Following a week of training sessions, educational workshops, partner engagement, and networking opportunities at the 2026 Texas Emergency Management Conference, the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) announced recipients of the 2026 Texas Emergency Management Awards, recognizing excellence in emergency management, leadership, service, and community partnership across Texas.
“The awards luncheon gives us the opportunity to recognize the individuals, teams, and partners whose dedication, leadership, and service continue to strengthen emergency management across Texas,” said Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd. “Their commitment to protecting communities and taking care of Texans represents the very best of our profession and sets an example for all."
The awards were presented at a luncheon as part of The Conference at the Fort Worth Convention Center.
Award recipients were selected based on criteria unique to each category, with honorees demonstrating leadership, courage, innovation, service, and dedication to strengthening preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts in communities across the state.
Texas Emergency Management Hall of Fame – Charles “Buddy” Crain (Travis County), Paul Hannemann (Gillespie County), Steve Rosa (Brazoria County)
Induction into the Texas Emergency Management Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have dedicated their lives to enhancing emergency management in Texas and across the nation. These leaders represent the discipline through service, innovation, mentorship, and lifelong commitment to protecting communities.
Texas Emergency Management Hometown Hero - Stephanie Faultersack Blaschke (Refugio County)
The Emergency Management Hometown Hero Award recognizes an individual or group that exhibited extraordinary service and leadership in helping fellow residents during an emergency, disaster, or crisis.
Texas Emergency Management Council Agency of the Year Award – Texas Commission on Fire Protection
This award recognizes outstanding support provided by an agency to Texas communities during disasters, including support that strengthens public awareness, coordination, and statewide emergency management operations.
Texas Emergency Management Partnership Award – Leander Independent School District Emergency Management Team (Williamson County)
The Texas Emergency Management Partnership Award recognizes organizations that demonstrate a significant commitment to building strong partnerships with local officials and supporting community preparedness initiatives.
Texas Emergency Management Leadership Award – Judge Jimmy Sylvia (Chambers County)
The Texas Emergency Management Leadership Award recognizes an individual, within or outside the formal emergency management community, whose achievements have demonstrated a positive and significant impact on emergency management programs or community resilience.
Dr. Chuck Bauer Texas Emergency Management Medical Professional of the Year Award – Dr. Sharon Malone (Grayson County), Dr. Stephen Harper (Kerr County)
This award recognizes medical professionals and their contributions to emergency management through incident response, disaster planning, healthcare readiness, or instructional preparedness.
Texas Emergency Management Nonprofit Partner of the Year – Concho Valley COAD (Tom Green County)
This award recognizes a nonprofit partner that has demonstrated exceptional commitment, impact, and service in disaster response, recovery, preparedness, or community support across Texas.
Texas Emergency Management Spouse of the Year – Jennifer Penney (Hill County)
This award recognizes a spouse who supports the emergency management community while also making meaningful contributions of their own to emergency management service and preparedness.
Texas Emergency Management News Flash Award – Meredith Seaver: The Eagle (Brazos County)
The Texas Emergency Management News Flash Award honors excellence in journalism tied to a disaster, emergency event, breaking news coverage, or impactful storytelling that informs the public and supports preparedness, response, recovery, or mitigation.
Distinguished Volunteer Service Award – Minuteman Disaster Response (Collin County)
The Distinguished Volunteer Service Award recognizes an individual or group that combines practical achievements with innovative solutions to create a significant impact in times of disaster.
Spirit of Service Award – Kerrville CERT (Kerr County)
The Spirit of Service Award honors volunteer efforts driven by heart, transforming goodwill into action and inspiration into meaningful service for communities in need.
Texas Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) Member of the Year – Brandon Kimbrell (Lubbock County)
The Texas RACES member of the year for outstanding service by a volunteer recognizes an individual or group that merge actionable results with creative thinking, leaving a profound impact in the wake of disasters.
The Conference runs May 26-29 and brings together more than 4,000 elected officials, first responders, emergency managers, private-sector partners, nongovernmental organizations, voluntary organizations active in disaster, and other decision-makers from across Texas and beyond.
Access the full schedule and event details on The Conference 2026 website.
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