Sirens are outdated and unreliable. The EAS has relied primarily on mobile devices for 10+ years.
Alerts were issued. The problem was that the flood waters rose faster and much, much higher than in typical storms. So the usual precautions they take for typical floods were completely inadequate for this one.
Sirens definitely aren’t outdated. The goal is to alert people who are outside. Emergency alerts use phones too, but the sirens still help alert the people who may not otherwise have a phone or be actively checking theirs; many people even have alerts totally disabled, because authorities got so spammy with the amber alerts.
many people even have alerts totally disabled, because authorities got so spammy with the amber alerts.
At least amber alerts are actual emergencies. I can hear sirens for three different jurisdictions. They all test them on different days and different times, and then use them for routine weather conditions, so nobody actually pays any attention to them. Then they just fail to use any of them when two tornadoes do actually pass through town.
Obviously, YMMV. But in my experience, sirens are worse than useless.
WEA alerts, on the other hand, are extremely reliable.
Texans do this to themselves. Fuck em.
While I share that sentiment at times, I think about how the rest of the world looks at America.
Like if someone said:
“Americans did this to themselves. Fuck them.”
Like damn, I didn’t do any of this I’m just trying to survive 😭
You did do this to yourselves, while the rest of us told you exactly what was going to happen for decades. You gave us the finger and renamed French fries. Even the best among you are complacent at best and whining cowards at worst.
“I’m just trying to survive.” Great, you do that while your country burns down around you. Just look out for yourself, someone else will surely save you.
Americans deserve what they’re getting.
The cowardice of capitalism and “fiscal conservatism” knows no limits.
Some lawmakers, including state Rep. Wes Virdell, voted against it due to its projected $500 million cost, though several now admit they’re reconsidering in the wake of recent events
They’re not going to reconsider. Who’s buying this lie from consummate liars?
Yeah, God forbid you spend a few hundred thousand dollars of easy to maintain equipment to to keep the people who pay you taxes safe
The article says it was projected to cost half a billion dollars. Not sure why it’s that high, but that’s what it says.
