Tornado 2023 Updates

Photos from Disaster Recovery Center - 1-28-23

(1-31-2023 - 2:30 PM)

BakerRipley Community Resource Fair

(1-30-2023 - 5:06 PM)

Harris Central Appraisal District News Release

For more information contact Jack Barnett, Communications Officer, 713-957-5663

Harris Central Appraisal District Reminds Property Owners of Disaster Exemption

 Houston —The Harris Central Appraisal District is reminding property owners who have experienced physical damage to their property during the recent storm to apply for a temporary disaster exemption.

“The recent severe storms and tornadoes have caused physical damage to many properties in the area, and I want to remind everyone of the disaster exemption that is available to help those owners reduce their 2023 property taxes.” said Roland Altinger, chief appraiser.  “State law lets the individual owner apply for the temporary disaster exemption for physical damage to their property.”

The Texas Tax Code allows a qualified property that is at least 15 percent damaged by a disaster in a governor-declared disaster area to receive a temporary exemption of a portion of the appraised value of the property.  Qualified property includes real property such as homes and buildings, certain manufactured homes and tangible personal property used for the production of income for a business.

The property owner must apply for the temporary exemption no later than 105 days after the governor declares a disaster area.  Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared the state a disaster area on January 26 so the temporary disaster exemption application must be filed no later than May 11.

The disaster application form can be found Online under FORMS > ALL FORMS > General Information > Form 50-312, Temporary Exemption for Property Damaged by a Disaster. The form should be mailed to the address in the top left of the form, which is Harris Central Appraisal District, Information and Assistance Division, P.O. Box 922012, Houston, Texas 77292-2012.  For further information, contact the HCAD’s information center at 713.957.7800 or email Email Harris Central Appraisal District . 

(1-28-2023 - 12:00 PM)

Resource flyers (PDF files)

Disaster Flyer

Volante de desastre

2023 Tornado Resource Flyer

Avoid Scams flyer

2023 Tornado Resource Guide

(1-28-2023 - 10:00 AM)

DPISD UPDATE

Superintendent Stephen Harrell of the Deer Park Independent School District has informed us that Deer Park schools will officially resume Monday, January 30, 2023 at regularly scheduled times. We thank everyone for their continued patience as we receive new information and appreciate the leadership that so many have provided to this point.

(1-27-2023 - 7:15 PM)

ROAD CLOSURE UPDATE

ROAD CLOSURE UPDATE 7:15PM Friday, January 27, 2023: Center Street and P Street is now open. Thank you all again for your patience.

(1-27-2023 - 6:00 PM)

ROAD CLOSURE UPDATE

ROAD CLOSURE UPDATE 5:55PM Friday, January 27, 2023: The City of Deer Park is ready to open Center Street and P Street soon. We are currently waiting on CenterPoint to energize the traffic lights and clear the area. We appreciate the public’s patience during this time.

(1-27-2023 - 4:00 PM)

ROAD CLOSURE UPDATE

Spencer Hwy from Space Center to Sinclair is closed in both directions as well as northbound on Randolph from Spencer.

(1-27-2023 - 3:00 PM)

ATTN: PLEASE HAVE HOME INSPECTED BY A LICENSED ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR BEFORE LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON.

City permits are still required – please contact Public Works at 281-478-7270. Contractors must be registered at Public Works and the Police Department to perform work in City of Deer Park at this time.

Please ensure all power is turned off to your home on your main breaker box before re-establishing power. Not doing so can result in a fire.

(1-27-2023 - 2:00 PM)

ROAD CLOSURE

PLEASE BE ADVISED: Spencer Hwy from Space Center to Sinclair is closed in both directions as well as northbound on Randolph from Spencer.

(1-27-2023 - 1:45 PM)

WEATHER WARNING

Showers and thunderstorms are expected on Sunday, January 28, 2023. There is a marginal risk of a few strong to severe thunderstorms as well as a slight risk of excessive rainfall on Sunday morning and afternoon. 

(1-27-2023 - 11:00 AM)

11am Press Conference

(1-27-2023 - 8:45 AM)

CITY CLOSURES

The City of Deer Park is closing the Soccer Complex due to power lines down from the directive of Emergency Management. We ask that you stay patient during this time. In addition, the Community Center and gym will be closed through the weekend.

On Saturday, January 28, 2023, the transfer station will not be open, and the recycling center is closed until further notice.

PUBLIC WORKS

The City of Deer Park would like to ask everyone to please move parked vehicles out of the streets that have debris, even if they have to park on the grass. We need the debris trucks to have full access to debris piles. 

If you have a pool and your fencing is down, we ask that you have orange fencing or some sort of barrier up to prevent trespassing.

DARC PRESS CONFERENCE

The City of Pasadena and the City of Deer Park will hold a joint press conference to prepare for the opening of the Joint Disaster Assistance & Recovery Center.

The purpose of the press conference is to share information regarding the services and organizations that will be available to the public beginning at 1 p.m. on 1/27/23.

Date: Friday, January 27, 2023

Time: 11 a.m.

Location: Pasadena Convention Center - 7902 Fairmont Parkway Pasadena, TX 77507

POST OFFICE INFORMATION

The Deer Park Post Office lobby is open for residents to check their PO Boxes.

(1-26-2023 - 5:00 PM)

CITY CLOSURES

-    Community Center and gym will be closed through the weekend.

-    Saturday, January 28, 2023, the transfer station will not be open and recycling center is also closed until further notice.

PERMIT AND ASSESSMENTS

-    City is waiving permit fees for storm restoration.  Permits are still required, just no fees will be charged.

-    Individual assessments can be conducted by using a QR code, visiting TDEM’s website or if you don’t have power or internet you can contact City Hall at 281-479-2394 for form completion.  

-    According to latest iSAT information there is a combined total of 81 residential structures either destroyed or with major damages.  Of those, 18 are destroyed and 63 are majorly damaged, with 118 minor damages; this is current data as of this press release.

INTERAGENCY ASSISTANCE

-    Harris County sent 6-10 people to help out with fire inspections; between them and the City’s Fire Marshal’s office 85 inspections were completed and 14 business were found to be inhabitable. 

-    Cities of La Porte & League City were down in the Hillshire area to help out with debris removal on Thursday. Cities of Friendswood and Mont Belvieu will be coming out on Friday, Jan. 27th to assist with debris removal.

-    Task Force 1 went through the city to help assess the damage.  Forestry service is here to assist the Parks & Rec department with clean-up efforts in the City parks and facilities.

SAFETY

-    If you use a generator, please do not do so indoors so there is no carbon monoxide issues.  

-    Streets that are scheduled to be opened by 5:00 pm on Thursday:  Center, north of San Augustine, and 13th Street.  Please still be cautious in driving around town. 

-    Be careful when using parks, hiking/bike trails and/or sidewalks due to debris still present.  If you do see any safety concerns or damage, please contact Parks & Rec at 281-478-2050.

FROM CENTERPOINT

•    Deer Park outages are still at 2,300.

•    In southeast Houston, due to the significant damage that will take time to repair, restoration work will be essentially complete by the end of the day Sunday TO THOSE WHO CAN RECEIVE POWER, with some isolated outages addressed thereafter.

Media requests can be directed to Email Mayor Jerry Mouton, Jr.

(1-26-2023 - 3:15 PM)

{PASADENA, TEXAS - JANUARY 26, 2023, 3:15PM} In response to damages sustained by the recent tornado event, the City of Pasadena Office of Emergency Management announces the opening of the Joint Disaster Assistance Recovery Center at the Pasadena Convention Center. This partnership between the City of Pasadena and the City of Deer Park will assist residents in gathering important recovery resources and information.

When: Friday, January 27, 2023- Sunday, January 29, 2023 Disaster Assistance Recovery Center

Pasadena Convention Center - 7902 Fairmont Parkway Pasadena, TX 77507

Hours: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. (Friday); 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Saturday); 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. (Sunday) More dates and times may be added as necessary.

"The outpouring of support from our community has been amazing, but not surprising" said Mayor Jeff Wagner. "Both Pasadena and Deer Park have been hit hard and we want to do everything we can to work together to get the necessary resources to our residents."

The Joint Disaster Assistance Recovery Center will be a hub for recovery information and resources from government agencies, local businesses, industry and non-profit organizations.

For more information on Pasadena Tornado Recovery Resources, go to www.pasadenatx.gov or www.readypasadena.org,

Pasadena Media Contact: Email Laura Mireles

For more information on Deer Park Tornado Recovery Resources, go to: www.deerparktx.gov and click on the banner at the top of the page labeled Deer Park Tornado for our dedicated resource page.

Deer Park Media Contact Information: Email Elliott Moore or Email Angela Smith

(1-26-2023 - 11:00 AM)

11am Press Conference

(1-25-2023 - 6:30 PM)

CITY FACILITIES

All City facilities will re-open on Thursday, Jan 26, 2023, with the exception of the Library which will remain closed due to no power.  The Community Center will be open but with limited services.

GARBAGE

Garbage services tomorrow will be regular trash on first sweep and staff will continue picking up debris on the second sweep. Please have limbs cut no larger than 6-foot sections.  Please make sure vehicles are not blocking debris piles, we have had issues accessing the debris with our trucks.

PRESS CONFERENCE

Yes, we are having one last press conference to be held on Thursday, January 26, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. to be held at the Deer Park Police Department at 2911 Center Street, Deer Park, TX 77536.  

STREETS & PARKS

Please be aware that there is still debris, poles and other items in the streets, walking paths, parks, and sidewalks and to use extreme caution while driving, walking, and running or other activities. Streets may need to be closed during different parts of the day due to repairs, stay alert.

MEDIA REQUEST

Media requests can be directed to Email Mayor Jerry Mouton, Jr. 

We also have a dedicated web page on our City website at: www.deerparktx.gov/Tornado2023

(1-25-2023 - 3:30 PM)

STORM VIDEOS

The city is releasing four videos that were taken with City security cameras before and during the tornado event.  We give permission to reuse the videos as long as credit is given to the City of Deer Park.  The videos are hosted on YouTube.

CENTERPOINT ENERGY

Please see the attached PDF for an update from CenterPoint Energy on the restoration in Deer Park.

MEDIA REQUESTS

Media requests can be directed to Email Mayor Jerry Mouton, Jr.  or contact 281-930-2133.  The city will be holding a press conference on January 26, 2023, at 11:00 am CST at the Deer Park Police Department located at 2911 Center Street, Deer Park.  We also have a dedicated web page on our City website at: www.deerparktx.gov/Tornado2023

(1-25-2023 - 12:30 PM)

DONATIONS

We are receiving citizen and community inquiries regarding the tornado event on Jan 24, 2023. The calls primarily involve citizens who want to offer assistance or make donations to the tornado victims. It is important that such good intentions do not create the potential for a disaster within a disaster. Therefore people who wish to offer assistance should do so in as effective a manner as possible.

Individuals or organizations that want to provide assistance to victims of the Tornado 2023 should first work through their local disaster relief organizations. These may include the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, The Texas Baptist Men Feeding Organization, The Adventist Community Services, The Second Harvest Food Banks, etc. 

Cash is the best contribution since items can be purchased within the affected areas to meet the specific needs of victims. To contribute cash, contributions should be sent to the precise organization name where cash contributions should go. The City of Deer Park is not accepting any monetary donations directly.  

If people prefer to donate goods or service, they should still work through their local disaster relief organizations. These organizations know the immediate needs of people in the affected areas, how best to meet those needs, and how to ensure assistance is appropriate, adequate, and delivered to the right places. The disaster relief organizations can tell potential donors what is needed and what is not needed and how to package and transport those goods that are needed to the disaster area.  You can help your neighbors by reaching out to them directly to offer to help.  The City of Deer Park is not accepting any donations directly as we do not have the resources at this time.  We are focused on restoring power to the city and clearing the roads. 

We encourage people not to send unsolicited donations to the disaster area. Unsolicited donations may not reach the proper people or even would meet their current needs. If donors plan to travel to the disaster area, they may find that lodging and other services are unavailable and they may add to problems in the disaster area rather than helping.

DISASTER SHELTERS

The American Red Cross Baker Ripley shelter in Pasadena is almost full.  

There is another facility at 6901 Fairmont Pkwy, Pasadena, TX 77505 hosted by Memorial Baptist Church, mbcpconnect@gmail.com or 903-261-6154 or 281-731-0832. The information provided shows they can provide shelter, showers, electricity, food/water, clean-up crews and donations.  

STREET CLOSURE UPDATE

The road closure both north and southbound lanes at Center Street and P Street will remain closed for an additional four hours for repairs.  We appreciate your support and understanding as we conduct repairs.  

GARBAGE UPDATE-REMINDER

Deer Park Sanitation Crews are currently making their first pass around town picking up limbs and vegetative debris from street curbs.  Later today they will make a second pass which will include the pick-up of heavy trash.  No household trash is being collected today. Please have limbs cut no larger than 6-foot sections.  Please make sure vehicles are not blocking debris piles, we have had issues accessing the debris with our trucks.

MEDIA REQUEST

Media requests can be directed to Email Mayor Jerry Mouton, Jr. or contact 281-930-2133.  The city will be holding a press conference at 11:00 am CST at the Deer Park Police Department located at 2911 Center Street, Deer Park.  We also have a dedicated web page on our City website at: https://www.deerparktx.gov/Tornado2023.  Our 11:00 am press conference will also be streaming live on City’s Facebook account.  Here is the link to the 11:00 am Press Conference.

(1-25-2023 - 11:00 AM)

At 11:00 AM Mayor Jerry Mouton held a Press Conference  at the EOC.

(1-25-2023 - 10:00 AM)

CENTERPOINT ENERGY UPDATE

Once your electrical service is restored, if you are not receiving service, please ensure that your residence/business is able to receive service on your end.   CenterPoint Energy’s dedicated crews are committed to restoring service to customers as safely and quickly as possible. In the meantime, I ask for everyone to be patient with the restoration process, as the impact to CenterPoint Energy’s system is significant in some areas.  

GARBAGE UPDATE

Deer Park Sanitation Crews are currently making their first pass around town picking up limbs and vegetative debris from street curbs.  Later today they will make a second pass which will include the pick-up of heavy trash.  No household trash is being collected today.  Please have limbs cut no larger than 6-foot sections.  Please make sure vehicles are not blocking debris piles, we have had issues accessing the debris with our trucks.

ASSESSMENT

Several groups with TDEM are out doing assessments for damage review along with City staff.  Two groups are doing residential reviews by observing from the street.  They are not entering private property.  The other group is reviewing city facilities along with city staff.   If you have any concerns regarding storm related issues please call 281-930-2133.   Below is the QR code from TDEM to assist citizens with entering their damage assessments.  You can also reach this on the TDEM Website.  The website has English and Spanish versions.

WATER/SEWER

Water and sewer plants are up and running with no issues.

MULTIAGENCY ASSISTANCE

There are several agencies that are working with City officials such as Department of Public Safety (DPS), Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), CenterPoint Energy, National Weather Service (NWS) and Texas Task Force 1.  State and federal elected representatives and their staff have been in contact both via phone and in person. 

MEDIA REQUEST

Media requests can be directed to Email Mayor Jerry Mouton, Jr. or contact 281-930-2133.  The city will be holding a press conference at 11:00 am CST at the Deer Park Police Department located at 2911 Center Street, Deer Park.  We also have a dedicated web page on our City website at: www.deerparktx.gov/Tornado2023.  Our 11:00 am press conference will also be streaming live on the City's Facebook Account.

(1-25-2023 - 7:53 AM)

The City will be conducting a press conference at 11:00 am CST at the Deer Park Police Department facility located at 2911 Center Street, Deer Park.  Media is welcomed to attend.

The City of Deer Park experienced what we believe to be an EF 2 tornado, most of the city experienced heavy rain and wind beforehand. As of now we know that San Jacinto Manor suffered substantial damage structurally. We were made aware there were 63 people in the building at the time of the tornado. 3 of the residents were transferred only due to injuries we believe to be related to pre-existing conditions.

As of now we have Public Works on the roadways assessing damages and getting debris cleared. The Police Department did a great job of keeping the roadways clear last night and helping to direct traffic through barricaded roadways.   Some roads are still impassable due to power poles being down, please do not go past the barricades.  If stop lights are flashing or out; please treat the stop lights as four way stops.  Deer Park ISD is off today and as a reminder City facilities are closed. Media requests can be directed to Email Mayor Jerry Mouton, Jr. or contact 281-930-2133.

CENTERPOINT UPDATE

Early this morning CenterPoint Energy was in contact with additional contractors from surrounding areas to assist in restoring power, they will be on the ground around 12 noon.  Today CenterPoint is concentrating our additional assessment efforts and restoration resources out of the Pasadena Convention Center with the majority of our efforts being the resetting and replacing of damaged wooden poles and other damaged electrical equipment.

The additional contractors from outside our service territory are still scheduled to arrive today at or near noon; once they are here, they will be oriented/briefing and will be deployed to help with the restoration efforts in these impacted/concentrated areas.  If a power pole is down, do not approach or try to move the lines or touch any lines that may be hanging from the pole.

HELPING YOUR NEIGHBORS

The City of Deer Park is an amazing community with residents who are willing to help with whatever they can. At this time, we ask that you not interfere with City personnel as we work to get streets clear of debris. If you are looking for ways to help, please feel free to assist your fellow neighbors on private property. We are committed to the safety of our staff and residents during this time, and do not want to risk anyone being injured.

GENERAL CONTRACTORS

General Contractors need to register at the Police Department at 2911 Center Street in order to perform any work.  

RED CROSS CONTACT:

Red Cross can be reached at 1-800-RED CROSS 0R 833-583-3115 if needed.

(1-24-2023 - 8:30 PM)

UPDATE AS OF 9:00 PM: This will be the final press release for Tuesday, January 24, 2023 at 8:30 pm from the City of Deer Park. We are pleased to report that all of the residents have been relocated from the San Jacinto Manor to other locations by 8:00 PM SETRAC did a great job coordinating the mutual aid ambulances & three mobile ambuses for the San Jacinto Manor coordination.  

There is an American Red Cross shelter for those in need at Baker Ripley, 720 Fairmont in Pasadena. AT&T is bringing in a temporary tower for First Net usage due to one tower being destroyed. This temporary tower will be brought in tonight. CenterPoint transmission feed was damaged and they have reported that 24 crews will be in the Deer Park/Pasadena location by 6:00 am on Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023 to start restoration.  They will be staged at the Pasadena Convention Center. CenterPoint reported that approximately 70K people have lost power in Pasadena & Deer Park. 

City of Deer Park facilities will be closed on Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023 so that city facilities can be evaluated. If you have storm related questions, please contact the EOC at 281-930-2133 or Email Mayor Jerry Mouton, Jr. . We have a storm related webpage for all information and can be found at https://www.deerparktx.gov/Tornado2023.

(1-24-2023 - 6:30 PM)

The City of Deer Park held a Press Conference regarding the tornado that touched down in the city.

(1-24-2023 - 5:30 PM)

Severe Weather Update 5:30 pm: The City of Deer Park will hold a press conference regarding the tornado that touched down. The press conference will be held at 6:30 PM at the Emergency Operating Center (EOC) located at 2911 Center Street.