Chief: Houston 9-1-1 center needs about 35 staff, new CAD and backup system ahead of major events

Chief Satterwhite, head of the mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security, told the Houston Safety Committee that the city’s 9-1-1 operations are short-staffed and need technology upgrades and sustained funding to meet demand.

“We probably need about 35 more people right away,” Satterwhite said, adding that paying competitive salaries and improving recruitment will be necessary. He said a new CAD system and a more robust 9-1-1 backup system are priorities to ensure continuity if the primary Emergency Center fails.

Satterwhite described the Houston Emergency Center (HEC) as the city’s primary 9-1-1 call-taking and dispatch hub and praised Deputy Director Roderick Jackson for his work. He said the center’s work is high-pressure and that current staffing forces many employees into overtime, increasing burnout and risk.

The chief also outlined the office’s grants program, which manages federal and state grants including Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) awards, port security grants and state homeland-security funds. He named division managers who oversee grant budgeting and compliance and said the office helps applicants but that the applicant (often a council district or a department) directs actual project execution.

“Sustainable funding is the challenge,” Satterwhite said of grant-dependent staffing, noting many grants last one to three years and are not a long-term salary solution. He told the council he would provide a more precise dollar estimate for hiring and benefits but estimated “several million” would be required.

On community preparedness, Satterwhite highlighted the city’s CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program, led by Jackie Miller, saying the program has trained “a little over 30,000” people regionwide and that the office is working to make volunteer sign-ups easier and to map trained volunteers by council district. He described plans to better identify volunteers’ skills so the city can call on electricians, plumbers and others during emergencies.

Satterwhite also described planning work for major upcoming events, saying his office is coordinating multiagency planning and training for the World Cup and the 2028 Republican National Convention. He emphasized that large events require layered plans and exercises to identify gaps and ensure public safety.

Council members asked follow-up questions about the staffing gap and grants. On the staffing cost, Satterwhite said he did not want to give an offhand figure and would deliver a detailed estimate to council; he also said grant writing and philanthropy can fund equipment but are a limited source for ongoing salaries.

The committee heard additional details about training and volunteer coordination and was offered follow-up materials and a point of contact for more precise grant and staffing numbers. The meeting concluded with no formal actions; the committee announced its next public Safety Committee meeting for Tuesday, December 10 at 10 a.m.