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Attendees fish at a stock fishing pond at a previous Disaster Expo -
An emergency vehicle surrounded by cones.
Beaumont Police Officer Carol Riley has witnessed a lot of disasters first-hand, both as a first responder and a resident of the Southeast Texas community that has had more than its fair share of disaster over the years. Also weighing on Riley’s mind when contemplating the disasters that have taken shots at resilient regional residents: the fact that many are still trying to recover.
“There’s so many people affected so often,” by natural and manmade disasters, Riley said. Yet, despite the frequency of disasters striking this little slice of Texas, many residents are unaware of what to do in the event of disasters, what programs are available for recovery, and who performs what services in the rebuild effort.
Anyone wanting to better familiarize themselves in all things disaster will have the opportunity to brush up on the ins and outs, the whos and what-fors and whatnots during what is being dubbed the Southeast Texas Disaster Expo on Saturday, April 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ford Park Exhibit Hall.
Riley shared that the event, which will feature activities for the kids and free food, is free to the public thanks to community partners and sponsors.
“We have over 44 booths set up with information for people that are still trying to recover,” Riley shared. There will be high-water and emergency vehicles for hands-on exploration, local and state official presentations, industry experts on site and a wealth of information all housed in one place for anyone wanting to prep now for any future tragedy that may come this way.
“It’s information people need when we have crisis events,” Riley said.
Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick expressed that the expo is a collaborative event for the residents of Jefferson, Orange, Hardin, and Jasper counties that was envisioned to run two years ago. According to information from the judge’s office, Branick and the Jefferson County Emergency Management team began working with a local business to host a disaster expo for this area prior to the onslaught of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The goal was to better prepare and inform area residents for potential disasters, including flooding, industrial incidents and hurricanes.
“With increasing population, new construction and infrastructure, Southeast Texans are faced with more challenges during disasters,” the emergency management team expressed. “We have responded to and persevered through numerous natural and manmade disasters. We learn more from each incident and have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share.”
Disaster Expo confirmed booths:
Beaumont Public Health
Endeavors
Hardin County Strong
Jefferson County LTRG
Orange County Disaster Rebuild
Hope Animal Assistance Crisis Response
Jefferson County LEPC
Team 409 Search and Rescue
Legacy CDC
Orange County COG Kingdom
Salvation Army
Southeast Texas Food Bank
Southeast Texas Civilian Task Force
Spindletop Center
Texas General Land Office (GLO)
Texas Water Development Board
Texas Sea Grant Program
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) - Region 10 Beaumont
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
Texas Division of Emergency Management
Texas Parks & Wildlife
The Medical Center of Southeast Texas
Gift of Life Program
Catholic Charities
Texas Baptist Men
Triangle Area Network Healthcare
Mid-Jefferson Extended Care Hospital
Maximus
Sabine Neches Chief’s Association (SNCA)
Community Health Choice
Grace Community Church
AshBritt
DRC Emergency Services
American Medical Response (AMR)
Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service
Disability Rights Texas
Center for Resiliency at Lamar University
Southeast Texas Veterans 4 Veterans
Southeast Texas Regional Planning Commission
Area Agency on Aging of SETX
PA Health Department
Jefferson County Health Department
FirstBuilt w/AT&T
TWIA
National Weather Service
LifeShare Blood Center
STAN
Energy Transfer
St. Elizabeth