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Richardson officials say May 28 storm produced 250,000 cubic yards of debris; 133 households received disaster assistance
Summary
City leaders described the May 28, 2024 storm as the year’s most significant event, reporting sustained winds over 90 mph, extensive property damage, a large debris removal operation and targeted household aid.
Mayor Bob Dubey told attendees at Richardson’s annual State of the City address that a powerful storm that struck the area on May 28, 2024 produced widespread damage and a large-scale emergency response.
"For a short time, it delivered sustained winds exceeding 90 miles per hour," Mayor Bob Dubey said, describing the event as "one of the greatest citywide challenges in Richardson's history." He said police, fire, public works and parks crews mobilized immediately and that resources from outside the region were brought in to accelerate cleanup.
Why it matters: The city framed the response as a test of its emergency plans, and officials said the rapid cleanup limited longer-term disruptions to neighborhoods and businesses. Officials also described how partner organizations supplemented city efforts to support residents.
City officials reported that crews collected approximately 250,000 cubic yards of storm debris—about five times the volume removed after the 2019 tornado—and that external haulers were contracted to augment city crews. Officials said roughly 5,400 prepared meals and groceries were provided to residents and that disaster-relief services directly aided 133 households with severe losses.
Mayor Bob Dubey described the debris total and the scale of work: "In the end, we had approximately 250,000 cubic yards of debris that was collected." City staff subsequently launched the Richardson Replants program, distributing 500 saplings last fall and planning another 500 this spring to help restore the tree canopy.
Officials credited local nonprofits and volunteer groups—identified in the address as partners including the Network of Community Ministries, the Salvation Army, Operation Barbecue Relief and Encore—for supporting meal distribution, charging stations and other immediate needs during the outage period. The city also opened public facilities such as the library as charging and recovery sites.
Ending: City leaders used the address to publicly thank city staff, mutual aid crews and volunteer partners for the response and recovery work. No formal votes or new policy measures were announced during the speech; officials said lessons from the response will inform future emergency planning.
