Welcome to ReadyHarris.org.
Harris County faces a wide array of potential threats, from hurricanes and severe flooding to hazardous materials incidents and active shooter situations. Some of these disasters are forecasted with several days notice, but many can -- and will -- happen without warning.
The good news is that we are not powerless against these challenges.
We know that families that take action to prepare before disaster strikes can avoid or lessen the impact of a catastrophic event. They also often suffer less trauma and recover more quickly. Since day one of my administration, I have prioritized work to fund and expedite critical infrastructure projects designed to reduce the impact of severe weather. That is what our Harris Thrives campaign is doing. We're creating the conditions for a faster, fairer, and smarter way to protect Harris County from flooding. But being prepared for disasters is a shared responsibility. All of us play a role.
ReadyHarris is designed to promote a culture of preparedness across our region that will be more inclusive of the role individual families, nonprofit groups, and the private sector play before, during, and after an emergency. This site provides user-friendly access to information on how to prepare for all types of disasters, highlights access to real-time alerts regarding ongoing emergencies, and connects you with state-of-the-art tools available to help you plan, recover, and stay safe.
It is a simple fact that when disasters strike, the first responders are often neighbors helping neighbors and non-governmental organizations who provide immediate support. That’s what makes our communities strong. Our job is to make sure we are all connected and sharing the latest information we need to be ready. We hope you will join us in taking action to prepare and we look forward to continuing to update this resource with even more features and content as we adapt to the reality of more frequent and severe disasters.
Lina Hidalgo
Harris County Judge