Friendswood, Manvel and Pearland altogether have invested more than $3.4 million in emergency response since 2021—funds which have been spent on better training, equipment and salaries.
The background
Pearland first responders, public works and emergency management officials, and volunteers staged a simulated high-water rescue mission April 9 to allow city staff in those departments to collaborate and prepare for an actual rescue mission during a storm, Pearland Emergency Management Coordinator Peter Martin said.
It’s one of several ways Pearland has tried to upgrade its equipment and training in the case of an emergency. For example, after a child drowned in a detention pond in 2017, Pearland acquired drones for rescue teams to deliver life jackets and radios across flooded areas and assess dangers before sending in personnel.
City staff said lessons learned during Hurricane Harvey in 2017 also continue to shape Pearland’s disaster preparedness approach.
“We learned a lot from Hurricane Harvey, ... and we’re building on those lessons,” Martin said.
In the years since, Pearland has expanded its fleet of high-water vehicles, including surplus military trucks acquired through the federal Law Enforcement Support Office program. Officials further modified the vehicles with lifts to aid in evacuating individuals with limited mobility.
The city did not have to pay for the vehicles but did cover the $30,000 cost to transfer them to Pearland, Communications Director Josh Lee said.
Manvel is also updating its emergency response needs in the form of funding and new facilities, including a new police station.
In 2023, Friendswood consolidated its emergency medical services into the Department of Emergency Services to make services more efficient, Friendswood Director of Communications Glenda Faulkner said.
Key players
Community Impact previously reported Pearland ISD and the city of Pearland entered an interlocal agreement in March to coordinate efforts in large-scale emergency response and recovery operations.
The agreement allows the city to use school facilities such as gyms, cafeterias, restrooms and showers as emergency shelters and disaster recovery centers. PISD will also open its facilities to temporarily place debris following natural disasters, as part of the agreement.
The city will cover facility restoration, transportation support and emergency use of district property. The district will be responsible for operational costs, including utilities for emergency shelters and staging if PISD can’t get federal or state aid, according to district agenda documents.
The city will also be able to use the district’s fuel and transportation resources, including bus drivers and buses, subject to availability, per the agreement. “We are steadfast in our commitment to collaborative planning, ensuring the safety and well-being of our students, staff and the entire Pearland community,” John Palombo, PISD executive director of safety and operations, said in an email.
Other projects
Flood mitigation projects include:
Cannon Ditch Watershed improvements
- Funding: $21.6 million
- Scope: widening and deepening channels, and creating around 980 acre-feet of detention to provide 100-year flood protection
- Funding: $19.68 million
- Scope: widening and deepening the channel, adding 546 acre-feet of detention and expanding an existing basin to over 775 acre-feet
- Funding: $29.26 million
- Scope: installing two bypass channel segments and creating about 850 acre-feet of detention basin to provide 100-year flood protection|
Before Hurricane Beryl, Friendswood initiated changes to its emergency management plan to integrate new processes, technologies and practices. Friendswood City Council adopted the new base plan at a Feb. 3 meeting.
During Hurricane Beryl in July, Manvel city staff used City Hall as an emergency operations center—a space never intended for long-term disaster response. Now, the city plans to open a dedicated emergency response hub in its new $35 million police station, which is slated to open in May or June, Mayor Dan Davis said.
Meanwhile, Beryl left Manvel with over $600,000 in cleanup costs, but Davis said the city mobilized quickly to clear debris.
Manvel also updated its budget to safeguard future storm response. Last year, City Council raised the minimum reserve requirement from between 15%-25% to 50% of the city’s general operating fund.
“That way we have up to six months of essentially a rainy day fund to pull from when emergencies arise,” Davis said.
Brazoria County mandates evacuations in the event of a Category 3 or higher storm, Martin said. In the case of an evacuation, first responders will first evacuate State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry members who require assistance with getting to a shelter.
In an April report, Colorado State University forecasters predicted an above-average hurricane season—including a 33% chance of a major storm hitting the western Gulf Coast.
“All it takes is one storm to ruin your season,” Martin said.
