Skip to content

Chambers County hurricane guide

The Chambers County Office of Emergency Management (OEM), in Anahuac, plans for hurricanes, evacuations, and shelters on the east side of Galveston Bay. The county faces storm surge and flooding from hurricanes and tropical storms, and it also hosts a large petrochemical industry. If you live in a mobile home, a trailer, or a low-lying area, or you have special needs, the county says to leave early when a storm threatens.

Checked on October 3, 2026

Every phone number and web address on this page was checked against official sources on that date. Details can change, especially during a storm. Always follow instructions from Chambers County Office of Emergency Management. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.

What to know in Chambers County

  • The county says to always evacuate north, not east or west, because a storm that shifts its path could put you in its way. Lufkin is the county's evacuation hub: head there first, and if it is full you will be sent to another shelter.
  • If officials order an evacuation, the county says it is too dangerous to stay, and help will not be available before, during, and for at least 72 hours after the storm. Plan to take care of yourself for at least 72 hours.

Emergency and information numbers

Service Number Notes
Emergency 911 Police, fire, and ambulance. Call only when someone's life or property is in danger.
Citizen information center (during emergencies) 409-267-3737 Chambers County Emergency Information Line, for updates during a storm. Toll free: 1-800-978-0337.
Emergency management office 409-267-4500 Chambers County OEM. Office line. Not for emergencies.
County information line 409-267-2400 Chambers County offices in Anahuac, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Office line. Not for emergencies.
Sheriff's Office non-emergency 409-267-2500 Chambers County Sheriff's Office main line, open at all hours. For police matters that are not emergencies.

Official alerts and information

  • ChambersWARNS: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. Cell phones and email get alerts only if you register. Alert texts come from 995-38 and calls from 409-794-4532, so save them as contacts. Website.
  • Chambers County Hurricane Preparedness: The county's official hurricane information page. Evacuation route and zone maps are there in English and Spanish. Website.
  • Chambers County Flood Protection Information: County flood hazard, flood insurance, and flood safety information. Website.

Evacuation zones

Chambers County uses the Houston-Galveston region's ZIP code evacuation zones: Zip-Zone Coastal, Zip-Zone A, Zip-Zone B, and Zip-Zone C. When a storm threatens, officials order evacuations by zone, based on the expected storm surge. Some ZIP codes are split into north (n) and south (s) parts; on the map, 77514s and 77665s are in Zone A, and 77514n, 77523, 77560, 77580, 77597, 77661, and 77665n are in Zone B. Find your ZIP code on the map, and follow the orders sent through ChambersWARNS. A Spanish map and an evacuation routes map are also available.

Look up your evacuation zone

Evacuation centers

Open only when announced

Evacuation centers open only when officials announce them, and not every center opens for every storm. Check the official list of open centers before you leave home. Bring your own bedding, food, water, and medicines.

Chambers County does not publish a list of shelters inside the county. It names Lufkin as its evacuation hub: go there first, and if it is full you will be directed to another shelter. Bring a disaster supplies kit with food, water, medicines, and important papers. If you take a pet, bring a kennel or leash. Follow ChambersWARNS and the county's emergency information line for instructions during a storm.

Help to evacuate

  • State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR): The county asks people with disabilities, medical needs, or who need transportation to evacuate to register with STEAR, online or by dialing 2-1-1. Registering does not guarantee a specific service. To ask how Chambers County uses the registry, call the OEM at this number. Phone: 409-267-2445. Website.

Radio, TV and weather

Keep a battery or hand crank radio. When power and cell service fail, radio is often the only way to hear official updates.

Radio stations

Station Frequency Language Notes
KTRH 740 AM English Emergency Alert System primary station (PEP, SR, LP1)
KUHF 88.7 FM English Emergency Alert System primary station (LP2)
KLAT 1010 AM Spanish Emergency Alert System primary station (LP-S)

Emergency Alert System roles come from the Texas Emergency Alert System Plan, approved in December 2017 and updated in January 2026, published by the Texas Association of Broadcasters.

NOAA Weather Radio

A weather radio turns itself on for warnings, even in the middle of the night. Set it to this frequency.

Station Frequency Transmitter
WXK28 162.475 MHz Beaumont
KHB40 162.550 MHz Galveston
KGG68 162.400 MHz Tomball

TV stations

Station Channel Network Language
KPRC-TV (KPRC 2) 2 NBC English
KHOU (KHOU 11) 11 CBS English
KTRK-TV (ABC13) 13 ABC English
KRIV (FOX 26 Houston) 26 Fox English
KUHT (Houston Public Media, TV 8) 8 PBS English
KXLN-DT (N+ Univision Houston) 45 Univision Spanish
KTMD (Telemundo Houston) 47 Telemundo Spanish

Official forecasts

  • National Weather Service Houston/Galveston: Local forecasts, watches, and warnings. Phone: 281-337-5074. Website.
  • National Hurricane Center: Official hurricane forecasts, watches, and warnings. Website.

Power, water and debris

  • CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric: In the ERCOT competitive market you may buy power from a retail electric provider, but CenterPoint owns the lines and restores outages: report outages to CenterPoint, not to your retail provider. Toll-free: 800-332-7143. Phone: 713-207-2222. Website.
  • Entergy Texas: Text OUT to 36778 after signing up for Outage Texting. Phone: 800-968-8243. Website.
  • Chambers County Road & Bridge: Maintains county roads and roadside drainage, and clears roads after disasters. Phone: 409-267-2708. Website.

After the storm: help for displaced residents

If your home is damaged or you cannot go back, these organizations help with shelter, food, money, and paperwork. Many programs open only after a disaster declaration, so check their pages for current status.

Where to start

  • 2-1-1 Texas: The free 211 helpline for all of Texas, a program of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, answered by 25 Area Information Centers. Help finding food, housing, child care, crisis counseling, and disaster services, day or night. Dial 211 at any hour. If 211 does not connect, call 877-541-7905. Choose your language, then option 1 for local services or option 4 to register for STEAR. Phone: 211. Website.

Housing and shelter

  • FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers: After a federal declaration, these centers help you apply for aid in person. Use the locator to find the nearest one. Phone: 1-800-621-3362. Website.

Food

  • Houston Food Bank: Regional food bank for 10 counties. It supplies local food pantries and meal sites. Houston office. Call or use its website to find a food pantry near you. Phone: 713-223-3700. Website.

Money, work and insurance

  • DisasterAssistance.gov: Apply for FEMA aid after a federal declaration. Phone: 1-800-621-3362. Website.
  • SBA disaster loans: Low interest loans for homeowners, renters, and businesses after a declared disaster. Phone: 800-659-2955. Website.
  • Lone Star Legal Aid: Free civil legal help for low-income residents of 72 counties in east and southeast Texas, including the Houston and Beaumont areas. Its Disaster Relief team helps with lost legal papers, home repair contracts, landlord problems, proof of home ownership, and FEMA appeals. Call to apply. Houston main office: 713-652-0077. You can also apply online. Phone: 800-733-8394. Website.

Emotional support

  • Spindletop Center crisis line: The local mental health authority for Chambers, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, and Orange counties, under contract with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Answered at any hour, for a mental health or substance use crisis. You can also call or text 988. Phone: 800-937-8097. Website.
  • 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text, any time. Phone: 988.

Relief organizations

  • American Red Cross Southeast and Deep East Texas Chapter: The Red Cross chapter for 17 counties in southeast and deep east Texas, part of the Red Cross Texas Gulf Coast Region. Shelter, emergency help, and disaster relief. Orange office. Nacogdoches office: 936-305-5060. For disaster help at any hour, call 1-800-733-2767. Phone: 409-883-2322. Website.

Cities and towns

Each city has its own services and some have their own alerts. The county's evacuation zones, evacuation centers, and emergency alerts cover everyone, in every city and in unincorporated areas.

Sources

Checked on October 3, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.