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Address:
205 N. Bridge St.
Ste. B101
Victoria, Texas 77901
(361) 580-5770
(361) 580-5779 (Fax)

Emergency Management Coordinator:
Rick McBrayer
rickmcbrayer@vctx.org

Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator:
Jena Banda, TEM, EMT-B
jenabanda@vctx.org

Office of Emergency Management Staff

  • Rick McBrayer
    Rick McBrayer has been with the Office of Emergency Management since June 2007 and acted as Interim Director/EMC from December 2007 to May 2008. Richard McBrayer hails from the South Texas area where he graduated high school in Beeville and attended Texas State University in San Marcos. While attending Texas State University, he began his 27 year career in the field of Law Enforcement, Public Service, and Emergency Management, and has held positions at both local and state levels as a Volunteer Fire Fighter, 911 Operator, 911 Communications Center Manager, Police Support Manager, State Police Officer, and Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator.

    Mr. McBrayer has been instrumental in the successful coordination of many complex incidents and events ranging from 2007 Severe Weather/Flooding, 2008 Hurricane Ike, 2010 Severe Weather Event, 2015 Guadalupe River Flooding, 2017 Hurricane Harvey, 2020 COVID-19, 2021 Winter Storm Uri, 2021 Dry Creek Hazardous Material Spill, 2021 Severe Weather, 2021 Hurricane Nicholas, and 2021 Guadalupe River Flooding.
  • Jena West
    Mrs. Jena Banda is the Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator for Victoria Emergency Management. She is originally from Missouri City, Texas and moved to Victoria to further her education. She attended the University of Houston-Victoria, where she earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice as well as a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies in Criminal Justice & Homeland and International Security. Jena is a PhD candidate in Emergency Management and Fire Administration at Oklahoma State University.

    When first joining Victoria County, Mrs. Banda began her career as the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the Victoria County Public Health Department and Victoria Emergency Management. She filled that role for 3 and a half years and was responsible for the planning and execution of public health preparedness, response and recovery efforts for both natural and man-made emergency situations.
    In July 2019, Mrs. Banda was promoted to the Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator position to further utilize her skillset in emergency preparedness, response, and recovery. Since her appointment to the Deputy EMC position, Jena has become a certified Texas Emergency Manager (TEM), and a certified EMT-B.
  • Alex Partida Jr
    Alex Partida Jr. is the Disaster Recovery Coordinator for the Victoria Office of Emergency Management. He is originally from Victoria, Tx., where he graduated from Memorial High School in 2001. He enlisted into the United States Navy in August 2001 as a Damage Controlman.  He completed basic training at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Illinois and Damage Control “A” School at Naval Training Center Great Lakes, Illinois from August 2001 to February 2002.  His tours included USS Thomas S. Gates (CG-51), USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), USS Sterett (DDG-104), USS Stockdale (DDG-106), and Carrier Strike Group Nine. He was also stationed at Naval Recruiting Station Corpus Christi and Naval Air Station Kingsville, Tx., where he served as EOC Manager, Deputy and Installation Emergency Manager. Mr. Partida completed twenty years of honorable military service. His most recent position was at the American Red Cross, serving as the Disaster Program Specialist.
    Mr. Partida has a B.S. in Emergency Management and Homeland Security from Arizona State University and an A.A. in Supervision and Management from Coastline Community College. During his time in the military, he earned his Certified Navy Emergency Manager qualification. His military awards include: Navy Accommodation Medal (two awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (six awards), Good Conduct Medal (four awards), and various campaign and service ribbons.
  • Jessica Kalmus
    Ms. Jessica Kalmus is the Emergency Management Specialist for the Office of Emergency Management. She is originally from Sussex, Virginia. Her family moved to Victoria, Texas in 2001. She attended the University of Houston – Victoria where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. Ms. Kalmus has been employed by Victoria County since 2006 working in various departments from IT, Building Maintenance, Records Management, and then five in half years at the Victoria County Public Health Department as the Accounting Clerk, which lead to her most recent position as the Emergency Management Specialist in November 2019.
  • Ralph Montes
    Ralph Montes was born and raised in Victoria where he graduated from Stroman High School in 1985. Following high school, he attended Victoria College, where he graduated in 1988 with an A.A.S. in Law Enforcement. He also attended and completed the Victoria College Police Academy and Victoria College Emergency Medical Technician-Basic Course. He currently holds a certification as an Emergency Medical Technician-Basic with Texas Department State Health Services. He has 27 years of experience in the hospital/health care industry holding various positions, such as Emergency Medical Technician, Emergency Department Technician, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, and Director of Housekeeping. Ralph also has 16 years of experience in Emergency Preparedness Coordination for two hospitals. He has represented a local hospital in La Grange, TX with the Capital Area Trauma Regional Advisory Council, TSA-O in Austin, TX and Golden Crescent Regional Advisory Council, TSA-S in Victoria, TX.
    Mr. Montes has held various roles with real life man-made and natural disasters, and exercise events. Ralph has coordinating efforts in La Grange, TX in planned events with the BPMS-150 Bike Ride (Houston to Austin) assisting the Capital Area Trauma Regional Advisory Council, TSA-O in the deployment of mobile medical shelters in La Grange, TX which relieves the medical surge of patients from a local hospital emergency department. Ralph has served as an advisor for a local high school in Giddings, Texas with the “Shattered Dreams Program” and a member of the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) in Fayette and Victoria County. He is also a Stop the Bleed Instructor assisting in the effort of bleeding control within Victoria.