During the recent State of the City address on January 29, 2025, Garland officials reflected on the significant challenges faced by the community following a severe storm in May 2024, dubbed "Hurricane Garland." This storm brought hurricane-force winds, resulting in extensive damage and unprecedented debris accumulation across the city.

The storm's impact was profound, with nearly half of Garland's residents—approximately 35,000 homes—experiencing power outages. Remarkably, 80% of these outages were resolved within 12 hours, showcasing the efficiency of the city's emergency response teams. However, the aftermath of the storm revealed a staggering amount of debris, with city sanitation crews collecting over 16,000 tons, while contractor crews added another 12,000 tons. This total surpassed the debris collected from two significant tornado events in 2015 and 2019 combined.

The storm also caused damage to 1,156 structures, with 104 classified as majorly damaged or destroyed. The city's parks suffered greatly, losing hundreds of trees, including those at Firewheel Golf Park. City officials expressed gratitude to all departments involved in the cleanup efforts, acknowledging their dedication and hard work during a challenging time.

In addition to addressing the storm's aftermath, the meeting highlighted Garland's accomplishments over the past year, marking 2024 as another award-winning year for the city. The discussions underscored the resilience of the community and the commitment of city departments to restore normalcy following the storm's devastation. As Garland moves forward, the focus remains on recovery and continued improvement for its residents.