Fort Worth issued an announcement to residents on Jan. 7 on how to prepare for the upcoming winter weather and where to shelter against the freezing temperatures.

What you need to know

To protect pipes, the city recommends finding and learning how to shut off the water with the private shut-off valve.

According to the announcement from Fort Worth, here are some additional tips for protecting pipes and keeping family safe:
  • Make sure all outside pipes are insulated. Disconnect hoses from the faucet and cover the faucet.
  • Check to see that pipes in unheated parts of homes or businesses (including crawl spaces, attic spaces and under cabinets) are insulated.
  • Open cabinet doors that contain water pipes to allow heat to enter the area.
  • Turn off or unplug irrigation systems during the winter to prevent ice on sidewalks or streets. Drain the lines to prevent them from freezing and bursting.
  • Commercial buildings with fire sprinklers should leave the heat on overnight and on weekends when subfreezing temperatures are forecast.
  • Make sure everyone in the household knows where the main water shut-off valve is in case a pipe breaks and the water needs to be turned off in a hurry. Check this valve now to make sure it is working.
  • Keep extra water on hand during freezing weather in case a main break or frozen pipe cuts off the water supply.
  • In case of a water main break, call 817-392-4477
More Information

Fort Worth will offer different locations for individuals and families to go if they need shelter.


For individuals, go to:For families, go to:
  • The Salvation Army: 1855 E. Lancaster Ave. (Eligible households to stay at this location must include at least one parent and one child.)
According to the city website, if individuals arrive at Presbyterian Night Shelter or Union Gospel Mission and beds are full, they will be relocated to available overflow beds at one of the additional emergency shelter locations. The plan ensures demand will not exceed capacity.

To check to see if cold weather overflow shelters have been activated, call 311 and press 9.

For those experiencing homelessness, True Worth Place, located at 1513 E. Presidio St., is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and can provide resources and assistance.

Additional details


According to Fort Worth’s website, all community centers are scheduled to be open during regular business hours. The Fort Worth Park & Recreation Department works closely with Directions Home and specific centers have been identified as overflow overnight shelter sites. PARD receives daily notifications regarding the need for overflow shelters, and if overflow shelters are activated, centers are used to provide safe, warm spaces.

Some community centers near Northeast Fort Worth include:For the latest information on winter weather, visit www.fortworthtexas.gov/winter.