Petition demands new storm warning system in flood-ravaged Texas Hill Country

USA Today

2 days ago

"No more excuses," says the creator of a petition seeking a new early warning siren system for floods, tornadoes and other life-threatening emergencies.
Nearly 40,000 people have signed a petition "urgently" calling for officials to create an early warning siren system for the flood-ravaged Texas hill country.
The Change.org petition, created by Nicole Wilson of San Antonio, demands that modern outdoor emergency sirens be installed in hard-hit Kerr County to provide warnings for floods, tornadoes, and other life-threatening emergencies.
"The tragic events at Camp Mystic and the devastating flooding along the Guadalupe River that happened in July are stark reminders that severe weather can strike with little notice," Wilson wrote on July 5. "A well-placed siren system will provide critical extra minutes for families, schools, camps, businesses, and visitors to seek shelter and evacuate when needed.
"This is not just a wish ‒ it is a necessary investment in public safety," added Wilson, 42, an Army veteran and married mother of three.
The petition comes as the death toll from the floods has risen to at least 120, while search and rescue teams and volunteers desperately scour for bodies. Ninety-six of those killed in Texas were in Kerr County in central Texas. More than 160 people remain missing, authorities said.
At least 27 of the deaths were children and counselors at Camp Mystic, a beloved girls' Christian camp situated along the river. Wilson said she "strongly believes" that if there had been audible siren warnings at the camp, it could've given camp counselors and campers ‒ who had little notice when the flash flooding began ‒ enough time to possibly evacuate.
"I personally have no doubt that even with an extra five minutes, those counselors would've seen the scenario and taken themselves to higher ground," Wilson, who served as a Sergeant First Class in the Army and specialized in military intelligence, told USA TODAY on July 9. "I strongly believe more lives would've been saved."
How do flood warning systems work?
Flood warning systems typically use a variety of resources ranging from advanced weather forecasting and real-time data collection to alert officials and the public about the potential for flooding, according to Alex Tardy, a former longtime warning coordination meteorologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
These systems usually involve monitoring rainfall, water levels, and stream flow through sensors inside and out of the water and automated reporting to a central station, Tardy said.
When certain thresholds are met, for example, if rain, flood, or river waters are rising, a series of alerts can be issued through sirens, depending on location, and text messages, added Tardy, who runs Weather Echo, a San Diego-based weather and climate data consulting company.
The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings for Kerrville County in the early hours of July 4, but people at the camp may not have gotten the warnings in time.
"In a perfect world, you have a local warning system where officials can use any methods, including sirens, to notify their residents," Tardy said.
'No' is not an option, petition creator says
How to properly warn residents, camps and parks along the Guadalupe River of potential flooding and other disasters has been debated for years, Wilson said.
Initially seeking 1,000 signatures for her petition, Wilson said it is past time that Kerr County, part of a region nicknamed "Flash Flood Alley," receives an updated flood warning system. And she believes the state or federal government "absolutely" should be able to fund it.
"We are not taking 'no' as an option any longer," Wilson said. "There are no more excuses."
Nearly a decade ago, Kerr County asked for $1 million to build a flood warning system that would have upgraded 20 water gauge systems, added new water level sensors and posts, and created software and a website to distribute the information to the public in real-time.
But records indicate that the Texas Division of Emergency Management repeatedly denied the county's request.
Kerr County has long used software called CodeRed to notify residents about floods, fires and other emergencies via cell phone.
In 2020, county leaders voted to expand CodeRed by integrating it with a FEMA system, which enabled it to alert people passing through the area, even if they didn't have the local CodeRed app.
The expansion, however, did not include the upgraded gauges, new sensors or the public website the county had requested.
The upcoming repairs and funeral costs should serve as haunting reminders that funding for a better early warning system isn't optional, Wilson said.
She believes Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will find a way through state funding. And if not, Wilson hopes President Donald Trump, who plans to visit the area on July 11, will provide funding for a new siren system.
Wilson said she plans to testify during a special legislative session in Austin later this month, hoping to use her petition as a catalyst for an early warning siren system.
"Anything short of it is unacceptable," Wilson said. 'The loss of future life is too important because of this region's long history of flooding."
Contributing: Kenny Jacoby and Rick Jervis, USA TODAY