FEMA’s $40M for state alert and warning systems may not be enough

Last week, the Federal Emergency Management Agency made $40 million available under the Next Generation Warning System Grant Program, with the goal of helping states build stronger emergency communication systems that allow officials and first responders to push timely information to the public faster, with the goals of saving lives and better protecting critical infrastructure.

The program funds technology that will improve the timely delivery of public safety information, including adopting FEMA’s national alert system, outdoor sirens or loudspeaker systems, as well as visual and audio alerts on things like digital billboards, signs and kiosks.

The new funding comes after a series of devastating natural disasters that highlighted the importance of emergency alerts, warning systems and sirens. Last month in Central Texas, where extreme rainfall caused catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River and left 135 people dead, many of them children from Camp Mystic, there were reports that residents did not receive emergency alerts or evacuation orders in time.

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