Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Event Security topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fort Worth readies joint public‑safety operation for World Cup; JEOC activations and surge staffing planned
Summary
Emergency management and public-safety leaders told the Public Safety Committee they have 2½ years of regional planning for FIFA World Cup events, will use joint operations centers and the JEOC, will maintain surge 911 staffing and expect partial JEOC activation on July 3–4 with virtual operations through July 19.
City emergency-management and public-safety leaders told the Public Safety Committee on June 2 that Fort Worth has been planning regionally for FIFA World Cup activity and is prepared to scale operations across police, fire, EMS and 911.
Sunny Saxon of the Emergency Management Communications Department said the city has participated in roughly 2½ years of regional planning with partners including the council of governments, health-care partners, trauma centers and FEMA. Saxon described a layered, scalable posture: nearly 100 police personnel organized into eight teams over three shifts will be ready to deploy to World Cup locations, and the city will have representation in a joint operations center and at the International Police Coordination Center.
“We are ready from a public safety perspective,” Saxon said, noting a range of exercises and a recent College Station meeting of coordination and executive policy teams that practiced scenarios from tornado response to evacuations. The city will maintain surge staffing for match days in 911 and added technology to support non‑English callers in more than 100 languages, Saxon said.
Saxon described the city’s instant command structure, joint operations centers, tactical centers and a JEOC (Joint Emergency Operations Center) that will provide daily briefings and situational updates. She said the city will keep virtual operations and standby through July 19 and plans a partial JEOC level‑2 activation July 3–4. Saxon also said the city is tracking FIFA-related public-safety costs and possible reimbursements through regional partners.
Saxon pointed residents to fortworthtexas.gov/soccer2026 and the city’s emergency‑alerts sign-up (text START to 77295 or the listed QR code) for community information about operations and readiness.
