HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — August 6, 2026 — Harris County Emergency Services District 11 is proud to announce that its 911 Emergency Communications Center, known as Control, has been recognized as an ACE Accredited Center of Excellence by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED).

This prestigious accreditation recognizes emergency dispatch centers that demonstrate a sustained commitment to excellence, quality assurance, professional development and the highest standards in emergency communications.

“Our dispatchers are the first, first responders,” said Juan Rodriguez, Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare Communications Manager. “Before an ambulance arrives, before a paramedic reaches the patient, our communications team is already working to assess the situation, provide lifesaving instructions and get the appropriate resources moving. This accreditation recognizes the dedication and professionalism of the men and women who do that work every day.”

ACE accreditation is awarded through the IAED’s Accredited Center of Excellence program, which recognizes agencies that meet rigorous standards for emergency dispatch operations and demonstrate a culture of continuous improvement.

“Accreditation is truly a pinnacle achievement”, said Christof Chwojka, Accreditation Board Chair at IAED. “We applaud the dedicated call takers, dispatchers, and leadership team at Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare for their commitment to quality, and for meeting that high standard that few achieve. We know their community can count on these first, first responders to do an outstanding job.” 

Accreditation standards are evaluated every three years, and the receiving agency must maintain the same standards of excellence throughout the three-year period.  This is the second time Harris County ESD 11 has received the ACE accreditation

About Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare:    

Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare covers a 177 square mile area of northern Harris County with over 700,000 residents, the largest Emergency Service District in the state of Texas.  Harris County ESD 11 receives over 65,000 calls a year and consistently ranks among the best EMS services in the country for speed of response, patient satisfaction and quality of care. The Harris County Emergency Services District 11 Communication Center, known as Control, is recognized as an ACE Accredited Center of Excellence by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. This prestigious designation highlights our commitment to excellence in emergency dispatch services. As an ACE-accredited agency, we enjoy increased visibility in community service, enhanced support in litigation and liability management, and improved recruitment and retention, affirming the value and impact of our team’s work.      

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Contact: Miranda Sevcik, ESD 11 Public Information Officer 346-226-8808 

HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS — August 6, 2026 — Harris County Emergency Services District No. 11 (Harris County ESD 11) is proud to recognize several members of its team who were honored last week during the Greater Harris County 9-1-1 Emergency Network (GHC 9-1-1) awards luncheon.

Three ESD 11 team members received GHC 9-1-1 honors, recognizing their outstanding contributions to emergency communications and the communities they serve.

Ashley Harrison was named Telecommunicator of the Year, and Allison De La Vega was named Trainer of the Year. Both awards were selected through voting by GHC 9-1-1 and represent significant recognition of their professionalism, dedication and commitment to excellence.

In addition, Nicole Ward received the Silent Hero recognition. While the Silent Hero designation is a recognition rather than a traditional voted award, it honors individuals whose contributions and dedication often happen behind the scenes and whose work makes a meaningful difference to their colleagues and the public.

ESD 11 leadership and staff nominated team members across several categories for recognition through state and regional emergency communications organizations. Those nominations included:

Texas APCO Award Nominations

• Technical Professional of the Year: Andrew Anderson
• Telecommunicator of the Year: Ashley Harrison
• Trainer of the Year: Allison De La Vega

Texas NENA Award Nominations

• Telecommunicator of the Year: Carmel Guerrero
• Silent Hero: Nicole Ward — Winner

GHC 9-1-1 Award Nominations

• Telecommunicator of the Year: Ashley Harrison — Winner
• Trainer of the Year: Allison De La Vega — Winner
• Supervisor of the Year: Victoria Castillo
• Rookie of the Year: Melvin Smith
• Team of the Year: Christine Mangum, Dolores Merlos and Nicole Ward

“We are incredibly proud of every one of our nominees and especially grateful that their dedication is being recognized by their peers and the Greater Harris County 9-1-1 Emergency Network,” says Juan Rodriguez Communications Manager. “These honors reflect not only the individual accomplishments of Ashley, Allison and Nicole, but also the professionalism and commitment demonstrated every day by our entire emergency communications team.”

The recognition of Allison De La Vega as Trainer of the Year is particularly meaningful as her role involves helping prepare and develop the next generation of emergency communications professionals. Her dedication to training and supporting her colleagues contributes directly to the quality of service provided to the community.

ESD 11 congratulates Ashley Harrison, Allison De La Vega and Nicole Ward on their well-deserved GHC 9-1-1 recognitions and thanks all of the nominees for their continued service and dedication.

About Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare:      

Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare covers a 177 square mile area of northern Harris County with over 700,000 residents, the largest Emergency Service District in the state of Texas.  Harris County ESD 11 receives over 65,000 calls a year and consistently ranks among the best EMS services in the country for speed of response, patient satisfaction and quality of care. The Harris County Emergency Services District 11 Communication Center, known as Control, is recognized as an ACE Accredited Center of Excellence by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. This prestigious designation highlights our commitment to excellence in emergency dispatch services. As an ACE-accredited agency, we enjoy increased visibility in community service, enhanced support in litigation and liability management, and improved recruitment and retention, affirming the value and impact of our team’s work.        

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Contact: Miranda Sevcik, ESD 11 Public Information Officer 346-226-8808 

Spring, Tx. July 20, 2026: Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare In-Charge Paramedic Maci Kennedy and EMT Milagro Cruz are in Laredo today working with other public agencies through the SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council (SETRAC) addressing dangerous flooding.  Last week Kennedy and Cruz were deployed to Kerr and Kendall counties in central Texas with SETRAC and Emergency Medical Task Force 6 (EMTF6) to assist with disaster operations.

“The majority of our calls have been wellness checks, but because of the flooded-out roads, we have had to conduct them on foot,” says Kennedy. “This deployment has been an incredible eye-opening experience. The flooding in the Texas Hill Country is unlike what we typically encounter in Harris County.  The water moves with incredible speed and force, creating a level of destruction that is difficult to comprehend until you witness it firsthand.”

“It has been heartbreaking to see families forced to leave behind everything they own, and in some cases, to watch entire homes be swept away by the river.  Yet despite these tremendous losses, the resilience of these communities has been nothing short of inspiring.  Many of those affected have immediately turned their focus toward helping others- preparing meals, opening their homes and supporting their neighbors in any way they can.”

Maci Kennedy and Milagro Cruz have traveled to San Antonio, Kerrville, Crystal City, Dilley and now Laredo in their efforts to assist residents through the program.

About SETRAC: The mission of the SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council is to develop and sustain a powerful coalition of providers, responders, and other healthcare related partners united to save lives and improve health outcomes through research, education and collaboration.

About Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare:    Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare covers a 177 square mile area of northern Harris County with over 700,000 residents, the largest Emergency Service District in the state of Texas.  Harris County ESD 11 receives over 65,000 calls a year and consistently ranks among the best EMS services in the country for speed of response, patient satisfaction and quality of care. The Harris County Emergency Services District 11 Communication Center, known as Control, is recognized as an ACE Accredited Center of Excellence by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. This prestigious designation highlights our commitment to excellence in emergency dispatch services. As an ACE-accredited agency, we enjoy increased visibility in community service, enhanced support in litigation and liability management, and improved recruitment and retention, affirming the value and impact of our team’s work.          

  Spring, Tx. July 13, 2026: The Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce recently recognized Harris County ESD 11 Field Training Officer Cori Rocha for her outstanding work serving the community.

Harris County ESD 11 Chief Operating Officer Nick Smith presented Cori with the award on behalf of the Chamber at a luncheon attended by many community and Chamber members at the Cy-Fair ISD Performing Arts Center.

“Recently Cori was dispatched to a pregnancy complications call. This patient had recently been discharged from the hospital due to a miscarriage. Miscarriages are unfortunately a common issue with pregnancy, but usually, most do not have a lot of complications. On this day, Cori found a patient who was experiencing life-threatening bleeding,” says Chief Operating Officer Nick Smith.

“While it does not happen often, this is a complication that can lead to death without quick recognition and treatment. Cori quickly identified the critical nature of this bleeding and knew that this patient would benefit from Blood Product Administration. Cori was aware that a Field Supervisor had been added to this call already, so she moved quickly to prepare the patient so that Blood Products could be administered quickly once the Field Supervisor arrived.   Cori was able to quickly get Blood Products administered to this patient. The patient experienced improvements almost immediately. The patient had improvements in her vital signs, her overall appearance, and most importantly, she reported that she felt much better.  The patient was transported to the hospital and continued to improve.”

About The Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce:

Since 1986, the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce has played a vital role in the growth of the community. The Chamber is a member-driven organization which serves the community by providing value to businesses through advocacy, leadership and growth. The Chamber does this by uniting Cy-Fair member businesses and creating strategic partnerships in transportation, education, and local infrastructure.

About Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare:       

Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare covers a 177 square mile area of northern Harris County with over 700,000 residents, the largest Emergency Service District in the state of Texas.  Harris County ESD 11 receives over 65,000 calls a year and consistently ranks among the best EMS services in the country for speed of response, patient satisfaction and quality of care. The Harris County Emergency Services District 11 Communication Center, known as Control, is recognized as an ACE Accredited Center of Excellence by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. This prestigious designation highlights our commitment to excellence in emergency dispatch services. As an ACE-accredited agency, we enjoy increased visibility in community service, enhanced support in litigation and liability management, and improved recruitment and retention, affirming the value and impact of our team’s work.         

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Contact: Miranda Sevcik, ESD 11 Public Information Officer 346-226-8808 

Houston, Tx. May 26, 2026: HCA Northwest Hospital honored Harris County ESD 11 (HCESD11) medics,Summiya Ansari, Attendant Paramedic and Michael Pregeant, Field Supervisor during EMS week for their outstanding care of a trauma patient.  The patient suffered stab wounds to the clavicle and thigh in January of 2026. 

“Summiya Ansari and Michael Pregeant responded to the call and thanks to their extraordinary care, the patient survived,” says Harris County ESD 11 CEO Jordan Anderson.  “We are so proud of Summiya and Michael and our team here, we are in the business of saving lives and this is just another example of the incredible work they do in our community every day.”

About HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest Hospital

HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest is a 423-bed, full-service acute care hospital located in north Houston, Texas. Founded in 1973, it is a partially physician-owned facility recognized as a Level II Trauma Center, an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center, and is ranked among the top 5% of hospitals nationwide

About Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare:  

Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare covers a 177 square mile area of northern Harris County with over 700,000 residents, the largest Emergency Service District in the state of Texas.  Harris County ESD 11 receives over 65,000 calls a year and consistently ranks among the best EMS services in the country for speed of response, patient satisfaction and quality of care. The Harris County Emergency Services District 11 Communication Center, known as Control, is recognized as an ACE Accredited Center of Excellence by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. This prestigious designation highlights our commitment to excellence in emergency dispatch services. As an ACE-accredited agency, we enjoy increased visibility in community service, enhanced support in litigation and liability management, and improved recruitment and retention, affirming the value and impact of our team’s work.    

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Contact: Miranda Sevcik, ESD 11 Public Information Officer 346-226-8808 

Spring, Tx. May 21, 2026: Harris County ESD 11 CEO Jordan Anderson is graduating after nearly a year of study with the Leadership North Houston program developed by Lone Star College. 

“This program has not only sharpened my business skills leading Texas’s largest ambulance-only ESD, but it has also allowed me to collaborate with leaders from all aspects of our community.  I have worked alongside government officials, non-profit executives, educational leaders and entrepreneurs to share best practices and advice all designed to run our organization more efficiently and saving taxpayers more money,” says Harris County ESD 11 CEO Jordan Anderson.    “The curriculum is a highly beneficial deep dive into leadership development, interpersonal skills, self-management, personal accountability and goal achievement. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to be the best they can be in their careers.” 

About Leadership North Houston: 

Leadership North Houston is a program within Lone Star College that brings together leaders from industry, commerce, government, education, and non-profit organizations looking for the next level of leadership development and civic engagement.  The program is celebrating 30 year of building skills and supporting the development of a diverse cohort of professional peers through a series of interactive presentations, site visits, workshops, and local projects. Participants exchange ideas, experiences, and best practices as part of the learning process.  

About Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare:       

Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare covers a 177 square mile area of northern Harris County with over 700,000 residents, the largest Emergency Service District in the state of Texas.  Harris County ESD 11 receives over 65,000 calls a year and consistently ranks among the best EMS services in the country for speed of response, patient satisfaction and quality of care. The Harris County Emergency Services District 11 Communication Center, known as Control, is recognized as an ACE Accredited Center of Excellence by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. This prestigious designation highlights our commitment to excellence in emergency dispatch services. As an ACE-accredited agency, we enjoy increased visibility in community service, enhanced support in litigation and liability management, and improved recruitment and retention, affirming the value and impact of our team’s work.         

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Contact: Miranda Sevcik, ESD 11 Public Information Officer 346-226-8808