Dallas County hurricane guide¶
The Dallas County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HSEM) runs the countywide emergency management program and emergency operations center for about 2.6 million residents. County Judge Clay Jenkins is its director. Dallas County is far from the coast, but HSEM has managed events tied to hurricanes, and the remains of tropical storms can bring flooding and tornadoes. Most cities in the county run their own emergency management offices and alerts, so check your city first.
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 Dallas County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.
What to know in Dallas County¶
- HSEM keeps a list of city emergency management offices with their phone numbers and websites. If you live in a city, the county asks you to use your city's emergency information and alerts.
- HSEM is not part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Emergency and information numbers¶
| Service | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 911 | Police, fire, and ambulance. Call only when someone's life or property is in danger. |
| Emergency management office | 214-653-7980 | Dallas County HSEM main number, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Office line. Not for emergencies. |
| County information line | 214-653-7011 | Dallas County general information. Office line. Not for emergencies. |
| Sheriff's Office non-emergency | 214-749-8641 | Dallas County Sheriff's Office main dispatch, answered at all hours. For emergencies, call 911. |
| Animal services | 214-819-2115 | Dallas County Animal Control Unit, for unincorporated areas. In the City of Dallas, call Dallas Animal Services at 214-671-0249. |
Official alerts and information¶
- Dallas County Homeland Security & Emergency Management: The county's emergency management page. The county does not run its own alert signup; sign up for your city's alerts. Website.
- Dallas County Preparedness Resources: Printable guides for floods, tornadoes, extreme heat, and winter weather, many in English and Spanish. Website.
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.
Dallas County does not publish a list of shelters or a shelter page. During an emergency, check your city's emergency management office and alerts for shelter information. Do not go to a building unless officials say it is open.
Help to evacuate¶
- Dallas County Animal Response Team (CART): HSEM's team for animals in disasters, staffed by volunteers through Dallas County VOAD. The number is the HSEM main line. The CART page explains how to volunteer your time, a facility, or equipment for displaced animals. Phone: 214-653-7980. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WBAP | 820 AM | English | Emergency Alert System primary station (PEP, SR, LP1) |
| KSCS | 96.3 FM | English | Emergency Alert System primary station (LP2) |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| KEC56 | 162.400 MHz | Dallas |
| KEC55 | 162.550 MHz | Fort Worth |
TV stations¶
| Station | Channel | Network | Language |
|---|---|---|---|
| KXAS-TV (NBC 5 DFW) | 5 | NBC | English |
| WFAA | 8 | ABC | English |
| KTVT (CBS Texas, CBS 11) | 11 | CBS | English |
| KDFW (FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth) | 4 | Fox | English |
| KERA-TV (KERA) | 13 | PBS | English |
| KUVN-DT (N+ Univision 23 Dallas) | 23 | Univision | Spanish |
| KXTX-TV (Telemundo 39 DFW) | 39 | Telemundo | Spanish |
Official forecasts¶
- National Weather Service Fort Worth/Dallas: Local forecasts, watches, and warnings. Phone: 817-429-2631. Website.
- National Hurricane Center: Official hurricane forecasts, watches, and warnings. Website.
Power, water and debris¶
- Oncor Electric Delivery: In the ERCOT competitive market you may buy power from a retail electric provider, but Oncor owns the lines and restores outages: report outages to Oncor, not to your retail provider. Phone: 888-313-4747. Website.
- Texas-New Mexico Power (TNMP): In the ERCOT competitive market you may buy power from a retail electric provider, but TNMP owns the lines and restores outages: report outages to TNMP, not to your retail provider. Phone: 888-866-7456. Website.
- Farmers Electric Cooperative: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 903-455-1715. Website.
- HILCO Electric Cooperative: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 254-687-2331. Website.
- Trinity Valley Electric Cooperative: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 800-967-9324. Website.
- City of Garland - Garland Power & Light: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 972-205-3000. 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¶
- North Texas Food Bank: Regional food bank for 12 counties. It supplies local food pantries and meal sites. Plano office. Call or use its website to find a food pantry near you. Phone: 214-330-1396. 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.
Legal help¶
- Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas: Free civil legal help for low-income residents of 114 counties in north and west Texas, including Dallas, Fort Worth, and Lubbock. It helps with FEMA appeals, disaster unemployment, and other legal problems after a disaster. Legal Aid Line, to apply by phone. For disaster-related questions, call the Disaster Intake Line at 817-339-5391 and leave a message; staff will call you back. Phone: 888-529-5277. Website.
Emotional support¶
- North Texas Behavioral Health Authority (NTBHA) crisis line: The local mental health authority for Dallas, Ellis, Hunt, Kaufman, Navarro, and Rockwall 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: 866-260-8000. Website.
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text, any time. Phone: 988.
Relief organizations¶
- American Red Cross Dallas-Fort Worth Metro East Chapter: The Red Cross chapter for Collin, Dallas, Grayson, and Rockwall counties, part of the Red Cross North Texas Region. Shelter, emergency help, and disaster relief. Dallas office, also the North Texas Region headquarters. For disaster help at any hour, call 1-800-733-2767. Phone: 214-678-4800. 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.
- Town of Addison
- City of Balch Springs
- City of Carrollton
- City of Cedar Hill
- City of Cockrell Hill
- City of Combine
- City of Coppell
- City of Dallas
- City of DeSoto
- City of Duncanville
- City of Farmers Branch
- City of Ferris
- City of Garland
- City of Glenn Heights
- City of Grand Prairie
- City of Grapevine
- Town of Highland Park
- City of Hutchins
- City of Irving
- City of Lancaster
- City of Lewisville
- City of Mesquite
- City of Ovilla
- City of Richardson
- City of Rowlett
- City of Sachse
- City of Seagoville
- Town of Sunnyvale
- City of University Park
- City of Wilmer
- City of Wylie
Related guides¶
- Should I evacuate?
- What to expect at a hurricane shelter
- Hurricane supply list
- After a hurricane: the first 24 hours
- Insurance claims and disaster aid
Sources¶
Checked on October 3, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.
- https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/hsem/municipal-emergency-managers.php
- https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/hsem/contact-us.php
- https://www.dallascounty.org/about-us/contact/
- https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/sheriff/
- https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/hsem/emergency-alerts/govt-alert-systems.php
- https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/hsem/be-prepared/preparedness-resources.php
- https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/hsem/cart.php
- https://www.weather.gov/source/nwr/JS/CCL.js
- https://api.weather.gov/zones/county/TXC113
- https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WBAP
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/KSCS
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/KXAS-TV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WFAA
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/KTVT
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/KDFW
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/KERA-TV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/KUVN-DT
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/KXTX-TV
- https://www.oncor.com/us/en/home.html
- https://tnmp.com/
- https://farmerselectric.coop/outages-safety/outage-center/
- https://hilco.coop/contact-us
- https://www.tvec.net/contact-us/
- https://www.gpltexas.org/
- https://egateway.fema.gov/ESF6/DRCLocator
- https://www.disasterassistance.gov/
- https://www.sba.gov/disaster/
- https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/mental-health-substance-use/mental-health-substance-use-resources/find-your-local-mental-health-or-behavioral-health-authority
- https://www.211texas.org/about-2-1-1/
- https://www.feedingtexas.org/food-banks/
- https://legalaidtx.org/legal-topics/legal-help-after-a-disaster/
- https://www.redcross.org/local/texas/north-texas/about-us/locations/dallas-fort-worth-metro-east.html