registry information collected by STEAR in different ways, and signing up does not guarantee that an individual will receive any specific service during an emergency, according to the STEAR website.

The plan

Following West Lake Hills’ enrollment in the program, residents will be able to enter their information online and receive assistance when needed during disasters or emergencies. A newsletter will be sent out the week of Jan. 27 with instructions on signing up, City Administrator Trey Fletcher said.

Another part of the resolution to join the program would require the city to appoint a data custodian in order to keep track of resident-submitted information, Fletcher said. Additionally, upon enrolling in the STEAR program, the city will be required to perform wellness checks on enrolled residents during disasters or emergencies.

All of this work would be advocated for by community leaders as part of the city’s Firewise initiative, Mayor James Vaughan said, referring to the educational program run by the National Fire Protection Association aimed at reducing community risk of wildfires, which West Lake Hills participates in.

What’s next?

After the city’s newsletter is sent out to residents, information will be made available on the city’s website to let those interested learn more about the program, Fletcher said.