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Cooke County
Emergency Management Coordinator / Fire Marshal

301 South Chestnut
Gainesville, TX 76240

Notice: The position of EMC/Fire marshal is currently vacant and likely won't be filled until the new County Judge takes office in January 2027.

In the meantime, please contact the County Judge's Office for assistance.

Phone: 940-668-5435
Email:  CountyJudge@co.cooke.tx.us

Mission

To protect the population of Cooke County and their property from the destructive forces of natural and man-made disasters through a comprehensive program of mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.



 

Considering a Safe Room or Storm Shelter?

 

Announcing the Cooke County Safe Room/Storm Shelter Rebate Program. The program offers a 50% rebate, up to $3,000, for the installation of a FEMA-certified safe room or storm shelter.
Full details are available on our Safe Room Program website.

 


House clipart                  Hand and dollar sign clipart

The Texas General Land Office has announced grants to help residents of Texas counties
who were affected by Disasters in 2024 like the tornado in Valley View (May 25, 2024).
For details, click the blue bar below.

  • 2024 Texas General Land Office Disaster Grant information


    Photos courtesy Cooke County Commissioners Adam Arendt and Matt Sicking

    The Texas General Land Office has announced grants to help residents of Texas counties who were affected by Disasters in 2024 like the tornado in Valley View (May 25, 2024).

    These grants have been allocated funding since February 2026 and are now open to citizens of the counties affected by the 2024 Disaster.  Some important notes to keep in mind:

    -Check your eligibility.  Not all who apply are guaranteed relief – the flyers linked below have all the information you need to determine if these opportunities are right for you.

    -These grants are ONLY for those impacted by the DR-4781 2024 Tornado and Severe Storms Disaster on May 25, 2024.  These grants are not applicable for any other disasters (including more recent events).

    -These grants cannot be used for acquiring new storm shelters or safe rooms, unfortunately.  They are primarily for repairing or reimbursing homeowners’ damages.  If a preexisting storm shelter was damaged or destroyed during the 2024 Disaster, then it may qualify.

    -Generally, you can apply for one grant or the other, but not both.

    -Applying is FREE.  You are under no obligation or commitment to simply put your name in the hat.  The worst they can say is “no.”

    If you have any questions, feel free to call the County Emergency Management Office at 940-668-5400 or the Texas General Land Office at 1-844-893-8937.

     

    Homeowner Assistance Program (HAP)

    The 2024 Disasters Homeowner Assistance Program grant is targeted for individual home and property owners who suffered damage in the 2024 Tornado and Severe Storms (DR-4781) that has still not been repaired.  Open to all citizens in Cooke County and First-Come, First-Serve.  Use the link or QR Code and select the “HAP” option to apply.

    Details are available in the HAP Grant PDF.

     

    Homeowner Reimbursement Program (HRP)

    The 2024 Disasters Homeowner Reimbursement Program grant is targeted for individual and property owners who suffered damage in the 2024 Tornado and Severe Storms (DR-4781) that has been repaired and is eligible for reimbursement.  Open to all citizens in Cooke County and First-Come, First-Serve.  Use the link or QR Code and select the “HRP” option to apply.

    Details are available in the HRP Grant PDF.

     

    To apply for a grant, scan the QR code with your smartphone's camera app,
    click the HAP/HRP grant link, or visit https://RECOVERY.TEXAS.GOV/APPLY

 

 



Emergency Preparedness

TOLL FREE ARSON HOTLINE: 1-877-4-FIRE-45 (1-877-434-7345)


Useful Links

Ready or Not?  Preparedness Guide
Essential guide to prepare for disasters before they happen.
Sponsored by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Cooke County Sheriff Dispatch - Live Radio Feed

RadioReference.com is the worlds largest radio communication data provider, featuring a complete frequency database, trunked radio system information, and FCC licensed data.


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been dedicated to protecting health and promoting quality of life through the prevention and control of disease, injury, and disability. Committed to programs that reduce the health and economic consequences of the leading causes of death and disability, thereby ensuring a long, productive, healthy life for all people.


FEMA
US Department of Homeland Security. FEMA’s mission is to support the citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to,
recover from, and mitigate all hazards.


Firewise
Firewise is a project of the National Fire Protection Association. To save lives and property from wildfire, NFPA's Firewise Communities program teaches people how to adapt to living with wildfire and encourages neighbors to work together and take action now to prevent losses. We all have a role to play in protecting ourselves and each other from the risk of wildfire.

 

 
CodeRED FAQ

What is CodeRED and why is it important to me?
CodeRED is an emergency notification service that allows emergency officials to notify residents and businesses by telephone, cell phone, text message, email and social media regarding time-sensitive general and emergency notifications. Only authorized officials have access to the CodeRED system.

 

When will CodeRED be used?
Any message regarding the safety, property or welfare of the community will be disseminated using the CodeRED system. These may include AMBER alerts, notifications of hazardous traffic or road conditions, boil water advisories or evacuation notices.

Does the CodeRED system replace other systems that have been used to provide time-sensitive information to residents?
This system is an enhancement to existing means of communication and is meant to supplement current or past systems used for mass notification.

Does the CodeRED system already have my telephone number, or do I need to sign up to receive CodeRED notifications?
The CodeRED database contains information received from public databases, including regional phonebooks. However, no resident should assume that their information is in the system. The home page of the Cooke County website, www.co.cooke.tx.us, has a link to the CodeRED Community Notification Enrollment page where you can register online. If you cannot register online, you can call the County Judge's office at 940-668-5435 to complete your registration over the telephone.

I have a business located in Cooke County. Can I arrange to have CodeRED contact my business?
Yes. Fill out the CodeRED registration form, but be sure to select the “This address is a business” option. Please note that emergency calls can only be delivered to a direct dial number. Automated attendants will disrupt the process and the calls will not be delivered. Businesses should register their main number and establish a procedure for distributing the CodeRED message to their workforce.

What if I want to register additional numbers for my address?
After you submit the initial registration form, you may start the registration process again and submit more numbers for the same address.

Is my personal information protected?
CodeRED is a service of Crisis24, which takes security and privacy concerns very seriously. They will not sell, trade, lease, or loan any citizen-supplied data to third parties.

How will I recognize a CodeRED message?
A CodeRED Emergency message will have a caller ID of 866-419-5000. A CodeRED General message will have a caller ID of 855-969-4636. We suggest you program both numbers in your cell phone as a “new contact” and use “CodeRED Emergency” and “CodeRED General” as the contact names. If you need to replay the emergency notification message again, simply dial the number and you will be able to hear the message again.

What should I do if I receive a CodeRED message?
Listen carefully to the entire message. You will have the option to repeat the message by pressing any key. Do not call 911 for further information unless directed to do so or if you need immediate aid from the Police or Fire department.

I have a cordless phone and it does not work when the power goes out. How will the system be able to contact me?
Make sure you have at least one working corded telephone – and be sure to turn the ringer on. The CodeRED sign-up form allows you to indicate both a primary and alternate phone number. Cell phone and/or work phone numbers can be entered as alternate phone numbers. Both primary and alternate phone numbers will be contacted when a notification is sent.

Will the CodeRED system leave a message on an answering machine?
Yes, the CodeRED system will leave a message on a machine or on voicemail. The CodeRED system will leave the entire message in one pass.

What happens if the line is busy?
If the line is busy, CodeRED will try two more times to connect.

What circumstances might prevent a message from being delivered to me?
  • If your contact information has changed and you have not registered your new information.
  • If your line is busy for an extended time and your calls do not forward to voicemail or an answering machine.
  • If you have only cordless phones in your residence, the power is out, and you did not register an alternate phone number.
  • If you have a privacy manager on your main phone and you did not register an alternate phone number. Cooke County will receive a report of undelivered calls and can instruct the CodeRED system to begin another round of calls to busy numbers. It is best to have an alternate phone number in the calling database for these situations.

CodeRED logo, with the text 'Keeping citizens informed.'