In the wake of historic flooding in Texas, President Donald Trump suggested that the loss of life could have been lessened with a more robust warning system, such as “bells… or something, [that] go[es] off.” The president made these comments in an interview following a visit to Kerrville, Texas, where he met with officials and addressed the media. The president’s statements came as local officials faced criticism for the lack of an alert system, despite previous attempts to secure funding for one. Authorities are conducting a review of past actions, while the state government has expressed willingness to provide resources for future safety measures.
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FEMA records reveal that Kerr County officials did not utilize the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) to send critical safety instructions to mobile phones during the onset of severe flooding on July 4th. While the National Weather Service issued IPAWS flood warnings, county officials did not send any wireless alerts through the system, despite having used it in the past for similar events. Experts emphasize that inconsistent policies on issuing alerts across different counties may contribute to delays, with some residents reporting that they received messages through the CodeRed system, which only reaches those who signed up for the service. This failure to promptly utilize the IPAWS system has raised questions regarding whether timely warnings could have potentially saved lives, as it’s important to get it right when people’s lives are on the line.
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It seems like the situation in Kerr County, Texas, regarding the emergency alert system during the recent flooding is a prime example of how things can go wrong when preparedness isn’t prioritized. The core issue is this: Kerr County officials took approximately 90 minutes to trigger an emergency alert, and some residents didn’t receive the alert for up to six hours after the initial warning. This delay is unacceptable, especially given the severity of the flooding that occurred.
The county had, in theory, taken steps to improve its alert system by integrating FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) into CodeRED.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood