Texas
Coastal
Hurricanes
Hurricanes
cause
massive
damage
and
loss
of
life.
From
the
1900
storm
that
devastated
Galveston
Island,
killing
more
than
6,000
people,
to
Hurricane
Alicia
in
1983.
Texas
has
weathered
10
of
the
30
worst
hurricanes
in
the
United
States
history.
Since
then,
thousands
of
new
residents
have
moved
into
high
risk
areas
with
little
or
no
experience
of
preparing
for
or
surviving
storms
of
such
magnitude.
Many
other
Texans
have
acquired
a
false
sense
of
security
believing
that,
"It
won't
happen
to
me."
Don't
be
a
casualty
of
our
next
hurricane.
Plan
Ahead....
Evacuation
Tips
For
Brazoria
County
Am
I
at
risk
from
a
hurricane?
Look
at
the
color
coded
map
on
the
risk
page
of
this
site
to
find
out.
It
shows
the
areas
at
risk
from
winds
and
storm
surge
associated
with
hurricanes.
There
are
five
of
these
risk
areas,
each
shown
in
a
different
color
and
each
corresponding
to
one
of
the
five
categories
of
hurricanes
on
the
Saffir/Simpson
Scale.
The
stronger
the
storm,
the
greater
the
inland
impact
will
be
and
the
more
risk
areas
affected.
How
will
I
know
when
to
evacuate?
Mandatory evacuation orders will come from your local officials. Evacuations will be based on ZIP CODES. When that call comes, you need to be prepared to leave immediately.
Should I evacuate? Local
officials make decisions to
evacuate 36 to 48 hours before a storm makes landfall.
Hurricanes are extremely unpredictable and can become
much more dangerous in a matter of hours. It is
NOT safe to wait. Plan to LEAVE EARLY.
Should you choose to stay, please
remember there are NO SHELTERS in
Brazoria County. Also, please know that emergency
crews will be unable to assist you during the storm.
Where should I go? You may
evacuate to any city you choose. Brazoria County
residents have been assigned Belton, Texas for public
shelters. If you do not have hotel
reservations or family you can stay with, you may
evacuate to the public shelters.
What route should I take?
There are no mandatory
routes you must take when evacuating from your city.
In fact there are several different routes you may take.
When weather is good, take your family on an outing to
check routes and become familiar with roadways.
Please know that the State will be providing
gas, water and food on all designated evacuation routes
(SH 36, SH 288, SH 6, I 45, 290). If you choose to
take an alternate route, essential services such as
food, fuel, etc. are not guaranteed.
When evacuating you should:
Coordinate your departure with the people who will be
traveling with you. Notify an out-of-area persons
of your evacuation plans.
Make arrangements for your pets. Pack your
disaster supplies kit into your vehicle. Secure
your home. Double check your evacuation route and
leave.
Evacuating tips. Keep your
vehicle in good repair with at least a half a tank of
fuel. Check on friends and neighbors who may have
special needs. Prepare your disaster supplies kit
NOW and take it with you when you evacuate. Secure
your home quickly; evacuate when asked to do so.
I don't want to evacuate!
Please know if you choose to stay during a major
hurricane, there will be NO SERVICES available to
you. Hospitals will close, ambulances will not
run, and police and fire cannot respond until the storm
passes.
When should I return?
Please contact your city's emergency management
coordinator's office or the county's emergency manager's
office before returning. West Columbia's number is
979-345-5121. Brazoria County's Emergency
Management number is 979-864-1064. Do not venture
onto roads until you have been advised that they are
passable and safe. TxDOT will post staggered
re-entry maps on TexasOnline.com.
Fuel. Motorist should fill
their tanks before evacuating. TxDOT has made
arrangements to assure maximum-possible fuel
availability during an evacuation. Should fuel
supplies become loaw, evacuees should look for TxDOT
signs indicating key fuel locations. TxDOT
courtesy vehicles will be patrolling major evacuation
routes.
Key Telephone Numbers. The
number to call for ROAD CONDITIONS on state
highways is 1-800-452-9292. If you have an
emergency, call 9-1-1.
During
a
"hurricane
watch,"
listen
to
your
radio
or
television
constantly.
Emergency
officials
can
interrupt
routine
broadcasts
to
give
special
weather
updates,
warning
messages,
and
evacuation
information.
Tune
to KTRH,
740
AM;
KPRC,
950
AM
or
KLOL,
101.1
FM
for
information.
For
24-hour
weather
broadcasts
from
the
National
Weather
Service,
tune
to
NOAA
Weather
Radio
on
the
high-band
FM
frequency
162.55
megahertz
(MHz)
that
broadcasts
from
Galveston,
162.40
MHz
that
broadcasts
from
Houston,
or
or
162.425
MHz
that
broadcasts
from
Bay
City.
What
Can
I
do
to
prepare
for
a
storm?
While
there
are
no
sure
ways
to
predict
when
and
where
a
hurricane
will
come
ashore
in
Texas,
both
cities
and
counties
have
emergency
managers
whose
job
is
to
prepare
the
community
and
its
citizens
for
these
storms
and
other
disasters.
For
answers
to
specific
questions
you
may
have
concerning
hurricanes
and
preparing
for
them,
contact
your
local
Emergency
Management
Office.
In
addition,
read
the
information
in
this
section
and
share
it
with
friends
and
family.
When
a
hurricane
threatens,
it
will
help
you
survive
the
storm.
How
should
I
prepare
for
and
evacuation?
Prepare
a
disaster
supplies
kit
and
pack
it
in
your
vehicle.
Make
sure
your
car
is
in
good
repair
and
full
of
gas.
Secure
your
home:
turn
off
the
gas,
water,
and
electricity;
board
up
the
windows
and
draw
drapes
across
them;
brace
garage
doors;
bring
in
or
secure
any
loose
objects
in
the
yard;
and
lock
all
windows
and
doors.
If
you
have
a
boat,
secure
it
on
a
trailer
near
your
house
and
fill
it
with
water.
Make
arrangements
for
pets
before
you
leave;
most
public
shelters,
and
many
hotels
and
motels
do
not
allow
them.
Leave
a
note
telling
where
you
plan
to
go.
Designate
an
out-of-area
contact
that
family
and
friends
can
call
to
get
information
on
your
whereabouts.
Finally,
designate
a
meeting
point
for
your
family
should
you
get
separated.
What
if
I
need
help
to
evacuate?
Arrange
beforehand
with
friends
or
family
to
help
you
evacuate.
BRAZORIA COUNTY RESIDENTS: If
you
have
no
one
to
turn
to
or
you
have
special
needs, dial 2-1-1 to register for a ride. If you have special health care or transportation needs, you need to make extra efforts to get ready for hurricane season. Remember, hurricane season officially begins June 1 and continues through November 30.
Operators answering the phones at 2-1-1
are prepared to help you register for transportation and
special assistance now, before hurricane season begins.
If you have special health care needs,
register by dialing 2-1-1: Gulf coast residents
with special health care needs (including those who are
disabled or medically fragile) who live in evacuation
zones and do not have friends or family to help in an
evacuation should register for a ride in advance by
dialing 2-1-1. The 2-1-1 registry must be dialed
IN ADVANCE. Do not wait until a storm is in the
Gulf to register for assistance. This service is
for people who cannot drive themselves or make
transportation arrangements.
If you need transportation, register
with 2-1-1: if you do not have a car or other vehicle,
and you cannot get a ride with friends, neighbors or
family, register IN ADVANCE for a ride by dialing 2-1-1.
In the event of an evacuation,
individuals who have registered with 2-1-1-, will need
to meet at an evacuation HUB.
WHAT IS A HUB? A HUB is a meeting
location for residents who have registered with 2-1-1
for public transportation or any individuals needing
public transportation during a mandatory evacuation.
At this location, residents will be checked in and bused
to public shelters in Belton, Texas.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING WITH ME? You
MUST bring your driver's license or state issued picture
ID. No more than TWO carry-on bags per person.
No more than ONE household pet per family (must be in a
carrier). Brazoria County has been divided into
three HUBS. If you need public transportation
during an evacuation, you will need to get to one of
these HUBS. ALVIN - Alvin ISD Transportation
Center, 2780 SH 6, Alvin, Texas; ANGLETON -
Angleton Middle School, 1001 West Mulberry, Angleton,
Texas; and WEST COLUMBIA - Columbia High School, 521
South 16th Street, West Columbia, Texas.
Evacuation Destination - EXPO Center, 301 West Loop
21, Belton, Texas 76513
How
long
will
it
take
to
evacuate?
That
depends
on
the
size
of
the
storm
and
the
number
of
people
who
evacuate.
The
chart
on
the
risk
page
will
give
you
an
idea,
but
keep
in
mind
the
times
shown
are
ONLY
estimates.
They
assume
that
all
evacuation
routes
are
open
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