Rusk County hurricane guide¶

The Rusk County Office of Emergency Management in Henderson plans for disasters, runs the county's emergency notifications, and supports the cities in the county. The county lists flooding, severe thunderstorms, and tornadoes among its main natural hazards, and tropical storms that move inland can bring all three. Sign up for Rusk County Emergency Notifications before a storm, and never drive through flooded roads.

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

What to know in Rusk County¶

After a storm, the county asks residents to report home damage through the state's iSTAT damage survey. Businesses and public agencies use the state's PSTAT form.

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	903-657-8571	Rusk County Office of Emergency Management, 1515 Whippoorwill Avenue, Henderson. Office line. Not for emergencies.
Emergency management office	903-657-0326	Rusk County Emergency Management Coordinator and Emergency Operations Center Director, at the courthouse. Office line. Not for emergencies.
County information line	903-657-0302	Rusk County Judge's office, Henderson. Office line. Not for emergencies.
Sheriff's Office	903-657-3581	Rusk County Sheriff's Office main line. For emergencies, call 911.

Official alerts and information¶

Rusk County Emergency Notifications: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. Sign up is through Smart911. Website.
Rusk County Office of Emergency Management: The county emergency management page, with burn ban status, outage map links, and preparedness information. 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.

Rusk County does not post a shelter list on its website. Shelters are announced for each storm through Rusk County Emergency Notifications and local news. Do not go to a site until it is announced as open. If you live in a mobile home or an area that floods, plan where you will go before a storm.

Help to evacuate¶

State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR): STEAR is a free state registry for people with disabilities, medical needs, or who need a ride or personal care help in an emergency. Registering does not guarantee a specific service. To learn how Rusk County uses STEAR, call the Office of Emergency Management. Phone: 903-657-8571. 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
KOOI	106.5 FM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1)
KYKS	105.1 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
WNG650	162.525 MHz	Center
WXK36	162.475 MHz	Tyler

TV stations¶

Station	Channel	Network	Language
KLTV (KLTV 7)	7	ABC	English
KTRE	9	ABC	English
KYTX (CBS19)	19	CBS	English
KETK-TV (KETK NBC 56)	56	NBC	English
KFXK-TV (FOX51)	51	Fox	English

Official forecasts¶

National Weather Service Shreveport: Local forecasts, watches, and warnings. Phone: 318-631-3669. 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.
Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO): Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 888-218-3919. Website.
Cherokee County Electric Cooperative Association: Text your outage to (800) 992-4280. Phone: 903-683-2248. Website.
Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 800-392-5986. Website.
Rusk County Electric Cooperative: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 855-945-3520. Website.
Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative (URECC): Toll-free (866) 804-1674. Text OUT to (855) 939-3744 (single-meter accounts only). Phone: 903-680-2100. 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¶

East Texas Food Bank: Regional food bank for 26 counties. It supplies local food pantries and meal sites. Tyler office. Call or use its website to find a food pantry near you. Phone: 903-597-3663. 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¶

Community Healthcore crisis line: The local mental health authority for Bowie, Cass, Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Panola, Red River, Rusk, and Upshur 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: 800-832-1009. Website.
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text, any time. Phone: 988.

Relief organizations¶

American Red Cross East Texas Chapter: The Red Cross chapter for 28 counties in northeast Texas, part of the Red Cross North Texas Region. Shelter, emergency help, and disaster relief. Tyler office. Longview office: 903-753-2091. Texarkana office: 903-793-5602. Paris office: 903-737-4390. For disaster help at any hour, call 1-800-733-2767. Phone: 903-581-7981. 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.