Statewide Disaster Response Kit

Helpful tools and resources for Texans, to assist in the time of tragedy and disaster.
This response kit was curated by Baker Botts, L.L.P.

Hurricanes

Post Hurricane Harvey – Baker Botts FAQ - Answers to frequently asked questions about FEMA, insurance, and more.

ABA Disaster Relief Legal Assistance - Compilation of ABA legal resources for use in the aftermath of a disaster.

National Disaster Legal Aid – Disaster Preparedness -A compilation of resources for individuals, groups, and attorneys for preparing for and responding to natural disasters.

Texas Law Help – Hurricane Preparedness -Guide to preparing for and responding to a hurricane, including a helpful list of legal issues for individuals to consider in seeking post-hurricane legal assistance.

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid – Disaster Relief Guide to Replacing Lost Documents - Guide for use in navigating post-disaster replacement of damaged documents.

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid – Disaster Relief Guide to Homeowner’s Insurance - Guide for use in navigating post-disaster insurance claims and issues.

Texas Department of Insurance – Help After the Storm - Description of relevant procedures for individuals recovering from hurricane damage, including insurance claims, home repairs, and industry guidance.

Harris County – Hurricane Preparation During COVID-19 - Information sheet about steps to take when preparing for hurricane season during the pandemic, including tips for assisting one’s children and maintaining best health practices during disaster response.

Texas General Land Office - Compilation of practical and legal resources for use in preparation for and response to hurricane disaste

National Weather Center – Hurricane Safety Tips and Resources -Description of major dangers to expect during a hurricane.

Floods

National Disaster Legal Aid – Disaster Preparedness -A compilation of resources for individuals, groups, and attorneys for preparing for and responding to natural disasters.

Rebuild Texas – The Governor’s Commission to Rebuild Texas - Governor’s Office resources for responding to water damage and rebuilding efforts post-disaster.

Texas Water Development Board Compilation of resources for communities seeking funding and guidance for individuals seeking post-disaster assistance, including guidance on insurance, talking to community officials, and remaining educated about disaster declarations.

Texas Law Help – Flood Claims - Provides information on flood insurance, compiling documentation post-disaster, and appealing adverse assistance decisions.

Harris County Law Library – Harvey Recovery Resources - Compiling resources for dealing with flooding disasters, including legal issues, finding shelter and emergency assistance, property issues, and reporting fraud and price gouging.

FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) Locator - Tool for locating local recovery centers for individuals responding to major disaster damage.

Fires

Home Fires | Ready.gov - Federal government resource on house fires and how to prevent them, deal with them, and address their effects after.

What To Do If A Fire Starts | American Red Cross - How to act before, during, and after a fire from the American Red Cross.

Texas Fire Departments - List of fire departments in the State of Texas.

NFPA - List of resources in the wake of a fire from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

State Fire Marshal (texas.gov) - Resources on fire safety from Texas Department of Insurance and how to prevent, investigate, and inspect fires.

Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs: Individuals and Families Impacted (state.tx.us) - Resources (financial and non-financial) for those affected by disasters in the State of Texas.

Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs: Emergency Rental Assistance Funds - Rent relief resources for those affected by disaster (including fires).

Wildfires and Disasters | Texas Wildfire Protection Plan (TWPP) - Resources from the Texas A&M Forest Service on dealing with wildfires in the State of Texas.

Mass Shootings

Texas Victim Services Association - Nonprofit organization that provides services to those affected by violence in the State of Texas.

Texas Crime Victims Legal Assistance Network - Project that provides free civil legal help for those that can’t afford to pay, to try and recover from criminal victimization.

Texas Victim Resource Directory - Customer Self-Service - Directory of those offering free services to victims of crimes in the State of Texas.

Family Violence Program - Texas Health and Human Services - List of shelters (residential and non-residential) in the State of Texas for those suffering from violence.

Victim Services Division - Texas Department of Criminal Justice - List of government and non-profit agencies that assist those who’ve suffered from violence (incl. mass shootings).

Crime Victims' Compensation Program - Office of the Attorney General - Helps crime victims and their immediate families with the financial costs of crime including counseling, medical treatment, funerals, and loss of income not paid by other sources.

Support Links · Texas Department of Criminal Justice and Victim Services Division - Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Links, tools, brochures and helplines for victims of crime in the State of Texas.

Active Shooter Resources — FBI - Resources and tips on how to reach and handle an active shooter situation.

Here are some mental health resources in the wake of the recent mass shootings (kcra.com) - Mental health resources for those affected by mass shootings.

Post-Mass Shooting Programs and Resources Review - Health and Human Services - National resources for those affected by mass shootings and how one can cope with them after they’ve happened.

Resources for Libraries to Help Communities Heal after a Mass Shooting | Library Developments

Mass Shootings Resources - Society of Counseling Psychology - Psychological resources to help strengthen resiliency to cope with mass shootings.

Freezes

AG Office Consumer Protection - Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Toll-Free Hotline (800) 621-0508
File a Consumer Complaint online - www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection/file-consumer-complaint


Legal Aid Resources


SNAP and Other Texas-Specific Benefits


Disaster Distress Helpline


Renters’ rights and requesting freeze-related repairs.

Excessive Heat

Power Outages

  • Economic Injury Disaster Loans through the Small Business Administration - SBA can provide up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses for small businesses in a declared disaster region. The loan amount will be based on the business’s actual economic injury and the company's financial needs, regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

  • Disaster Relief: Emergency Housing and other Needs Assistance (TexasLawHelp.org) - Housing and Other Needs Assistance is available to recuperate costs or expenses—such as the price to purchase or repair appliances or tools needed for work—incurred from a recent disaster. Requests for individual housing assistance through the Individuals and Households Program (IHP) and assistance through the Other Needs Assistance program (ONA) are made in the same application on FEMA’s website. Benefits received through the IHP or ONA are not counted against social security benefits, and some relief benefits do not need to be paid back.

  • Texas Department of Insurance | Businesses - Provides relief resources for businesses affected by natural disasters.

Fuel Shortages

Energy Assistance Programs in Texas | TexasLawHelp.org - Providing Free and Reliable Legal Information & Forms for Civil Legal Issues in Texas - Overview of 7 energy assistance programs in Texas for things such as bill payment assistance and weatherization assistance (make energy saving building improvements at no cost).

Droughts

Livestock Forage Program (LFP) (usda.gov) - Program to help livestock operations affected by drought.

Environmental Quality Incentives Program | NRCS (usda.gov) - Program that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers and forest managers to mitigate against drought.

Water & Environmental Programs | Rural Development (usda.gov) - Rural communities can use this to obtain the technical assistance and financing necessary to develop drinking water.

Drought Response Program | Bureau of Reclamation (usbr.gov) - Includes information over drought plans and emergency response actions.

Emergency Farm Loans (usda.gov) - Program to provide loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought.

Emergency Conservation Program (usda.gov) - Programs to help helps farmers and ranchers to repair damage to farmlands caused by natural disasters and to help put in place methods for water conservation during severe drought.

Tree Assistance Program (TAP) (usda.gov) - Program to provide financial assistance to qualifying orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes and vines damaged by natural disasters. 

Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) (usda.gov) - Program to provide financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occur due to drought.

Notice of Loss/Application for Payment Noninsured Crop Disaster Assist. Prog. (usda.gov) - Form that must be filed within 15 days of the loss becoming apparent, except for hand-harvested crops, which should be reported within 72 hours.

Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) (usda.gov) - Program to help the owners of non-industrial private forests restore forest health damaged by natural disasters.

Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWPP) | NRCS Texas (usda.gov) - Provides technical and financial assistance through local government sponsors for addressing imminent threat to life (human) and/or property caused by severe erosion on streambanks caused by the drought. 

Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool | Farmers.gov - Tool to help producers and landowners determine program or loan options.

Agent Locator | RMA (usda.gov) - Assistance locating insurance agent for a crop insurance claim.

Find Your Local Service Center | Farmers.gov - Assistance finding locations where you can connect with Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or Rural Development employees for business needs. 

Tornadoes

Tornadoes (texasready.gov) - Tips for what to do to prepare for and during tornados.

After the storm (texas.gov) - Resource for residents with questions or concerns about their insurance claims after any storm.

Tornado.pdf (redcross.org) - Tornado Safety Checklist.

Tornado (fema.gov) - Protective actions before tornadoes.

Tornado | Insurance (fema.gov) - Tornado insurance information and research tips.

The Actuarial Foundation Insurance Guide English (flash.org) - “If Disaster Strikes Will You Be Covered? A Homeowner’s Insurance Guide to Natural Disasters.” Guidance for when insurance will cover disaster damage. Also gives tips for mitigating damage and protecting from further damage.

Tornado | Awareness of Related Subsequent Hazards (Carbon Monoxide) (fema.gov) - Risks associated with post-tornado damage.

Safe Rooms | FEMA.gov - Tips for building safe rooms in home, business, or community.

Tornado Cleanup and Response | NIOSH | CDC - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Tornado Cleanup and Response

Home (sba.gov) - Disaster Loan Assistance for businesses, nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters in regions affected by declared disasters

Water Contamination

Public Drinking Water - Texas Commission on Environmental Quality - www.tceq.texas.gov

Groundwater Contamination | Texas Groundwater Protection Committee - Homepage of Texas’ Groundwater Protection Committee.

Spills, Discharges, and Releases - Texas Commission on Environmental Quality - www.tceq.texas.gov - Report an environmental emergency, discharge, spill, or air release. Links to rules, laws, technical assistance, waste management, State Emergency Response Commission.

Texas’ spill reporting hotline: (800) 832-8224.

Texas’ Tier II Chemical Reporting: (800) 452-2791 (within Texas) or (512) 239-5060. - Tier II Chemical Reporting is concerned with reports regarding the storage of chemicals.

After the Flood: Is Your Water Safe to Drink? - Texas Commission on Environmental Quality - www.tceq.texas.gov - Checklist for determining if your water is safe to drink after a flood.

Chemicals in Drinking Water - Texas Commission on Environmental Quality - www.tceq.texas.gov

Public Water System Chemical Sampling and Monitoring Frequency - Texas Commission on Environmental Quality - www.tceq.texas.gov

Texans with Special Needs

State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR) - The STEAR program is a free registry that provides local emergency planners and emergency responders with additional information on the needs in their community. People with special needs, including those who require additional mobility or functional assistance are encouraged to voluntarily register. While registration through the STEAR program does not guarantee special assistance during an emergency, it provides local emergency management offices with information on how to effectively assist registrants who require special assistance. All shared information is kept confidential.