Fort Bend County officials gathered Sept. 24 to rename the Emergency Operations Center in honor of former county judge Robert E. ‘Bob’ Hebert, who died in August.
In a nutshell
The Robert E. "Bob" Hebert Emergency Operations Center, which was approved by Fort Bend County commissioners at an Aug. 27 meeting, is meant to honor Hebert’s dedication to public safety, County Judge Daniel Wong said.
The center opened in 2022 and replaced a 70-year-old jail house previously used by the county during emergencies, including under Hebert’s 16-year term as county judge. It gives county staff a place to gather to respond to potential emergency situations, such as weather disasters or local events.
Commissioner Vincent Morales said Hebert pushed for the new facility because he saw an increasing need for emergency responses as the county population grew.
“Whenever disaster strikes, and whenever the county is called to protect its people, public servants will gather beneath Bob’s name and continue the work he believed in so deeply,” Morales said.
What they’re saying
The ceremony brought together elected officials, Hebert’s family and community members to honor the former judge and tour the facility.
The former judge’s daughter Shelley Hebert Hannes said he always led with public safety at the top of his mind. He prioritized leading county operations during weather disasters such as Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Ike and flooding in the Brazos River and helped found a nearby local volunteer fire department, she said.
“Service response wasn’t just something he did; it was woven into everything we did as a family,” Hebert Hannes said.
She said her dad always saw public safety as a job, and he would even lead the family through fire drills.
“He was teaching us something very important: when people need help, you show up,” Hebert Hannes said. “That is the legacy that we will carry forward, and that is the legacy we are so happy to share with Fort Bend County.”
Looking forward
Community Impact reached out to county staff to learn more about a timeline for the signage change on the building, but a response was not received by press time.
