Eads: Together we are stronger

In times of need, Denton County continues to come together as we did for the recent tornadoes and during Winter Storm Uri.

Across the county, our entities share their resources collectively to assist neighboring communities during challenging times.

One recent example is during the tornadoes that crossed into Cooke and Denton counties late Saturday evening on May 25th. Police and fire from across Denton County came to the aid of communities and areas hit hard by the tornadoes.

In Cooke County, seven people lost their lives and, in both counties, an estimated 100 people were injured. In Denton County, 24 homes were lost in an RV park next to the Lake Ray Roberts Marina, which also suffered heavy damage. In Pilot Point, an estimated 50 homes were damaged. Interstate 35E was closed for several hours due to overturned 18-wheelers and downed power lines.

Throughout that Saturday night, teams from around our county worked to rescue people and transport them to area hospitals, help clear the freeway and other major roads, and so much more.

So many individuals were helped that fateful night because Denton County works together to help each other.

Flashback to Winter Storm Uri in February 2021, which dumped record amounts of snow across Texas amid below freezing temperatures. Millions of Texans lost power including in Denton County.

We met daily to review needs across the county as larger cities helped smaller communities deal with failing water pumps, roads, and more. We received updates from our local utility companies, who were also on the call, to keep residents up-to-date on rolling blackouts and when to expect power to return.

Again, these combined efforts make Denton County unique. Our cohesiveness in difficult times stands out and I am very proud of that fact.

As we continue to prepare for the future, we are now working on an Emergency Operations Center, a 55,760-square-foot facility that will be built using American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The facility will house Emergency Management, Public Health Preparedness and Response, a 911 Dispatch Center, and more.

ARPA funds will allow us to build this EOC quickly and put it in operation so that we can ensure even better communication and coordination during future disasters.

I would like to personally thank all our entities in Denton County for their willingness to partner with us in serving our collective residents.

Together, we are #DentonCountyStrong.

Connect With Us: If you have any questions or comments, please let me hear from you. My email is [email protected], and my office number is 940-349-2820. For more information, register for my newsletter at Dentoncounty.gov/countyjudgenewslettersignup.