AUSTIN Governor Greg Abbott on Thursday updated the state’s disaster declaration for Matador and other Texas communities that continue to be impacted by severe storms and tornadoes causing significant damage to homes and businesses. The disaster declaration will continue to support Texas’ response and recovery efforts to extensive damages in 21 Texas counties, including the following counties added Thursday: Motley, Nolan, Fisher, Jones, Kent, and Stonewall counties.
“There is no force more powerful than Texans helping Texans, and this updated disaster declaration will help the State of Texas swiftly respond to communities devastated by last night’s severe weather and tornadoes in West Texas,” said Governor Abbott in a press release. “I ask all Texans to join Cecilia and me as we pray for the Matador community and families who tragically lost a loved one during last night’s horrific storm. I thank all of our brave first responders and emergency response personnel who are working to help their fellow Texans navigate the aftermath of this severe weather event.”
Additional counties may be added to the declaration as damage assessments are completed.
Overnight, at the Governor’s direction, TDEM deployed the following state emergency response resources to support tornado response operations in Matador:
- Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (Texas A&M Task Force 2): Search and Rescue Teams
- Texas Division of Emergency Management: Emergency Management and Operations Technology personnel to support local response operations and coordinate state resource requests from local officials
- Texas Department of State Health Services (Texas Emergency Medical Task Force): Ambulance bus with Medical Incident Support Teams and ambulances
- Texas Department of Public Safety: Texas Highway Patrol Troopers
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Texas Game Wardens
- Texas A&M Forest Service: Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System firefighters and engines and an Incident Management Team
- Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (Texas A&M Public Works Response Team): Personnel and equipment to support local public works needs
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: Personnel supporting local officials with needs assessments
- Texas Department of Transportation: Personnel to support road closures and debris clearing from roadways; Fuel Support
Additionally, local fire departments in the region have deployed personnel and rescue assets through mutual aid.
Texans impacted by these devastating storms and tornadoes are encouraged to complete TDEM’s Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) self-reporting damage survey to help state and local officials identify damages and determine the state’s eligibility for federal disaster assistance. The survey is available in both English and Spanish and can be accessed by visiting: damage.tdem.texas.gov.
Read the Governor’s updated disaster declaration.
