Discussion and approval of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Texas Division of Emergency Management Assistance Teams (TEMAT) Program and the County of Hidalgo for employees participating in specialized response teams composed of local and state resources.

This MOU establishes a single, standardized resource agreement between the State of Texas and participating jurisdictions for all specialized response teams under the TEMAT Program. It authorizes local agencies to nominate and deploy personnel as part of coordinated emergency response teams, eliminating the need for separate agreements by team, agency, or discipline.

These discipline-specific teams are pre-identified, trained, and deployed together, enhancing coordination and enabling efficient incident response as a force multiplier during disaster operations.  Participation in the TEMAT Program ensures the County remains both a contributor to and a beneficiary of a more efficient, well-coordinated statewide emergency management system.
 
Currently, five County employees participate in the Incident Support Task Force (ISTF), each operating under individually approved MOUs by Commissioners Court. This agreement supersedes those existing individual agreements.
 
Incident Support Task Force Members
Ricardo Garza, Hidalgo County Health Department
Clarissa Perez, Hidalgo County Health Department
Belinda Saenz-Alvarez, Hidalgo County Office of Emergency Management
Jesus Diaz, Hidalgo County Fire Marshal’s Office
Arnold Salazar, Hidalgo County Precinct 3