Emergency Management

The City of Waco, McLennan County, and surrounding cities have created the Waco-McLennan County Emergency Management Team in order to respond to emergencies with a team effort when necessary.

Disaster Training Drills


They regularly schedule disaster training drills to test their response time and efficiency in the case of a major disaster such as a tornado, plane crash, and other circumstances that may involve a large number of injuries or deaths.

The team includes all area police departments, both paid and volunteer fire departments, ambulance services, Waco Transit, and area hospitals.

Major Disasters


In the case of a major disaster, the Emergency Operations Center, a central command post, will be established where decisions can be made in a unified manner. For more information, contact Elizabeth Thomas, Emergency Operations Coordinator at 254-750-5911. 

Most Accessible Emergency Shelters
McLennan County's shelter plans include the City of Waco and the unincorporated areas of the County. If you live in the surrounding jurisdictions, please contact your local Emergency Management office for their shelter plans.

The shelters most accessible to people with disabilities or other functional and access needs, in order of accessibility, are:
  • Waco Multipurpose Center - 1020 Elm Street, Waco, Texas
  • South Waco Recreation Center - 2815 Speight, Waco, Texas
  • Cameron Park Clubhouse - 2601 Sturgis, Waco, Texas
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Waco-McLennan County Office of Emergency Management at (254) 750-5911.