emergency preparedness

During a Friday state hearing, parents of July 4 flood victims said camps should prioritize the safety even if costs are high.

If this summer's special sessions were a midterm exam on disaster preparation, Texas lawmakers would probably get an A. But their final grade will depend on how changes are actually implemented — and how quickly that happens.

This summer saw immense river flooding that resulted in more than 130 deaths in Texas and heavy rainfall that blocked roadways in Oklahoma. Disaster preparedness and hazard mitigation are becoming more important as climate change causes more severe and unpredictable weather, scientists say.

Severe weather has gripped Texas this year — from tornadoes tearing through the South Plains to wildfires in the Panhandle and, most recently, deadly floods in the Hill Country. In Lubbock, where the city's outdoor siren system was activated for the first time earlier this summer, emergency officials emphasize that layered alerts and personal preparedness remain essential to staying safe.

On Wednesday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott released his official proclamation announcing a special legislative session. Texas lawmakers will be back in Austin starting on July 21. The session, which originally looked like it would focus on regulating THC, now includes several emergency preparedness topics.

A GOP state lawmaker who represents Kerr County says he likely would vote differently now on House Bill 13, which would have established a grant program for counties to build new emergency communication infrastructure.

Residents say Kerr County's use of CodeRED alerts was sporadic and inconsistent. Local officials have not answered questions about when and how they utilized the system, which has been in place since 2009.

The very qualities that draw people to the beautiful Texas Hill Country — rolling terrain, limestone formations and lazy rivers — also make the area deadly during heavy rainstorms.

Oklahoma’s Gov. Mary Fallin says a false emergency alert like the one that happened in Hawaii last weekend would not be possible in the Sooner State,…