Harris County Citizen Corps receives leadership award

L to R: Penny Redington, Executive Director, Texas Association of Regional Councils, Mark Sloan, Harris County Emergency Management Coordinator and Steve McCraw, Director, Texas Department of Public Safety.

The Harris County Citizen Corps Council was recently recognized during the 2012 Texas Unites Conference in San Antonio.

The organization received the Jack Colley Citizen Corps Leadership Award, established in honor of Jack Colley, who served as director of the Texas Division of Emergency Management for more than a decade before his death in 2010.

The award, presented by Penny Redington, director of Texas Association of Regional Councils, and Steven McCraw, director of Texas Department of Public Safety, recognizes exemplary leadership and service to Texas communities.

“We’re honored by this recognition,” said Ed Emmett, a Harris County judge, in a press release. “Both the council and volunteers have played a critical role during times of disaster and beyond by working together to help our community.”

The Harris County Citizen Corps Council has members from both the public and private sectors. The 60,000-plus volunteers that make up the organization have logged millions of training and service hours.

Programs include the Community Emergency Response Team, the Neighborhood Watch Program, Volunteers in Police Service, Fire Corps and the Medical Reserve Corps.

“This statewide recognition is the highest honor bestowed upon a council or volunteer by the state's Citizen Corps Council,” said Julie Martinez, Texas Citizen Corps manager. "We commend the innovative practices and achievements that the Harris County Citizen Corps Council brings to the field of emergency management to make our communities safer, stronger and better prepared."

Harris County Citizen Corps celebrates its 10th anniversary this year during National Preparedness Month.

For more information, visit harriscountycitizencorps.com.