Hurricane Harvey on the verge of making landfall on the Texas coast on August 25, 2017, (flickr.com/photos/noaasatellites/36816394625: accessed July 16, 2020), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, crediting Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA).

Hurricane season for the Atlantic basin, which includes the Gulf of Mexico, runs from July 1st through November 31st each year.  Preparing for the 2020 hurricane season may require additional planning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Below we've listed state and federal resources related to hurricane preparedness, emergency planning and management, and disaster assistance. Several include information that addresses the additional challenges to emergency management created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Please use the contact information on the respective organizations' websites for any questions specific to their purposes.

 

Looking for historical gubernatorial disaster declarations or legislative reports? Our Texas Governors database includes past gubernatorial proclamations, including disaster declarations related to hurricanes. The database contains a link to the popular search Disaster declarations and related materials, 2001-present. Our Legislative reports database also contains committee reports related to tropical storms, Hurricane Harvey, and emergency management. 

 

Texas Resources

 

Office of the Texas Governor

• Texas Hurricane Center
  Provides guidance and resources on how to prepare for a hurricane. Updated to include timely information related to evacuations and open emergency shelters.

Public Utility Commission of Texas

• Storm Resources
  Provides information on road closures, utility contacts, and an electic outage map.

Texas.gov

• Texas Emergency Portal
  Provides access to critical information during emergencies. Includes information related to the hurricane season: preparing for a storm, evacuating to safety, accessing government resources, dealing with emergencies, and avoiding scams and frauds.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

• Hurricanes
  Lists links to resources related to hurricane preparation as well as recovery after a disaster, including animal issues.

Texas Department of Insurance

• Disasters: How to Prepare and Recover
  Includes links to resources related to home, property, and auto insurance coverage for disasters, including reviewing policies and filling claims.

Texas Department of Transportation

• Hurricane Information
  Includes maps of evacuation routes from the Texas coast and a link to guides for traveling major highways in the region during an evacuation.

Texas Division of Emergency Management

• State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR)
  A voluntary registry for individuals who may need assistance during an emergency. Provides local emergency planners and emergency responders with additional information on the needs in their community.

• Local Emergency Management Planning Guide, January 2008
  Provides recommendations to local officials on how to prepare and keep current a local or inter-jurisdictional emergency management plan. Outlines local, state, and federal government emergency management responsibilities.
   
• State of Texas Emergency Management Plan
  Includes links to the basic emergency management plan for the state and plans for more in-depth emergency support functions.

• A Dual Disaster Handbook: 6 Recommendations for Local Leaders Responding to Floods during COVID-19, May 2020
  Provides recommendations for local leaders dealing with flooding during the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes a checklist of recommended actions and issues to consider.

• Natural Disasters, Severe Weather, and COVID-19
  Includes information and resources related to preparing for hurricanes and natural disasters during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• DisasterAssistance.gov
  Allows users to find and apply for disaster assistance. Includes an interactive map of current federally-declared disasters.

• COVID-19 Pandemic Operational Guidance for the 2020 Hurricane Season, May 2020
  Describes planning considerations for emergency managers in light of the challenges to disaster operations posed by COVID-19.

• Ready.gov
  • Prepare Your Organization for a Hurricane: Playbook
    Provides community leaders and employers with tools and resources to support hurricane preparedness efforts.
  • Local Emergency Management Information
    Lists contact information for local emergency management departments found within each state, including Texas.

• National Hurricane Center
  Provides up-to-date forecasts and warnings of hazardous tropical weather, including tropical storms and hurricanes.

• Hurricane Preparedness and Response
  Documents employer responsibilities and workers' rights associated with response and recovery operations after a hurricane. Includes links to fact sheets for related worker safety and health resources.

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