Disaster in US: Stalled projects and funding issues
Stalled projects and funding issues
Over the years, Kerr County, located in Texas Hill Country's "flash flood alley," has made several attempts to secure funding for a comprehensive sensor and siren flood warning system. These attempts have not been successful. Applications for federal Hazard Mitigation Funding in 2016-2018 were found to be approximately $1M under-funded and thus were denied.
Public pushback regarding both cost and the value of sirens led to Kerrville opting out of the project entirely. The synergistic city also withdrew support, directly negating participation when cost-cutting surpessed value thresholds.
Aid from the state was underwhelming as well. The Texas Water Development Board's 5% loan grant was viewed as too low. Kerr County has had no aid from the state until now.
Cuts to FEMA Programs During Trump's Presidency Worsened Issues
The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Program (BRIC) was removed under Trump, and together with his suspension of flood mitigation funding, he effectively cancelled $900M in grants.
This policy forced areas like Kerr County to rely more heavily on local taxation, a practice Texans have time and time again rejected.
Flood of July 4th: Amplified atrocites
The July 4th rainfall caused the Guadalupe River to rise 26 feet in just under an hour, resulting in over 120 deaths and more than 170 people unaccounted for.
The alert system used in Kerr County had severe deficiencies. Many residents received their alerts hours late and numerous firefighters reported that no alerts were given until supervisors approved them 90 minutes after firefighters requested alerts be sent.
