Orange County hurricane guide¶

The Orange County Office of Emergency Management, led by the County Judge as emergency management director, plans for hurricanes and issues disaster declarations and evacuation orders for the county and its cities. Orange County sits on the Sabine River at the Louisiana line and faces storm surge, widespread flooding, damaging winds, and tornadoes from Gulf storms. In 2020 the whole county was ordered to evacuate for Hurricane Laura, so plan where you will go before a storm and sign up for STAN alerts.

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 Orange County Office of Emergency Management. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.

What to know in Orange County¶

Before storms, the county has set out sand and bags at its four Road and Bridge precinct barns for residents to fill. Bring your own shovel. Check the county news page for locations before you go.
After a storm, the county asks residents to report damage to homes and property through the state's iSTAT self-reporting survey, which it links on its news page. You can also use the state damage survey site. Reporting damage does not replace a claim with your insurance company.
Storms can close county bridges. After the September 2026 storm, Orange County Road and Bridge closed the East Roundbunch Swing Bridge for repairs and posted updates on the county news page.

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	409-882-7895	Orange County Office of Emergency Management, 11475 FM 1442, Orange. Office line. Not for emergencies.
Sheriff's Office non-emergency	409-883-2612	For police matters that are not emergencies. Vidor substation: 409-769-6391.
County Road and Bridge	409-882-7905	Orange County Road and Bridge, for county roads, ditches, and bridges. Office line. Not for emergencies.

Official alerts and information¶

STAN (Southeast Texas Alerting Network): Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. STAN serves Orange, Jefferson, Hardin, and Jasper counties. When you register, choose Orange County and your city under Subscriptions. The site is also in Spanish. Website.
Orange County news and public notices: Where the county posts disaster declarations, sandbag locations, road and bridge closures, and damage surveys. Website.
Orange County Hurricane Season page: The county's official hurricane information page, with press releases and evacuation orders from past storms. Website.
Orange County Emergency Management: The county emergency management page. The office also posts updates on its Facebook page. Website.

Evacuation zones¶

Orange County does not publish an evacuation zone map. The County Judge and city officials issue voluntary or mandatory evacuation orders for each storm, and the county posts them on its news and Hurricane Season pages. For Hurricane Laura in 2020, officials first ordered nursing homes to evacuate, then ordered a mandatory evacuation of all of Orange County. People who could not leave on their own were taken out by bus from embarkation sites at Lamar State College Orange and Vidor Elementary, and the county set a deadline for the last bus. When the order was lifted, the county told returning residents to be self-sufficient because of widespread power outages, and a curfew stayed in place. Follow the current order and STAN alerts, not past practice.

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.

Orange County does not post a shelter list. In a hurricane evacuation, plan to shelter outside the county. During Hurricane Laura in 2020, the State of Texas ran evacuee reception centers in San Antonio, Austin, and Mesquite. Shelter information is announced for each storm through STAN and the county news page. Do not go to a site until it is announced as open.

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
KLVI	560 AM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1)
KQXY-FM	94.1 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
WXK28	162.475 MHz	Beaumont

TV stations¶

Station	Channel	Network	Language
KFDM	6	CBS	English
KBMT (12News)	12	ABC	English

Official forecasts¶

National Weather Service Lake Charles: Local forecasts, watches, and warnings. Phone: 337-477-5285. Website.
National Hurricane Center: Official hurricane forecasts, watches, and warnings. Website.

Power, water and debris¶

Entergy Texas: Text OUT to 36778 after signing up for Outage Texting. Phone: 800-968-8243. Website.
Jasper-Newton Electric Cooperative: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 800-231-9340. 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¶

Southeast Texas Food Bank: Regional food bank for 8 counties. It supplies local food pantries and meal sites. Beaumont office. Call or use its website to find a food pantry near you. Phone: 409-839-8777. 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¶

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.