With a seat at the table to help the Houston area prepare for, protect against, response to and recover from catastrophic incidents, Harris County Department of Education’s (HCDE) Center for Safe and Secure Schools (CSSS) hosted a workshop on Oct. 13 for agencies across the region to better understand leveraging technology for better planning.

The annual workshop is part of the Houston Urban Area Security Initiative, established in 2003 after the greater Houston area was considered by the Department of Homeland Security to be among the highest threat urban areas in the nation. The designation qualifies the area to receive funding through the DHS Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant program – Houston is among 45 cities designated as high-risk urban areas.

CSSS School Safety and Security Officer Robert Marquez represents the division and HCDE with the initiative. He served on the workshop’s planning team and joined representatives from the La Porte Office of Emergency Management, Harris County Universal Services and Houston Office of Emergency Management for a panel discussion on exploring the power and influence of AI in emergency planning.

Attendees also heard case studies from the Fort Bend Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management and the National Weather Service, while representatives from the Houston Police Department and Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security presented regional technology systems such as ArcGIS Online and the Community Lifeline Support Tool.