Smith County hurricane guide¶

The Smith County Office of Emergency Management works under the Smith County Fire Marshal's Office and supports the County Judge, who leads emergency management for the county. Smith County is inland, in East Texas, but its severe weather plan says hurricanes increase the threat of tornadoes in the region, along with flash floods and damaging winds. Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection, so know where you will take shelter. Sign up for the county's Rave alerts before a storm.

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

What to know in Smith County¶

To report hazardous road conditions in the county outside Tyler, the county severe weather plan says to call 903-566-6600. Inside the City of Tyler, call 903-535-1000.

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	903-590-2649	Smith County Office of Emergency Management, Tyler. Office line. Not for emergencies.
County information line	903-590-4605	Smith County Judge's Office. The County Judge leads emergency management for the county. Office line. Not for emergencies.
Sheriff's Office non-emergency	903-590-2661	Smith County Sheriff's Office main line. For police matters that are not emergencies. The county severe weather plan also lists 903-566-6600 as the Sheriff's non-emergency line.
Animal services	903-266-4303	Smith County Animal Control. Reports go through the county's 24-hour communications center. If an animal is a threat to people, call 911.

Official alerts and information¶

Smith County Rave alerts: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. The county uses Rave, with ETCOG, for threats to life and safety and for shelter information. A text that links to rave.smithtx.co is real. Website.
Smith County Office of Emergency Management: The county emergency management page, with the Tyler-Smith County Severe Weather Plan and the hazard mitigation plan. Website.
Smith County Road and Office Closures: County map of road and office closures. 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.

Smith County does not publish a standing list of hurricane shelters. For shelter and relief center information, the county links the Texas Division of Emergency Management's map of local shelters and seasonal relief centers, and it sends shelter information through Rave alerts. Do not go to a shelter until it is announced as open.

Official list of open evacuation centers

Help to evacuate¶

State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR): If you have a disability, are medically fragile, or need help with mobility, transportation, medical care, or communication, the county says to register with STEAR every year so local responders have your latest information. Registering does not guarantee a specific service. Website.
Smith County Animal Control and Shelter: County animal shelter at 322 E. Ferguson Street, Tyler. Phone: 903-266-4303. 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
KNUE	101.5 FM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1)
KYKX	105.7 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
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.
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.
Wood County Electric Cooperative: You can also text OUT to (866) 415-2951. Phone: 866-415-2951. 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¶

Andrews Center Behavioral Healthcare System crisis line: The local mental health authority for Henderson, Rains, Smith, Van Zandt, and Wood 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: 877-934-2131. 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.