Evacuation System Upgraded with Community Funding
Over 130 Lives Lost in Recent Flood
In the early morning of July 4 (local time), when the catastrophic flood disaster began in Texas, USA, torrential rain poured down as if the sky had burst, causing rivers to overflow and resulting in a massive flood. In the village of Comfort, located in Kendall County neighboring Kerr County, all 2,200 residents were able to evacuate safely from the flood thanks to the village siren, which helped prevent any casualties in advance.
On July 11, Yonhap News, citing the Associated Press, reported that in Comfort, a small village along the lower Guadalupe River in Texas, the siren installed atop the fire department sounded in advance to warn of the flood, thereby preventing numerous casualties. Before the village became submerged by the flood that day, the long, monotonous alarm tone advised evacuation to residents who had missed emergency alerts on their mobile phones. Daniel Morales, deputy chief of the Comfort Fire Department, emphasized, "The siren saved the lives of the village residents."
Previously, Comfort had suffered several natural disasters, including the loss of 33 lives in a flood in 1978. Therefore, when the opportunity arose last year to enhance the community's emergency alert system, all residents joined forces to raise funds. They mobilized municipal subsidies and the fire department's budget, and also secured funding from the local power company and other sources to upgrade the fire department's siren.
The siren is connected to a United States Geological Survey (USGS) sensor, so it sounds automatically when the water level reaches a certain point, but it can also be operated manually. In addition, resident education played a significant role. After the upgraded siren was installed, the fire department spent several months helping local residents become accustomed to the test alarm that sounds every day at noon. They also sent out messages instructing residents to check emergency alerts on local broadcasts and the fire department's Facebook page whenever the siren sounded at times other than noon.
In the early morning, as the heavy rain began, the flood swept through Kerr County, including a children's camp, and a few hours later, the river overflowed in Comfort, reaching its highest level. Thanks to the functioning alarm system, by the time the village siren sounded, many Comfort residents were already awake and aware that the river was rising. Even residents who had not received mobile phone alerts or had not heard evacuation orders from firefighters on the streets were able to evacuate safely after hearing the siren.
Deputy Chief Morales of the fire department stated, "We will find and implement any possible way to enhance safety," adding, "Given recent events, it is now time to further strengthen the system." In contrast, Kerr County did not have an alarm system like the one in Comfort. So far, 120 victims have been confirmed due to the heavy rain, with more than 160 people still missing. Criticism is mounting regarding whether the initial warnings and evacuation measures by the authorities were sufficient in this disaster.
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