The City of Schertz currently has multiple Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) signed with the Texas Division of Emergency Management to participate in programs such as the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS), Emergency Medical Task Force (EMTF), and more that fall under the Texas Emergency Management Assistance Teams (TEMAT) umbrella. These agreements are signed between the individual employee (with supervisor authorization), city management, and the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM). 

This new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) removes the need for an MOU to be signed each time an employee of the City of Schertz wants to participate under the umbrella of TEMAT by creating an agreement with the city versus the individual employee. If agreed upon, any employee wishing to participate within a TEMAT organization will only require supervisor authorization and application requirements for the specific organization the employee is applying for. 

Texas Emergency Management Assistant Teams (TEMAT) Overview:

In 2014, the State of Texas established the Texas Emergency Management Assistance Teams (TEMAT), specialized response teams composed of local jurisdictional and state resources. These discipline-specific teams are rostered and trained together before deployment, enabling high-level engagement and incident response. Their structure allows them to serve as a force multiplier in disaster operations. 

TEMAT is comprised of the following teams:

• Incident Support Task Force (ISTF) - A Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) asset that provides expertise across multiple areas of response and recovery. The ISTF is made up of local emergency management professionals. 
• State of Texas Incident Management Team (IMT) - A TDEM asset that supplies position-specific personnel to support emergency operations under the Incident Command System. Membership includes both local and state emergency management professionals. 
• Public Works Response Team (PWRT) - A Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) asset that delivers critical infrastructure support, staffed by local public works specialists. 
• Texas A&M Task Force 1 (TX-TF1) - A TEEX asset that provides search and rescue capabilities, comprised of local first responders. 
• Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) - A Texas A&M Forest Service (TFS) asset that delivers wildland firefighting and fire department support, comprised of local and state firefighting personnel and equipment. 

Ensure the City of Schertz, Texas can immediately access specialized, external resources needed to sustain critical operations by participating in these programs ourselves. This means if our public safety departments are tied up, we can call for Texas Emergency Management Assistance Teams (TEMAT) once all mutual-aid, and county resources have been utilized during a disaster. This further enhances safety and quality of life. 

Use TEMAT's standardized framework to achieve 100% federal audit compliance on all deployed mutual aid resources. TEMAT resources are pre-vetted and track costs using the standardized methods required for FEMA Public Assistance (PA) reimbursement. This protects the city by ensuring taxpayer funds are maximized, and we can recover a predictable percentage of disaster costs from the state and federal government by putting these principles to practice. 

Ensure that if we have to send our personnel to help another jurisdiction, or if we receive aid, there is zero confusion on the incident scene. This pre-built trust and standardization saves valuable time; time that translates directly into saving lives and property. This participation solidifies Schertz's reputation as a reliable and proactive regional partner, strengthening our overall mutual aid network and increasing the speed and effectiveness of our entire response. 

By participating in Texas Emergency Management Assistance Teams (TEMAT), we transform the uncertainty of a disaster into a pre-planned, budgeted, and compliant operational process. 

Staff recommends entering into this MOU with TDEM to establish the financial and operational protocols for requesting aid and providing aid, ensuring that all resource exchanges are pre-authorized and legally sound. It confirms that the City of Schertz, Texas accepts the standardized procedures for resource documentation. 

Authorize the City Manager to execute the MOU with TDEM for participation with the Incident Support Task Force (ISTF), State of Texas Incident Management Team (IMT), Public Works Response Team (PWRT), Texas A&M Task Force 1 (TX-TF1), Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS), and any other program added under the umbrella of the Texas Emergency Management Assistance Teams (TEMAT).