In response to the catastrophic flash floods that swept through Texas on July 4, leaving at least 120 people dead, state leaders are emphasizing the crucial role of flood warning sirens in saving lives.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick expressed the necessity for such systems during an interview with NBC 5 in Dallas-Fort Worth, stating, “What can we do better looking forward? We need sirens.”
Flood warning sirens, typically mounted on tall poles, emit a loud wailing sound designed to alert residents in the vicinity of rising water levels, signaling an imminent flood. While these sirens are commonly used across the United States for threats such as tornadoes and tsunamis, their implementation in flood-prone areas remains limited.
Patrick believes that had sirens been operational during the recent floods, many lives could have been saved. He pledged that the state would allocate funds for the installation of flood sirens in Kerr County, the area most heavily affected by the floods, with plans to have them operational by next year.
A growing public demand supports this initiative, as evidenced by a change.org petition calling for flood warning sirens in Kerr County, which had amassed nearly 40,000 signatures as of Thursday.
Flooding experts argue that sirens could significantly enhance safety in regions like Kerr County, which is popular for outdoor vacations and is notoriously susceptible to deadly floods, earning it the nickname Flash Flood Alley.
“Sirens are best for alerting people who are outside of a building,” explained Jeannette Sutton, an emergency warning researcher from the State University of New York at Albany. Sutton, who has collaborated with both the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Weather Service, emphasized the effectiveness of sirens in rural settings where residents may be scattered.
She added, “[Sirens] are really going to get people who are camping along a river, which is a really good thing.”
However, experts caution that while sirens are valuable, they are just one component of a comprehensive emergency response system.
Many sirens are not audible indoors, making it essential to complement them with cellphone alerts, social media notices, and traditional radio and television broadcasts.
Chad Berginnis, the executive director of the Association of State Floodplain Managers, emphasized the importance of a multi-faceted approach, stating, “We’ve gotta meet people where they’re at. To have redundancy in your approach is a good thing.”
In 2016, local leaders in Kerr County previously discussed the installation of flood sirens but ultimately decided against the plan due to community opposition.
Former County Commissioner Tom Moser recounted that around 50 residents attended a public meeting regarding the proposed flood warning system, leading to concerns about false alarms.
Moser explained, “Sirens going off in the night with a false indication, it would not be a good thing. So we took those out of the plan, just because so many people were objecting to sirens.”
False alarms pose a significant risk, as highlighted by a 2017 report from the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
To mitigate this risk, experts suggest ensuring that sirens are triggered based on reliable data, such as installing river gauges to monitor water levels consistently. Berginnis pointed out that these gauges are crucial for any effective flood warning system, irrespective of whether sirens are included.
Kerr County attempted to enhance its river gauge system in the years leading up to the recent floods, seeking roughly $1 million in funding for upgrades.
Unfortunately, local officials were denied assistance by state authorities.
For sirens to be effective, community members must understand their purpose.
Keri Stephens, a risk communication researcher at the University of Texas at Austin, explained that sirens are only beneficial if the public knows the appropriate actions to take upon hearing them.
She stated, “If they’re just a noise that goes off, a lot of people won’t know what they mean.”
To ensure effective communication, structured public education is necessary, including announcements, drills in educational institutions, and clear signage directing citizens to safety.
Regions accustomed to using warning sirens for other emergencies, like tornadoes, may need additional education initiatives tailored for flood alarms.
Japan serves as a model for effective public education regarding warning sirens, as the country educates schoolchildren about the appropriate responses to tsunami alerts.
This proves particularly challenging in rural tourist areas, where visitors may lack familiarity with local warning systems.
Stephens noted that while some sirens can broadcast specific instructions, this feature may not function effectively in every situation, particularly when clarity is compromised.
Yet, Sutton contends that even if individuals are not fully aware of the specifics of a siren’s warning, it can still be effective.
She illustrated this point with a hypothetical scenario involving tourists camping by a river that begins to flood at night.
“If it wakes people up at 3 in the morning so they’re, like, ‘Oh god, something must be happening!’ and it makes them go look for information, then at least it gets them up and awake and moving,” Sutton stated.
Globally, flood warning sirens are more common in other countries.
In the Texas Hill Country, towns like New Braunfels and San Marcos have had flood warning systems in place for years.
Additionally, the town of Comfort, located downstream from the hard-hit Kerrville, installed a flood warning siren last year.
In Maryland, the riverside community of Ellicott City set up warning sirens in 2019 following two deadly flash floods.
Switzerland boasts a national network of flood alert sirens, ensuring coverage in rural areas where cellphone service may be unreliable.
Moreover, certain alpine communities in the Himalayas have incorporated sirens into their early warning systems for flash floods, which have historically resulted in high mortality rates.
These systems are designed to operate on solar power, maintaining functionality even if traditional power lines are compromised by flooding.
Despite the potential effectiveness of sirens, their installation does not guarantee safety.
In Germany, where emergency sirens are utilized to alert the population to various hazards including floods, devastating flash floods in 2021 resulted in over 200 fatalities in Germany and Belgium, even with many sirens activated.
In response to these tragedies, Germany has initiated upgrades to its warning infrastructure, adding river gauges and improving sirens that can convey specific instructions on how to seek safety.
Sutton highlighted that while expanding the use of flood warning sirens is essential, it comes with its own set of challenges.
“They’re very expensive to purchase and then they’re expensive to maintain,” she noted, pointing out that many local communities may find it difficult to afford such systems independently.
Funding for emergency infrastructure projects has also faced setbacks. A FEMA program that previously provided significant federal funding for such efforts was terminated last spring by the Trump administration.
Berginnis remarked that while not every flood-prone area can or should invest in sirens, all communities must develop comprehensive flood monitoring and warning plans.
He concluded, “I think the interesting thing about flood warning systems is everybody jumps to ‘We need the most technologically advanced system.’
While sirens can help in some areas, low-tech solutions can also be effective in saving lives.”
“In reality, what you need is a good plan,” he emphasized.
“You need a battery-powered weather radio, and you need someone willing to stay up all night long to make sure the warnings are translated into action.”
image source from：npr
