Rendering of planned Resiliency Operations Center (Courtesy: HCC)

Resiliency Operations Center Urban Flood Rescue (Courtesy: HCC)

Resiliency Operations Center (Courtesy: HCC)

Houston Community College recently announced it will open the “Resiliency Center of Excellence” to strengthen the city’s disaster preparedness and recovery efforts.

In the past six years, the Houston region has experienced several challenges, including major flood disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 winter storm. These disasters are the reasons why leadership at HCC say the new resiliency center is critical to our community.

“Our objective is to protect the well-being of our citizens and our communities and increase economic stability,” HCC Chancellor Cesar Maldonado said during the March 26 announcement.

The center will include the Resiliency Operations Center (ROC), which the college system describes as a “one-of-a-kind complex” to train first responders for catastrophic events by simulating real-world environments and using virtual simulations. It will also provide training for workers in the High-Line and Petrochemical industries. The 65,000 sq. ft. complex will be built on the HCC Northeast campus. The center will also provide resources for residents and corporate and small business managers. HCC estimates it will train 3,000 responders annually in the first three years of operations. 

“Our vision for HCC’s ROC is bold. It will redefine what it means to be prepared in our region,” said Maldonado.

According to HCC, the center will allow more first responders to be trained more frequently because the current training model requires responders to travel out of state for at least five business days.

The Resiliency Center of Excellence will include a curriculum focused on building a resilient workforce. The program will include 20-hour non-credit courses in public safety and rescue, disaster case management, medical triage and more starting this fall. 

HCC’s initiative complements the City of Houston’s Resilient Houston, a comprehensive strategy to protect Houston against future disasters.