Since 2017, Jefferson County has been impacted by its share of disasters — Hurricane Harvey (2017), Tropical Storm Imelda (2019) Hurricanes Laura and Delta (2020), Winter Storm (2021) and Hurricane Beryl (2024). — simply to call just a few.
However the Jefferson County Lengthy Time period Restoration Group (JCLTRC) introduced a brand new free telephone app (Jefferson Co TX Catastrophe Information) to serve residents earlier than, throughout and after a catastrophe.
JCLTRC Restoration Director Michelle Brewer famous the group instantly serves many impacted county households, and are offered alternatives to take heed to the challenges households face when attempting to navigate an amazing quantity of disaster-related info, processes and assets, throughout all phases of catastrophe.
“We used this info to develop a complete, free cellular app that may be simply downloaded on Apple and Android platforms,” mentioned Brewer. “This app comprises all the things a Jefferson County family could have to know earlier than, throughout and after a catastrophe.”
Brewer mentioned JCLTRC works with many catastrophe survivors (many 65 and older) who share concerning the challenges they confronted to search out well timed catastrophe info and assets, particularly after a storm, when “it is wanted essentially the most.”
“The quantity of disaster-related info that circulates pre and post-disaster is overwhelming and widespread, making it troublesome to know or bear in mind the place to go to search out the knowledge they want, and what sources may be trusted,” she mentioned. “We wished to develop a platform that contained all disaster-related info in a single place, eliminating the necessity to search a number of Fb pages and web sites to search out numerous, crucial info particular to the wants of every family.
Based on Brewer, JCLTRC’s web site is hosted by WIX and in early 2023 they acquired info that WIX was growing a platform to create cellular apps for his or her enterprise customers.
“This piqued our curiosity,” she said. “We don’t have a know-how division however we did intensive analysis, talked quite a bit with WIX, and determined to dive in and provides it our greatest effort.”
Brewer mentioned they developed the app in-house then labored with a WIX specialist to assist navigate the arduous duties of registering the app with Apple and Google Play, in order that it might be out there by these app shops.
“That was the toughest piece of the event course of. It took about six months to develop the app from begin to end,” she added.
With the app, Brewer mentioned customers can choose up their cellular machine and with a single contact discover any disaster-related info they could want in a single single location.
“We simply up to date the face of the app to incorporate the survey hyperlink that each one Jefferson County households can use to report catastrophe damages to their dwelling rapidly,” she mentioned. “The information they share on this survey goes on to our county and metropolis emergency administration workplaces, permitting these leaders to higher perceive what the post-disaster wants in the neighborhood are, making it simpler to request assets to help within the restoration part, reminiscent of roof tarping, chainsaw work, and many others.”
Brewer famous the app is “very consumer pleasant” and is damaged down into subjects associated to “Earlier than Catastrophe” and “After Catastrophe.”
Along with having the survey hyperlink to self-report dwelling damages, there’s a complete “County Information” tab that lists all native useful resource info in addition to county and metropolis contacts for all of Jefferson County.
“We’ve got a push notification characteristic that we used a number of instances earlier than, throughout and after Hurricane Beryl,” she mentioned. “The push notifications go instantly into the pink ‘Alerts’ tab on the house display so if a consumer misses the notification alert, he/she is not going to miss the crucial info contained within the push. They merely click on on the pink ‘Alerts’ tab to learn the knowledge. We additionally welcome suggestions from our neighborhood and customers that can make the app higher.
Additionally, the app contents embody an in depth preparedness provide listing, learn how to make a house stock video, info on dwelling insurance coverage, detailed neighborhood assets and call info, evacuation routes, Federal Emergency Administration Company (FEMA) and Small Enterprise Affiliation (SBA) info, learn how to report catastrophe damages, a information to securely muck out your own home, evacuation and shelter info and extra.
Brewer added people who wish to obtain the app, can go to www.jeffersoncountylongtermrecovery. org/mobileapp.
