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Masthead image featuring text Cooke County Safe Room/Storm Shelter Rebate Program and a green field with dark clouds and tornado in the background

About the Program:

The Cooke County Office of Emergency Management is now accepting applications for the Cooke County Safe Room/Storm Shelter Rebate Program. The program is funded through a grant provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM).

The program offers a 50% rebate, up to $3,000, for the installation of a FEMA-certified safe room or storm shelter. Before installation can begin, homeowners must complete an application and receive an approval letter from Cooke County.

The program serves property owners in the unincorporated areas of Cooke County as well as the incorporated communities throughout the county, including Gainesville, Muenster, Lindsay, Valley View, Callisburg, Whitesboro, Era, and Oak Ridge.

 

Outline of steps to receive your rebate under the program

This program has very strict eligibility and application requirements.  Please consult the Saferoom Program Guidelines and FAQs BEFORE you begin the process or reach out to our points of contact.

Step 1: Determine if the location where the safe room/storm shelter would be installed lies within a FEMA or locally-mapped floodplain. Please consult the Saferoom Program Guidelines for instructions.

Step 2:  Choose a properly certified vendor/installer and work with them to plan out your desired shelter.  This includes ensuring they provide you with proper documentation of their certification and a detailed plan of your desired shelter.

Step 3: Complete the Rebate Application (with all required documentation) and submit it to the Cooke County Office of Emergency Management for review.

Step 4: Receive a Rebate Award Letter from the Cooke County Office of Emergency Management.
            (DO NOT start installation until you have a Rebate Award Letter.)

Step 5: When installation of the unit is complete, submit your documentation per the instructions provided in your Rebate Award Letter. 


Step 6: Make an appointment for an inspection of your installation by our staff.

Step 7:  Receive your rebate payment. Please keep in mind that, in our experience, it sometimes takes months for the State of Texas to send us the rebate funds to pay to you. We have to apply for each individual rebate with your documentation. Please budget accordingly. The process can't be rushed.

Program Materials


This program has very strict eligibility and application requirements.  Please consult the Saferoom Program Guidelines and FAQs BEFORE you begin the process or reach out to our points of contact.

 

Submission


You have several options for submitting your completed form:

Print, sign, and mail to:
Cooke County Emergency Management
101 S Dixon Street
Gainesville, TX 76240

Print, complete with ink, scan, then email to saferooms@co.cooke.tx.us

Complete on the computer, save, then email to saferooms@co.cooke.tx.us
(You can use Adobe Reader to fill in the blue boxes on the form. Be sure to save it.)

 

Questions

For questions, please see our FAQ below, or contact:
Cooke County Emergency Management - Phone: 940-668-5400

or
Cooke County Judge's Office - Phone: 940-668-5435

Email: saferooms@co.cooke.tx.us

For specific questions about the reimbursement process *after you have been approved and completed your project* contact: Cooke County Auditor's Office - Phone: 940-668-5431

 


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How do I find the information to complete "Property Location-Legal Description" on the application form?

A: You should be able to get this information from your deed or from the Cooke County Appraisal District. The District is a separate and independent entity from Cooke County. Their website is CookeCAD.org. At the top of the page is a Property Search button that you can find some of this information in. We've found the easiest way is to just type your last name in the search box and press enter.

Q: How do I find the latitude and longitude of the place I'm having my safe room/storm shelter built?

A: Here are steps found via Google.

On a Computer:
Open Google Maps in your browser.
Right-click the exact location or area on the map.
A pop-up menu will appear.
The top item on the menu displays the latitude and longitude.

On a Mobile Device (iOS & Android):
Open the Google Maps app and find your desired location on the map.
Tap and hold the spot until a red pin drops.
Android: The coordinates will automatically appear in the search bar at the top.
iPhone: Tap the dropped pin or swipe up on the location details at the bottom of the screen to reveal the coordinates.