Fort Worth will host the 2026 statewide emergency management meeting after a record number of participants came to the city for a May 2025 conference.
The 2025 Texas Emergency Management Conference, held May 27-30 at the Fort Worth Convention Center, attracted more than 4,200 attendees from 45 states and six countries.
The 2026 conference will remain in Fort Worth and is set for May 26-29 of that year, officials announced.
Thousands of first responders, emergency managers, and state and federal authorities were among those who came to Fort Worth to learn more about emergency management techniques and technology through more than 200 training sessions and workshops. The event is hosted by TDEM, the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
TDEM Chief Nim Kidd said the statewide conference “shines a spotlight on the vital work of emergency managers across Texas and the country.”
“As hurricane season arrives (in June) and response operations continue in the wake of recent storms, it’s never been more important to foster strong coordination among government agencies, private partners and the public to safeguard our communities,” Kidd said in a statement.
Mayor Mattie Parker and Kidd jointly announced the conference’s return to Fort Worth.
“As one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, Fort Worth is the perfect place to do business and make connections,” Parker said in a message to participants.
She told conference participants that Fort Worth, now the nation’s 11th largest city with more than 1 million residents, is “the modern West” and highlighted the Stockyards, Cultural District and other attractions in the city.
The emergency management conference is the largest event of its kind in the nation, organizers said.
The ongoing expansion of the Convention Center will allow more large conferences as the city expects to see significant economic benefits over a 10-year period.
Several individuals and organizations were recognized by TDEM leadership during the conference, including David M. McCurdy, who served as Tarrant County’s emergency management coordinator from August 2016 until his retirement in January 2025. McCurdy was one of three people named to the Texas Emergency Management Hall of Fame.
Eric E. Garcia is senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at [email protected].
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