Jena Banda, Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator, has returned from her Incident Support Task Force (ISTF) deployment in Travis County, where she served from August 8–15, 2025. The Victoria Office of Emergency Management received a request for assistance from the Texas Division of Emergency Management on August 4, just one month after the devastating and deadly flooding in Travis County on July 5. Nearly 200 homes in the Big Sandy Creek neighborhood of northwestern Travis County in Leander, Texas, were impacted by the flood.

Banda, who also deployed last year to North Carolina following Hurricane Helene, is no stranger to crisis response. As part of the ISTF, she stands ready to assist in critical incidents and is qualified to serve in multiple roles, including Public Information Officer, EMT, and Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator. During her North Carolina deployment, she provided general Emergency Operations Center (EOC) support and served as Planning Section Chief for Mitchell County.

In Travis County, Banda’s primary role was supporting Public Information and Communications. She worked alongside local and state first responders to coordinate social media updates, news releases, media interviews, and more. While assisting with flood recovery efforts, she was also called to respond to a critical incident on Wednesday, August 13, when a Leander ISD school bus crashed while transporting elementary students. Of the 43 children on board, several were transported to area hospitals and the remaining students were taken to a reunification center. Banda played a key role in coordinating the reunification process, ensuring the children were safely reunited with their families. 

“I am extremely proud of Jena and her continued commitment to helping others,” said Rick McBrayer, Emergency Management Coordinator. “She goes above and beyond in her role as our Deputy Emergency Manager, and we’re fortunate to have her here in Victoria County.”