The TDEM 147 form is the local official verification form that each Texas political subdivision files with the Texas Division of Emergency Management to report how it runs its emergency management program and who leads it. The presiding officer of the governing body submits it through the portal at 147.tdem.texas.gov, by February 1 each year and again within 30 days of any change in the elected or appointed officials named on the form.1TDEM DRDB SANDBOX. TDEM-147
Who Has to File
The filer is the presiding officer of the governing body of the political subdivision. In practice that is usually a county judge, a mayor, or an equivalent local official. Texas Government Code Section 418.101 requires that officer to notify TDEM about how the jurisdiction provides or secures its emergency management program, identify the person who heads the responsible agency, and provide any additional information TDEM needs.1TDEM DRDB SANDBOX. TDEM-147
The form is for governments, not individuals. If you are a Texas resident looking for help after a disaster, see the boundary note at the end of this article.
When It Is Due
Two deadlines apply. The annual filing is due by February 1. Separately, when any elected or appointed official named on the form changes during the year, whether through election, resignation, or appointment, the jurisdiction has 30 days from the date of the change to submit an updated form.1TDEM DRDB SANDBOX. TDEM-147
The 30-day clock is independent of the annual cycle. A mid-year change does not wait for next February.
How to Submit It
Submissions go through a dedicated web portal at 147.tdem.texas.gov.2Texas Division of Emergency Management. TDEM 147 Web Form Each jurisdiction signs in with its own credentials. TDEM’s page for emergency managers and local officials links to the portal alongside the agency’s other local-government tools.3Texas Division of Emergency Management. Emergency Managers and Local Officials
The form collects information about the political subdivision’s emergency management program: who heads it, how it is organized, and current contact details for key officials. If you cannot access the portal or need help completing the form, contact TDEM directly. The agency runs the WebEOC system that processes the submissions.
The Legal Basis for the Requirement
Governor Executive Order GA-05 establishes the ongoing requirement for political subdivisions to file the TDEM 147.1TDEM DRDB SANDBOX. TDEM-147 The underlying statutory framework is Texas Government Code Chapter 418, which governs emergency management statewide. Section 418.017 authorizes the governor to use all available state and local resources reasonably necessary to cope with a disaster, including temporarily reassigning state personnel and functions to carry out emergency services.4State of Texas. Texas Government Code GV 418.017 – Use of Public and Private Resources That authority relies on current information about each jurisdiction’s emergency management structure, which the TDEM 147 supplies.
Why Keeping the Filing Current Matters
The information on the TDEM 147 feeds the state’s disaster preparedness infrastructure. When the governor requests a presidential major disaster declaration, TDEM coordinates with FEMA Region 6 on a joint Preliminary Damage Assessment of the affected area.5Texas Division of Emergency Management. Disasters That coordination depends on knowing who runs each local emergency management program and how to reach them. A jurisdiction with an outdated TDEM 147 on file risks confusion during the early hours of a disaster response, when the state is activating resources and standing up recovery centers.
Local officials identified through the form are also the first contacts for the damage data that supports the governor’s request, which must show that the damage exceeds the combined capabilities of state and local governments.5Texas Division of Emergency Management. Disasters
If You Are an Individual Looking for Disaster Help
The TDEM 147 is an administrative form for local governments and has no role in personal disaster relief applications. Individuals affected by a declared disaster apply through FEMA’s Individual Assistance program, which TDEM describes as financial assistance and direct services for uninsured and underinsured survivors to cover necessary expenses and serious needs after a disaster declaration.6Texas Division of Emergency Management. Resources for Texans Applications go to FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov, by phone at 1-800-621-3362, or in person at a Disaster Recovery Center opened in affected counties after a declaration.7FEMA. FEMA, SBA and the State of Texas Are Opening Disaster Recovery Centers in South Texas