Fire Chief & Director of Emergency Management, Randy Parr, will discuss how the City of Tomball and the residents of the community addressed both Katrina and Rita hurricanes. Randy is a 1970 graduate of Indiana University with a BA in Accounting and received his Texas CPA certificate in 1974. He spent the first 33 years of his career in public accounting and working for real-estate developers. He entered the fire service as a volunteer in 1974 in Alief, Texas and worked up through the ranks to ultimately achieve the Fire Chief’s position at the Cypress Creek Volunteer Fire Department. He completed the National Fire Academy’s four-year Executive Fire Officer Program and is nearing the completion to receive his certification. He accepted the position of Tomball Fire Chief in March 2004. Randy and his wife of 34 years, Lynn, have 3 daughters and 2 granddaughters.

Sandra Gage is the Director for the FM1960 Branch of the Red Cross. Sandra has been on the Tomball Emergency Preparedness Task Force since it’s beginning and has worked closely with those handling procedures for emergency management. Sandra was instrumental in getting the River of Praise shelter opened as a Red Cross shelter in our area. Those that know Sandra have been impressed with her ability to work with the local community in bringing about the necessary partnerships needed for the victims of both hurricanes.

Pastor Herman Evans became a new friend to our community during the Labor Day weekend when the tragedy of Katrina brought his family to the Tomball Fire Department. He’s been an ordained minister since 1982 and was forced to leave his home in Louisiana where he had been pastor for the past six years at New Way of Life Ministries. Katrina pushed his family from Harvey, Louisiana to Tomball, Texas, in the midst of a community with open arms. He and his wife of 27 years, Teressa, are attending the New Life Church in Pinehurst.