City of Killeen assists neighboring communities affected by severe weather

KILLEEN, Texas (May 23, 2024) - City of Killeen First responders and various departments are assisting our neighboring communities affected by Wednesday's severe weather.

The Killeen Fire Department, Killeen Police Department, Killeen Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (OHSEM) and Killeen Department of Public Works staff are assisting Bell County, the City of Temple and Morgan's Point Resort communities, following a potential tornado. The National Weather Service will confirm if there was, indeed, a tornado and determine the EF rating within the coming days.

The Killeen Police Department has about 20 units assisting with various tasks to help the City of Temple, including traffic control, door-to-door searches and adding a police presence. KPD's drone unit is also assisting Morgan's Point Resort with damage assessment.

The Killeen Fire Department and the Killeen Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is also assisting Temple, Morgan's Point Resort and Bell County Emergency Management representatives with coordination and acquiring resources. The Killeen Public Works department staffing is assisting with debris removal in Temple.

KFD sent five personnel to Morgan's Point Resort to assist with incident command, search and debris removal, and also sent two ambulances and two emergency vehicles to assist in Temple at the onset of the severe weather.

The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for our area just after 12 noon on Wednesday, and that was updated to a tornado warning, just before 6p.m. Wednesday. The City of Killeen sounded the outdoor warning sirens at that time.

The City of Killeen has received some reports of downed trees and damage. Dexter Drive is closed between Parkwood Drive & Fawn Drive, due to low hanging wires, as of 9a.m. Thursday. All divisions of the Department Public Works are working diligently to service all customers. Solid Waste teams are managing any residential and commercial trash containers that may have been moved by the storms. Residents are asked to place any brush/debris from the storm curbside for pickup at no charge. Please allow a few days for completion.

For large debris, residents can contact the City's Transportation division at (254)616-3153 and crews will remove any blocked or obscured branches, trees, etc. that post a threat. If there is large debris/damage on private property, the resident must contact the Transportation division and complete paperwork to waive liability. Crews will respond to all roadway obstructions and traffic signal issues, as needed. The Mowing and Drainage division team has been assisting the City of Temple with cleanup efforts.

If a home or business in Bell County suffered damages from the severe storms and flooding, citizens can report damages to the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) at damage.tdem.texas.gov, and include photos of the damages.

When residents properly report damages, it helps officials identify impacted areas, connect Texans with recovery resources and request more assistance in our area. Citizens should also report damages to their insurance companies.

The Killeen Animal Services (3118 Commerce Drive) and the Killeen Animal Adoption Center (3518 East Rancier Avenue) are closed today while they assist area partners affected by the severe weather. The Fort Cavazos Animal Shelter will remain open for normal business hours. For animal-related emergencies, please call the Killeen Police Department at (254) 501-8830.

Residents are reminded of the important phrase to 'turn around and don't drown' around high-water areas, and be careful around downed lines and deep water areas (staying away from sparking wires).

For more general information, visit www.KilleenTexas.gov.