April 9, 2025 - Harris County, TX - Harris County Universal Services hosted its fifth annual Rehearsal of Concept (ROC ’25) exercise on April 2, 2025, at the NRG Center in Houston in preparation for the upcoming hurricane season, following an active 2024 with several severe weather events.
ROC ’25, an all-hazard preparedness exercise, focused on the department’s continuity of operations plans (COOP) and featured a straight-line thunderstorm scenario modeled after last year’s derecho storm, which impacted the county and surrounding areas.
Distinguished guest Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, P.E., noted, “Harris County has had more natural disasters than anywhere else in the world over the last 40 years,” underscoring the importance of ROC ’25 and similar events.
Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, P.E., addresses the attendees at ROC '25.
Nearly 200 participants gathered around a large tactical map as several HCUS teams, including Information Technology, Fleet Services, 311 Customer Experience, Public Safety Technology, and Radio Services, explained their response plans to address personnel, infrastructure, and system failures. Lance Wood, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, added context to the exercise with a recap of 2024 weather events and a projection for the 2025 hurricane season.
The event concluded with participants gaining a better understanding of the department’s COOP and the role each person must play in an emergency and how it supports the larger county effort.
“After a year of challenges, including Derecho, Beryl, an ice storm, and significant flooding in northeast Harris County, the Rehearsal of Concept meeting is a crucial step in ensuring everyone is coordinated and prepared to serve the constituents of Harris County,” added Commissioner Ramsey.
HCUS staff at ROC '25.
HCUS Executive Director and Chief Information Officer Sindhu Menon expressed her appreciation for her team and fellow departments, stating, “I am proud of what our team was able to showcase today. Everything we do is in support of Harris County residents and our fellow departments, and it is critical that we are able to sustain critical operations in a disaster.”