After years of planning — and a devastating reminder of what was at stake — the City of Crockett in Houston County has completed the installation of six new outdoor warning sirens, significantly strengthening emergency preparedness across the East Texas community. This marks the first time in the city’s history that a comprehensive outdoor warning system has been installed for residents.

The project was funded through a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) award from the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), paired with a required local match provided by Communities Unlimited (CU). CU’s contribution was made possible through ongoing support from the T.L.L. Temple Foundation, which played a key role in helping Crockett leverage critical infrastructure funding.

For city leadership, the need for warning sirens had been clear for years, but a 2022 tornado brought new urgency.

“We had some severe storms, including a tornado that came through town, and that started a lot of discussion among city council and the community,” said John Angerstein, Deputy City Administrator for the City of Crockett. “One of the big issues that came to light was the fact that we didn’t have any storm warning sirens or early notification systems in place.”

Following the storm, the city applied for FEMA Hazard Mitigation funding during the 2023 cycle and was awarded the grant in 2025. Like many small cities, however, Crockett faced a familiar challenge: securing the required local match.

“As is often the case with grants, there can be a two- or three-year gap between applying and actually receiving the award,” Angerstein said. “By the time the grant came through, the match became a concern. With everything else going on — especially major water infrastructure needs — we weren’t sure how we were going to come up with that funding.”

That’s where CU’s Community Sustainability Team, led by Senior Community Facilitator Kristy Bice, stepped in. Through its work supporting small and rural communities — with support from the T.L.L. Temple Foundation — CU helped Crockett secure the match needed to move the project forward.

City leaders say that support was essential.

The six sirens are now strategically positioned throughout Crockett, with overlapping decibel coverage designed to reach the entire city and extend several miles beyond city limits.

Automation is one of the system’s most important features.

“These sirens automatically activate during a tornado warning — even in the middle of the night,” Angerstein said. “If a tornado touches down within a 25-mile radius, the system triggers on its own. No one has to manually sound the alarm, which is especially critical since that tornado came through overnight.”

For Crockett — and many rural communities like it — matching funds remain one of the biggest barriers to accessing large-scale grants.

Angerstein hopes Crockett’s experience encourages other small cities to pursue similar projects.

“Take the risk and apply,” he said. “There are a lot of funding opportunities out there, but many small cities aren’t aware of them. Having an organization that understands the funding landscape and prioritizes rural communities can be the key to making projects like this possible. Sometimes, just starting the conversation opens doors you didn’t even know were there.”