The mission of the Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security is to assist the City in its preparedness activities to prevent, protect, respond to, and recover from man-made and natural disasters or major emergencies; and to ensure that citizen calls for police, fire and medical emergencies are received, processed, and dispatched as quickly and accurately as possible.
The Divisions within the Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security include Homeland Security, the Office of Emergency Management, the Houston Emergency Center, and Houston Crackdown.
Homeland Security
The office coordinates Homeland Security activities among all City departments and with other jurisdictions within the region, as well as public and private sector stakeholders. It serves as the liaison and point of contact with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Its responsibilities include Homeland Security planning, grant acquisition, grant management and citizen preparedness.
Office of Emergency Management (OEM)
OEM assists the City of Houston departments and residents in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters and other emergencies. In its preparedness role, it develops plans for dealing with the effects of natural and manmade disasters.
During disasters and certain emergency operations, the office will activate the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) where all city departments will coordinate their response and recovery activities.
Houston Emergency Center (HEC)
The Houston Emergency Center is a state of the art facility for the City's emergency communications, including its 911 public safety answering point and police, fire, and EMS dispatch operations.
The City's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is also located at the HEC.
About the Director
Dennis J. Storemski has been Director of the Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security since January 2005.
Prior to his appointment, he served in the Houston Police Department for 38 years, having attained the rank of Executive Assistant Chief of Police.
Contact OPSHS
Dennis J. Storemski
Director
City Hall Annex
900 Bagby, 2nd Floor
Houston, TX 77002
PHONE: 832.393.0875
Houston Crackdown
Serving the citizens of Houston and Harris County since 1988, Houston Crackdown coordinates and supports community volunteer projects in alcohol and other drug abuse through prevention, education, treatment and rehabilitation efforts.