To know when a weather emergency is expected or to stay updated during a disaster, sign up for emergency alerts from your city or county. Residents can look up their county emergency management office online to sign up for emergency emails and texts.

Texans who rely on electricity for medical reasons can apply for chronic conditions or critical care status, which provide extra notifications ahead of interruptions or suspensions of service. Applications have to be approved by a physician and submitted to the transmission and distribution utility that covers your address. The status doesn’t guarantee uninterrupted power, so if electricity is a necessity, make other arrangements ahead of a storm if possible.

Texans with disabilities or people who would require additional medical assistance during an emergency can also sign up for the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry, a free system run by the state that gives emergency responders additional information about the communities they are helping in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

Major phone providers participate in the federal wireless emergency alert system, which enables federal, state and local authorities to broadcast alerts to mobile devices. Check the settings on your phone to ensure you have these alerts turned on. They are often labeled “Government Alerts” or “Emergency Alert Messages.”

If you need to find community resources during a disaster, dial 2-1-1 or 877-541-7905 for information about resources including food, health, housing and more.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.