After deadly floods, Texas leaders say they will fund warning sirens in upcoming legislative session

“It is too early to commit to... specifics until we actually talk to the members of the community and hear what they think, talk to the experts in the field, talk to the first responders. That's what legislative hearings are for,” Burrows said during the news conference. “We will synthesize what we get and we will come up with legislation that I believe will make it to the governor's desk and make us a stronger, better, more resilient Texas.”

In a July 7 social media post, Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, said he would file a bill aimed at installing civil defense sirens that could be used to quickly warn Texans when a flash flood begins. The sirens would be similar to tornado warning sirens, he said.

Bettencourt noted that some people disable or do not notice emergency alerts on their smartphones. In 2023, 17.5% of U.S. adults with working cellphones said they opted out of at least one type of wireless emergency alert, according to data collected by RAND, a nonprofit research organization that receives federal funding.

“In times of natural disaster, we must have a safeguard to ensure this kind of emergency is not ignored,” Bettencourt wrote.

Rep. Drew Darby, a San Angelo Republican who represents some of the communities impacted by the recent floods, asked Abbott to consider creating a “sophisticated” statewide emergency alert system in a July 8 letter.

“While no legislation passed this session would have prevented the heartbreaking loss of life in this particular instance or eased the grief so many have endured, these measures can help mitigate future harm, and ultimately, save lives in the face of future natural disasters,” Darby wrote.

During the regular legislative session, which ended June 2, Texas House lawmakers approved a bill that would have required emergency management officials to develop new emergency alert systems and consider implementing “outdoor warning sirens” to assist first responders during disasters. However, the proposal did not receive a hearing in the Texas Senate.

If that bill had passed, it would not have become law until Sept. 1.

How to get help

Texans should email [email protected] or call 830-258-1111 to provide information about people who remain missing as a result of the Hill Country floods, Abbott told reporters July 8. He encouraged Texans to provide “the best identification that you can,” including a person’s name, physical description and last known location, when reporting them as missing.

.@TxDPS urges Texans to report missing loved ones amid Central Texas flooding:

Call: 830-258-1111

Email: [email protected]

Include the person’s name, physical description, and recent photos.

Reminder: Filing false reports is a crime and could result...

— Chris Olivarez (@LtChrisOlivarez) July 9, 2025

Abbott said at least 161 people are missing in Kerr County, noting that state leaders and first responders “will not stop until every missing person is accounted for.”

According to the governor’s office, the following organizations are offering grief counseling to those impacted by the flooding:

• Kerrville Salvation Army
• Crisis Response Ministry
• Billy Graham Chaplain Ministry
• Hill Country Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Centers
• Disaster Behavioral Health Services through the Texas Health and Human Services Commission
• The Texas Department of Public Safety’s Victim Support Services division

Officials said several state disaster recovery centers will open on the morning of July 9. Click here for more information about how to apply for recovery assistance and help those impacted by the floods.