Catastrophic Medical Operations Center

What is the CMOC?

The Catastrophic Medical Operations Center (CMOC) is a collaboration of healthcare, special needs, EMS transportation, and public health specialists working together under a NIMS compliant structure within the Unified Area Command to address ESF 8 services of a multi-geographical region.

The CMOC is the operational arm of the Regional Hospital Preparedness Council and serves 28 counties, 277 cities, and a population of over 9.3 million Texas residents.  The CMOC region includes over 120 hospitals and more than 500 nursing homes.

What Does it do?

CMOC serves as a "one-stop shop" to ensure the continuity and support of the medical infrastructre in the Southeast Texas region. As a regional medical resource, the CMOC coordinates patent evacuation, transport and placement, as well as tracking and reporting.  The CMOC also assists medical facilities with resource requests and guidance.

How do I activate it?

It can be activated 24/7 by calling the City of Houston Office of Emergency Management at 713-884-4408 and requesting “activation of the CMOC”

Who can activate it?

CMOC must be activated by an authorized governmental entity.  If your facility needs to activate the CMOC, you can call 713-884-4408 to request activation.  The CMOC will coordinate with your local Office of Emergency Management to ensure proper activation and support.

How does it align with the local, regional, and state plans?

While the CMOC is housed inside the City of Houston Office of Emergency Management, it is a resource for the entire Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC) region, as well as any other region within (Regional Advisory Councils (RAC) R and Q and has been designated by the Texas Department of State Health Services as Division 1.