Central Texas recently experienced devastating floods, resulting in over 100 fatalities and numerous missing persons. The Guadalupe River’s rapid rise by nearly 30 feet within an hour overwhelmed communities and emergency responders, catching many residents off guard. Despite some warnings, a significant number of people reported receiving little to no advance notice, highlighting critical gaps in alert systems during life-threatening weather events. In response to criticisms regarding the National Weather Service’s alert system during this disaster, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has publicly supported the NWS. They emphasized the importance of robust and timely severe weather alerts. This tragedy underscores the necessity of having reliable, loud, and timely emergency alerts on your phone or device because when severe weather strikes, every second counts. To ensure you receive critical warnings, it’s essential to enable emergency alerts on your phone. Many devices only notify you if these alerts are activated. Some phones may silence or limit these warnings, especially if previously adjusted to omit government and Amber alerts. This can be dangerous during flash floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, or other severe weather events. For additional assurance beyond default phone alerts, consider using third-party apps like Storm Shield and the American Red Cross Emergency app. These apps provide storm-based alerts through voice and push notifications that can wake your device even if it is locked or on silent. They use location-based alerts to reduce false alarms by notifying you only when severe weather impacts your exact location. Additionally, NOAA Weather Radio offers a nationwide network of radio stations that continuously broadcast official weather information and emergency alerts directly from the National Weather Service. Devices like the Raynic Emergency Weather Radio are recommended for receiving these alerts clearly and loudly. This portable device tunes into all seven NOAA weather channels and automatically announces loud alerts when threatening weather conditions arise. The tragic floods in Texas serve as a reminder that severe weather can strike suddenly and with deadly force. Don’t rely solely on chance; take control of your safety by enabling emergency alerts and using trusted apps. Consider adding a NOAA Weather Radio to your emergency kit.