Why Texas Keeps Ignoring Disaster Preparedness - Despite Facing the Worst

Texas has enormous space, a thriving economy, and a frontier mentality. But it is also America's most disaster-prone state. Texas has extreme hurricanes, extreme droughts, flash floods, wildfires, etc. Texas is consistently faced with nearly all varieties of natural disasters. Much to our dismay, we still draw back from making choices and empowering communities in preventative disaster preparedness efforts, even after repeated human tragedy.

So why does Texas, frequently plagued by nature's fury, shy away from preventative measures to save lives? The reasons are complex, politically charged, cultural, and tied to dominant industries, and more deadly every year.

An Association of Disasters...Followed By Inaction

The Hill Country Floods: A New Disaster

A flash flood struck Texas’s Hill Country and, more alarmingly, claimed over 120 lives, including campers and counselors. In just 45 minutes, the Guadalupe rose 26 feet. The governor, Greg Abbott, expressed condolences domestically but made no indication of furthering any action to reduce the likelihood of disasters like this, explaining, “The devastation caused by Mother Nature is beyond human control.”

While lawmakers might examine better warning systems, the exposure is harsh. Texas could have achieved an outdoor siren system as early as this legislative session. The legislators were introduced to a bill, HB 13, to create a statewide emergency alert system, but it was killed in the Senate based on cost. In the absence of such systems, mobile solutions are becoming increasingly important - explore these 5 ideas the functions of mobile apps in preparation for emergencies to see how technology can help bridge the gap.

History Repeats Itself

Texas has a history of not seizing the opportunity for disaster preparedness:

In 2021, Winter Storm Uri disabled millions of people and caused more than 200 deaths. While there has been some incremental improvement, the risk of mass blackouts from extreme weather again exists on Texas’s power grid.

In 2008, Hurricane Ike was threatening to paralyze Houston. Discussions began to design and build a multi-billion-dollar storm surge barrier to help protect the Texas coast, and now, 17 years later, it is still a fanciful conversation.

Texas has a history of taking action only after disaster strikes. But it does not put enough resources into prevention.

A Preference for Self-Reliance over Protection

Texas’s indifference can be traced to its strong culture of individualism. Many Texas leaders believe in the minimization of government. They are comfortable spending billions of dollars rebuilding after a disaster, but are reluctant to spend money to build systems to mitigate harm caused by disasters.

Fossil Fuel Connections and Climate Denial

Texas’s relationship to fossil fuels is also a powerful influence. Huge oil and gas companies put lots of money into election campaigns and legislative initiatives to ensure favorable policies that protect business over the safety of the environment.

Many Texas leaders will openly argue against climate change science. The Texas Republican Party platform even includes ideas to get rid of environmental rules and regulations on a federal level, which really impacts a state like Texas. Texas leaders often frame climate action as harmful to business, refusing to acknowledge the impact climate change is having on disaster severity.

A Hotspot for All Types of Disaster

• Texas geography puts it in a state of danger consistently.
• Hurricanes and sea-level rise on the Gulf Coast.
• Heatwaves and drought become common due to its southern nature.
• Flash floods, as demonstrated by the Hill Country floods, happen with regularity.
• Wildfires have also become common place in West Texas.

Showing how wildfires, floods, and droughts — how climate change is fueling natural disasters across the region.

The state has been the site of 190 major natural weather disasters that have caused a total of over $1 billion in damage since 1980. No other state has come close to what Texas has experienced.

The Population Boom Lowers Disaster Safety

To add to the natural hazards, there has been an explosion in the state's population. Over 5 million people have migrated to the state since 2010, in the rush of real estate developers and pro-development fantasy makers. More people provide an inherently higher risk when disaster strikes. Climate change is causing storms, floods, and droughts to be more frequent and extreme. This pattern reflects a broader increase in natural disasters and climate change - what is the reason, a question explored in depth in our related blog post.

Will Texas Change Before It's Too Plausible?

Experts echo loud warnings: "Texas must re-evaluate its position if it is going to stop losing lives!" The current mindset of every location is simply a measure of how big a disaster can be cleaned up, rather than how to avoid a disaster, which puts millions of lives at risk.

Texas should allow leaders who aren't afraid to face reality, reinvent the emergency management system, and accept the idea that Climate Change is real. Until that happens, disaster hotel, disaster regret, and disaster development will continue to be the common process in Texas.

Conclusion

Texas is at a crossroads. It's proud sense of independence should not come at the expense of people’s safety. With climate disasters becoming more extreme and more frequent, it is finally time for Texas to break its cycle of denial and take real action to protect its people. The big question is, will the state act before the next disaster impacts its communities?