Latest news with #EmergencyAlertSystem
NBC News
20-07-2025
- Climate
- NBC News
Number of missing plummets to 3 in hard-hit Kerr County in wake of Texas floods
The number of people reported missing in the wake of historic July 4 flooding in Kerr County, Texas, has dropped from a peak of more than 160 to three, with many now verified as being safe, officials said Saturday. "Extensive follow-up work" and "extraordinary efforts" were credited with the reduction after 173 people statewide were reported missing amid floodwaters two stories deep, officials said in nearly identical statements from Kerr County and the city of Kerrville. "This remarkable progress reflects countless hours of coordinated search and rescue operations, careful investigative work, and an unwavering commitment to bringing clarity and hope to families during an unimaginably difficult time," Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said in the statements. Dozens upon dozens of people reported missing by loved ones were taken off a list of missing persons after their safety was verified, officials said. "Many individuals who were initially reported as missing have been verified as safe and removed from the list," the city and county statements said. "This has been an ongoing effort as investigators worked diligently to verify reports of missing persons and confirm their status." County officials did not immediately respond to a request for more information Saturday. It wasn't clear if any one factor, such as the return of cellphone service interrupted by the storm, may have been instrumental in locating those initially reported as missing. Rapidly rising floodwaters in the early morning hours of July 4 swept through river-adjacent summer camp bungalows, washed cars off roadways and left some survivors clinging to trees. A "flood wave" also swept down the Guadalupe River, rapidly increasing its depth and damaging structures along its banks. Federal weather data showed the Guadalupe, which runs through Kerville and Kerr County, rose 26 feet in 45 minutes. At least 27 campers and staff members died at Camp Mystic, which was hosting more than 750 children when it was inundated by the sudden river flooding. The process of warning residents is under scrutiny as the federal Integrated Public Alert & Warning System was not used to send Emergency Alert System texts to cellphone users in the region. Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Arizona, earlier this week called for a formal investigation into the Department of Homeland Security's response to the flooding. President Donald Trump toured flood-damaged Kerrville last week and defended the stance of his administration, saying the federal response was immediate. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was 'there right from the beginning,' the president said. State and local officials have also had to grapple with criticism of the lack of timely alerts being sent to residents ahead of the floods. 'It happened so rapidly that nobody, nobody could have anticipated it,' Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice told NBC News this week, arguing that the historic and overwhelming nature of the flooding could barely be avoided with the best warnings and forecasts.
The Hill
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Casar, Crockett call for FEMA, NOAA details on Texas flood prep, response
Texas Democratic Reps. Greg Casar and Jasmine Crockett are demanding details and documents from federal agencies tasked with tracking and responding to disasters after catastrophic flooding in recent days killed more than 100 people in Texas Hill Country. Crockett and Casar penned letters Friday seeking information from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) about preparations for and response to the Texas flood, including whether recent Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cuts to the National Weather Service (NWS) played a role. Their inquiries also come as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees FEMA, impeded search and rescue efforts with certain rules. The letters from Casar and Crockett, who sit on the House Oversight Committee, were also signed by the committee's ranking member Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.). 'The tragic loss of life suffered underscores the urgent need to understand what contributed to this disaster,' the lawmakers wrote in the letters. 'Rigorous oversight is needed not only to provide answers to grieving communities in Central Texas, but to save lives in future extreme weather events.' In their letter directed to FEMA acting chief David Richardson, the Democratic lawmakers asked the agency to provide records of communications with Noem and her top aides, as well as all documents and discussions regarding state and local requests to DHS or FEMA. CNN reported Thursday that Noem's cost control measures that require her direct approval for all contracts and grants over $100,000 may have slowed the federal response to the Texas floods. Noem rejected the notion during an appearance on Fox News later that day. 'Fake News,' she said. 'It's absolutely trash what they're doing by saying that.' President Trump, who is in the Lone Star State to survey the damage, has also come to the former South Dakota governor's defense, telling NBC News late Thursday that Noem was 'right on the ball' and has 'done a great job.' The Texas Democrats are specifically requesting 'any policies, procedures, memos, or internal reports detailing the DHS Secretary's authority related to spending rules' and 'any written directive, policy, memo, or other document related to the requirement to get Secretary Noem's approval for any contracts or grants over $100,000.' Their letter to NOAA, meanwhile, centered on how the public was alerted about the threat of dangerous flash flooding. They requested communications that took place between NOAA and Texas authorities and with local media, copies of NWS emergency alerts and a 'detailed explanation' about how the national Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alert System were used. The lawmakers also penned a third letter Friday, urging the Commerce Department's inspector general, which oversees NOAA, to conduct an investigation into disaster warning systems.
The Independent
10-07-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
What is ‘alert fatigue' and how is it causing a big problem in getting people to leave ahead of a disaster?
At least 121 people are dead and more than 170 are missing in central Texas after the Guadalupe River swelled early Friday, causing destructive flash flooding throughout Kerr County. There were were many flash flooding warnings in Kerr County, at the start of the July 4 weekend, but those alerts didn't reach some of the campers and residents who didn't have cellphone service, who had silenced notifications, or who didn't have their phones with them. Emergency alerts are sent out by a number of agencies on various platforms; but they often do not reach those in danger. Excessive warnings can also cause alert fatigue, leading some to turn off notifications and increase their risk during emergencies. Flash flooding events can be difficult to predict and broad warnings may be ignored if the dangerous conditions aren't clearly communicated. The responsibility for alerting the public to potential danger is shared among federal, state, and local authorities. Even amid technological progress, the patchwork of digital and physical emergency-alert tools may not always be enough. Outdoor sirens came under consideration in Kerr County but weren't constructed. Emergency alerts can come from a wide array of platforms, such as texts, push alerts, social media, and sirens. Via the Emergency Alert System, federal and local authorities can send warnings to TV and radio stations. The Wireless Emergency Alerts system warns cellphone users based on their location. Residents can also sign up for warnings from local authorities sent via apps, email, or text. While the Federal Emergency Management Agency 's online alert system has streamlined the process for local authorities to reach residents, experts note that some rural officials often don't have access to the funding, expertise, or permission from state authorities to get their own alerts to broadcasters and cellphones. 'A lot of places are afraid to push that button,' the vice president of public safety at the software provider Everbridge told The Wall Street Journal. U.S. authorities have warned that too many messages about possible dangers can prompt some cellphone users to turn off their notifications if they become annoying or irrelevant. Warnings for floods, fires, missing children, and more have prompted some users to experience alert fatigue. A research and development report from last year found that cellphone users in Texas were among those who opted not to receive emergency alerts at the highest rate, with almost 30 percent choosing to turn off at least one kind of alert. Researchers partly blamed exhaustion from the sheer number of alerts in the state. The Federal Communications Commission faced thousands of complaints after a warning about a man who allegedly shot a police chief in the Texas Panhandle went out before 5 a.m. In 2023, officials in Florida issued an apology after a test of a TV alert was transmitted to cellphones in the early morning hours, following a mistake by a staffer who had checked the wrong box. While the FCC is working on applying changes that would allow authorities to send muted or vibrate-only messages in less dangerous situations, such changes won't come to fruition until 2028. The director of water research centers at Columbia University and Arizona State University, Upmanu Lall, told The Journal that flash flooding is hard to foresee and warnings often cover broad areas. Some who receive several alerts but don't experience dangerous conditions may assume they're false alarms. The National Weather Service for Austin and San Antonio covers Kerr County. They issued more than a dozen flash flood warnings in the two months before the July 4 weekend, a Journal review of FEMA data showed. Kerr County is at the center of the tragedy following the Guadalupe River overflowing on Friday. Just in Kerr County, 96 people have been killed, including 36 children. At least 161 remain missing in the county.
San Francisco Chronicle
10-07-2025
- Climate
- San Francisco Chronicle
Here are some things you can do to be better prepared for major flooding
Catastrophic floods can be difficult to prepare for. Sometimes evacuation is the right call, but if it's too late the best bet is to find higher ground nearby. The stakes can be high, because a flash flood may give those in its path only minutes or seconds to react. The right moves depend on the storm and the geography, said James Doss-Gollin, an assistant professor who teaches civil and environmental engineering at Rice University. For example, the advice won't be the same for people who live near a beach and those who live by a river, he said. 'Some places you're worried about the water moving really fast in the river. Some places you're worried about roads getting flooded, but the water might not be moving very fast. So often your local community is going to have the best information,' he said. Regardless of the storm or where it's happening, Richina Bicette-McCain, an emergency physician with Baylor College of Medicine, said preparation is key. 'One of my favorite phrases is if you stay ready, then you don't have to get ready," she said. Before the flooding starts If you live in the United States, make sure the National Weather Service's automatic weather alerts on your phone are activated. If you live in another country, find out what the weather agency and how they provide alerts. If you don't have a phone or it's not working, the weather service recommends NOAA Weather Radio, local news coverage and listening for the Emergency Alert System on TV and radio broadcasts. These alerts typically include a few key phrases that indicate how serious the threat is. Here's a quick glossary: 1. Flood watch: Hazardous weather is possible. Be prepared. 2. Flood advisory: Flooding is expected to be inconvenient, but not necessarily dangerous. Be aware. 3. Flood warning: Hazardous weather is imminent, or already happening. Take action. 4. Flash flood warning: Flooding is imminent or already happening, and the flood is especially sudden or violent. You might only have seconds to find higher ground. 5. Flash flood emergency: There's a severe threat to human life, and catastrophic damage is about to happen or is already happening. This is exceedingly rare, and at this point, officials are typically reporting evacuations and rescues. Doss-Gollin said before the National Weather Service issues a warning or emergency alert, it's important for people to know where the nearest high places are that will not flood, so evacuees can move quickly if needed. Bicette-McCain has her go-bag ready and refreshed every hurricane season that includes flashlights, spare batteries, food and water. And she said patients seeking medical care in flood emergencies typically face one of two problems: either they can't use their regular medications or medical devices once the power goes out, or they're dehydrated. So, she said, the most important items to throw in are medications, batteries and lots of drinking water. 'I don't know if you've ever been so thirsty that you're just desperate for a morsel of liquid to drink, but sometimes people get into that situation and they'll resort to drinking flood water. And if you survive the flood, the implications of drinking flood water may be what does you in,' she said. The National Weather Service, FEMA and American Red Cross all have emergency go-bag recommendations that include personal hygiene items, warm blankets and a whistle to signal for help. Doss-Gollin's go-bag includes diapers and milk for his baby, and a weather radio that's designed to pick up radio frequencies from far away in case the power is out or the local tower goes down. 'We have one that's hand-crank, which I really like because I'm not going to check the batteries on those every couple of months to make sure that they're working," he said. Once the storm has arrived Find out what local officials are recommending, and follow their instructions. If it's time to evacuate, do it before the storm comes. 'We see a lot of casualties from people attempting to stay at their home,' Bicette-McCain said. 'Don't be that person.' Bicette-McCain said it is never a good idea to touch the stormwater because it is impossible to know how contaminated it is. The only exception is if the space you're in is so dangerous that you have to trudge through water to get somewhere safer. In that case, she recommended finding an umbrella or big stick to judge how deep the water is or whether there is debris in front of you. 'We're talking very turbulent, very putrid waters that you can't see through,' she said. If it's too late to evacuate, don't. Trying can be fatal. Just 6 inches (15 centimeters) of moving water can knock a person down, and a foot of moving water can move a car. 'Very often the people that die during floods ... are driving across bridges or they're trying to drive through water,' Doss-Gollin said. 'The one piece of advice that everyone will give you is don't drive through floodwaters, ever.' ___
Winnipeg Free Press
10-07-2025
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Here are some things you can do to be better prepared for major flooding
Catastrophic floods can be difficult to prepare for. Sometimes evacuation is the right call, but if it's too late the best bet is to find higher ground nearby. The stakes can be high, because a flash flood may give those in its path only minutes or seconds to react. The right moves depend on the storm and the geography, said James Doss-Gollin, an assistant professor who teaches civil and environmental engineering at Rice University. For example, the advice won't be the same for people who live near a beach and those who live by a river, he said. 'Some places you're worried about the water moving really fast in the river. Some places you're worried about roads getting flooded, but the water might not be moving very fast. So often your local community is going to have the best information,' he said. Regardless of the storm or where it's happening, Richina Bicette-McCain, an emergency physician with Baylor College of Medicine, said preparation is key. 'One of my favorite phrases is if you stay ready, then you don't have to get ready,' she said. Before the flooding starts If you live in the United States, make sure the National Weather Service's automatic weather alerts on your phone are activated. If you live in another country, find out what the weather agency and how they provide alerts. If you don't have a phone or it's not working, the weather service recommends NOAA Weather Radio, local news coverage and listening for the Emergency Alert System on TV and radio broadcasts. These alerts typically include a few key phrases that indicate how serious the threat is. Here's a quick glossary: 1. Flood watch: Hazardous weather is possible. Be prepared. 2. Flood advisory: Flooding is expected to be inconvenient, but not necessarily dangerous. Be aware. 3. Flood warning: Hazardous weather is imminent, or already happening. Take action. 4. Flash flood warning: Flooding is imminent or already happening, and the flood is especially sudden or violent. You might only have seconds to find higher ground. 5. Flash flood emergency: There's a severe threat to human life, and catastrophic damage is about to happen or is already happening. This is exceedingly rare, and at this point, officials are typically reporting evacuations and rescues. Doss-Gollin said before the National Weather Service issues a warning or emergency alert, it's important for people to know where the nearest high places are that will not flood, so evacuees can move quickly if needed. Bicette-McCain has her go-bag ready and refreshed every hurricane season that includes flashlights, spare batteries, food and water. And she said patients seeking medical care in flood emergencies typically face one of two problems: either they can't use their regular medications or medical devices once the power goes out, or they're dehydrated. So, she said, the most important items to throw in are medications, batteries and lots of drinking water. 'I don't know if you've ever been so thirsty that you're just desperate for a morsel of liquid to drink, but sometimes people get into that situation and they'll resort to drinking flood water. And if you survive the flood, the implications of drinking flood water may be what does you in,' she said. The National Weather Service, FEMA and American Red Cross all have emergency go-bag recommendations that include personal hygiene items, warm blankets and a whistle to signal for help. Doss-Gollin's go-bag includes diapers and milk for his baby, and a weather radio that's designed to pick up radio frequencies from far away in case the power is out or the local tower goes down. 'We have one that's hand-crank, which I really like because I'm not going to check the batteries on those every couple of months to make sure that they're working,' he said. Once the storm has arrived Find out what local officials are recommending, and follow their instructions. If it's time to evacuate, do it before the storm comes. 'We see a lot of casualties from people attempting to stay at their home,' Bicette-McCain said. 'Don't be that person.' Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Bicette-McCain said it is never a good idea to touch the stormwater because it is impossible to know how contaminated it is. The only exception is if the space you're in is so dangerous that you have to trudge through water to get somewhere safer. In that case, she recommended finding an umbrella or big stick to judge how deep the water is or whether there is debris in front of you. 'We're talking very turbulent, very putrid waters that you can't see through,' she said. If it's too late to evacuate, don't. Trying can be fatal. Just 6 inches (15 centimeters) of moving water can knock a person down, and a foot of moving water can move a car. 'Very often the people that die during floods … are driving across bridges or they're trying to drive through water,' Doss-Gollin said. 'The one piece of advice that everyone will give you is don't drive through floodwaters, ever.' ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
