Fort Bend County officials gathered July 23 at the Epicenter to highlight a new agreement that will significantly expand the county's ability to provide emergency shelter during hurricanes and other large-scale disasters.

The agreement between the Epicenter and the Fort Bend County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HS&EM), approved by Commissioners Court the previous week, establishes the Epicenter as a major emergency shelter resource that can be activated when the community needs it most, county officials said in a July 23 press release.

The announcement comes during hurricane season and as Tropical Storm Bertha was approaching the Texas coast, serving as a timely reminder of the importance of preparing well before a major storm threatens the region.

"Emergency preparedness is about having plans, partnerships, and resources in place before disaster strikes," said Greg Babst, Director of the Fort Bend County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. "This agreement gives us another significant resource that we can incorporate into our emergency response planning and provides additional capacity to shelter residents when the need arises."

The Epicenter, located at 28505 Southwest Freeway in Rosenberg near the intersection at Highway 36, provides Fort Bend County with the ability to shelter a large number of residents in a centralized location, strengthening the county's overall emergency response capabilities and giving emergency management officials greater flexibility when responding to a major hurricane or other disaster.

"The time to prepare for the next major storm is not when it is already in the Gulf... the time to prepare is now," said interim Fort Bend County Judge Daniel Wong. "We hope we never have to use the Epicenter as a mega shelter. But if the day comes when thousands of people need a safe place to go... Fort Bend County will be ready."

County officials are also encouraging residents to use hurricane season as an opportunity to review their own emergency plans, know where they will go if evacuation or sheltering becomes necessary, and ensure their families have the supplies and information they need before a storm approaches.