Coping with Disaster
Texas floods, the cost of cuts to weather infrastructure, and what we can do
In recent days, devastating floods have swept across central Texas, turning roads into rivers, claiming lives, and wiping communities off the map. As several Texas counties struggle to recover from this latest extreme weather disaster, one thing is clear: this is not a freak event. This is the new normal. What we once called "100-year floods" are now happening every few years. Texans, like so many Americans, are now living on the front lines of a climate crisis that can no longer be ignored. (As I write this, there are flash floods in North Carolina as well.)
Weather Warnings Are Only as Good as the Infrastructure Behind Them
But compounding the tragedy is another crisis: the steady erosion of our nation’s ability to prepare for and respond to disasters like these. Over two Trump terms, funding has been slashed for essential public agencies tasked with forecasting, monitoring, and alerting the public about extreme weather. The Biden administration attempted to reverse those cuts with increased funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, but these gains are now threatened by massive upcoming cuts across NOAA’s core research, forecast, and resilience infrastructure. Critical weather services are once again on shaky ground
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) — which provides the data and models that local forecasters depend on - has seen its budget repeatedly targeted for cuts. Meanwhile, programs like the National Weather Service are struggling with staffing shortages and outdated equipment, leaving gaps in coverage during critical moments. State-level emergency systems, already stretched thin, are often unable to compensate. First responders, meteorologists, and local governments are being asked to protect lives with fewer tools and fewer resources.
While President Trump has allocated Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds for the Texas disaster, he has also expressed a wish to eliminate the agency after this hurricane season, leaving disaster response to the states.
What Can We Do?
1. Stay Prepared
Sign up for multiple emergency alert systems - NOAA Weather Radio, FEMA app alerts, local emergency systems, and even text alerts from your city or county.
Prepare an emergency kit that includes a flashlight, batteries, first aid supplies, drinking water, and a hand-crank radio.
Make a family communication plan. In a disaster, cell towers may go down. Know how to reconnect.
2. Demand Funding for Public Safety Infrastructure
Call your elected representatives. Tell them you support full funding for NOAA, the National Weather Service, FEMA, and climate adaptation programs. The 5 Calls App makes this very easy.
Push back against false claims that these cuts “trim waste.” These programs save lives and cost a fraction of what disaster recovery does.
3. Support Relief and Recovery
Texans need our help now. These are some of the organizations on the ground providing food, shelter, and assistance to flood victims:
Resources to Stay Safe and Informed
Red Cross Emergency App — Available on iOS and Android
Local County Alert Systems – Sign up through your county emergency management website
Let’s show up for Texas — and let’s demand the tools and leadership we need to weather the future.