Houston crews are training with chainsaws to clear storm debris before it blocks roads, floods homes, and endangers lives in the next hurricane.
HOUSTON — Hurricane season is still in full swing, and new data shows just how costly the risks are for Texas and the Houston area.
A recent survey ranked Texas among the top 10 states for expected hurricane losses, with projected costs topping $2.74 billion. That breaks down to nearly $876,000 in expected damage per 10,000 residents.
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Harris County scores a perfect 100 — tying Miami-Dade County, Florida, as the most at-risk area in the country. Because of that, insurance premiums in Texas have surged more than 50% since 2019, adding pressure to homeowners already struggling with rebuilding costs.
Training for the next big storm
With about three months left in hurricane season, the Houston Fire Department’s wildland team partnered with Houston Public Works to train on how to safely clear storm debris.
The program included classroom instruction and hands-on chainsaw training to mimic real-world storm cleanup scenarios. Crews practiced removing debris that could block major roads, trap residents on flooded streets, or clog drainage systems — all situations that can turn dangerous quickly after a hurricane.
“The risk and safety would go extremely high if we were doing this by ourselves… recovery could be more challenging without public works resources,” said Justin Huddleston, HFD engineer operator and wildland fire group coordinator.
Public Works training operations leader Eric Harvey said teamwork is critical: “When storms hit, it’s all hands on deck. Sometimes we have equipment that can make their work more effective, and vice versa.”
Lessons learned from Beryl and the derecho
Both departments said recent storms, including Hurricane Beryl and last year’s derecho, highlighted gaps in storm debris response. The new training gave crews a chance to identify weaknesses and streamline strategies before the next disaster.
“Between Beryl and the derecho, we learned a lot. This training brought everything back together where we haven’t had a disaster — knock on wood,” Huddleston said.
Harvey emphasized the importance of readiness: “Five P’s: proper preparation prevents poor performance. If you stay ready, you won’t have to get ready.”
Looking ahead
Both agencies plan to conduct this training annually, with the goal of starting in January 2026 ahead of hurricane season.
“The city of Houston is a large area and we couldn’t do it by ourselves… Working with other departments let us clean up faster and get back to normal quicker,” Huddleston added.
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