How flood sirens could have saved lives in Texas
Briefly

Following deadly flash floods in Texas, leaders emphasize the implementation of flood warning sirens. The floods resulted in over 120 fatalities. Sirens alert residents of rising water levels and direct them to safety. While widely used for tornadoes and tsunamis, such sirens are uncommon for flooding. Public support is evident, with a petition for their installation in Kerr County gathering nearly 40,000 signatures. Experts agree that sirens effectively warn individuals outdoors, particularly in vulnerable areas like the notorious Flash Flood Alley.
"What can we do better looking forward? We need sirens," said Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in an interview this week. The floods killed at least 120 people.
Emergency experts say such sirens can save lives in places like Kerr County, where many people go to vacation outdoors, and which is so prone to deadly flooding.
"[Sirens] are really going to get people who are camping along a river, which is a really good thing," says Jeannette Sutton, an emergency warning researcher.
Patrick pledged the state would pay to have flood sirens installed in Kerr County, the epicenter of the recent flooding, "by next year."
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