A new app by the Long Term Recovery Group helps Jefferson County residents prepare for natural disasters.
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JEFFERSON COUNTY, Texas — A new mobile app developed by a local nonprofit is helping Jefferson County residents stay safe and informed during natural disasters.
The Jefferson Co TX Disaster Guide app, created by the Long Term Recovery Group in 2024, is a one-stop hub for storm preparedness and recovery. Available on both Apple and Android devices, the app connects users to emergency alerts, public official contact numbers, safety checklists and more.
“In one touch of a button, [you] can be connected to any type of disaster-related information that [you] could possibly ever need,” said Michelle Brewer, executive director of the Long Term Recovery Group. “And it’s all in one location.”
The Long Term Recovery Group, a nonprofit organization focused on disaster response and relief in Jefferson County, developed the app with help from local residents. Brewer said the organization created a beta test group that included a cross-section of the community, from civic leaders to everyday households, to ensure the app met the needs of all demographics.
“We formed a beta test group, which consisted of every demographic across the county, leaders, just local households, and we sent the app to them,” Brewer said.
Touted as the only app of its kind in Texas, the guide features a dedicated alerts tab where users can quickly access real-time updates during emergencies.
“Anybody that pulls up this app can go immediately to that alerts tab and see immediate shelter information, evacuation information, any critical information that’s coming down from our county,” Brewer explained.
The app also includes a preparedness checklist, tips on helping neighbors, and links to essential services. While most of the content is currently in English, some links are available in Spanish. Brewer emphasized that the app is designed to be user-friendly and easily accessible to the general public.
Charles Knatt, a Jefferson County resident who was introduced to the app for the first time, called it a “big relief.”
“It looks like it gave us the big heads up and let us know before and after what to do and what not to do,” Knatt said. “You being in a dangerous environment, situation like that, you know that’s really not enough time, especially if the flooding is coming up quickly.”
To download the app, search for “Disaster Jefferson County” in your device’s app store. The icon features a small blue house and should appear among the top search results.