The following press release was issued Monday afternoon:

County Judge Dr. Paul D. Lilly has issued a Disaster Declaration for Brown County effective Monday, Feb. 22.

Even though municipalities may proclaim their own Disaster Declaration if they so desire, the county declaration covers the entire county. In so doing, Judge Lilly declares that Brown County must take extraordinary measures to alleviate the suffering of the people of Brown County, their animals, livestock, and to protect or rehabilitate property.

Citizens are instructed to go to the Brown County website at www.browncountytx.org and to complete the survey there or, go to www.TDEM.texas.gov/warm and click on the center blue rectangle which says, “Click here for Texas Individual Assistance Reporting Tool (TIART)”. Please follow the instructions carefully.

The Disaster Declaration is attached in its entirety.

Reporting damage to Emergency Management is a voluntary activity, is not a substitute for reporting damage to your insurance agency, and does not guarantee disaster relief assistance.