First response

TEXAS FLOODSCan Sirens Help Save Lives in the Next Flood? Yes, but There’s More to It.
By Emily Foxhall
While sirens can help in areas with shaky cell service, experts say officials also need to consider alert fatigue and provide education on what to do in an emergency.
- Read more
TEXAS FLOODSWeather Warnings Gave Officials a 3 Hour, 21 Minute Window to Save Lives in Kerr County. What Happened Then Remains Unclear.
By Emily Foxhall
Federal forecasters issued their first flood warning at 1:14 a.m. on July 4. Local officials haven’t shed light on when they saw the warnings or whether they saw them in time to take action.
- Read more

TEXAS FLOODSHills, Rivers and Rocky Terrain: Why the Hill Country Keeps Flooding
By Alejandra Martinez
When storms roll in, water rushes downhill fast, gaining speed and force as it moves — often with deadly results.
- Read more
FLOODSIn Texas Region Prone to Catastrophic Floods, Questions Grow About Lack of Warning
By Paul Cobler
Water rose fast along the Guadalupe River, causing dozens of deaths. Local officials said they couldn’t have seen it coming.
- Read more

DISASTER RESPONSEStates Fear Critical Funding from FEMA May Be Drying Up
By Jennifer Berry Hawes
Many states rely on the federal government for the vast majority of their emergency management funding. Now, local leaders are looking for clues about the money —and the future of FEMA itself.
- Read more
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIONSTrump Quietly Shutters the Only Federal Agency that Investigates Industrial Chemical Explosions
By Tristan Baurick
Hazardous chemical accidents happen in the U.S. about every other day. Who will investigate them now?
- Read more

RESILIENCEImproving Resilience to Tsunamis and Earthquakes via Predictions of Waste Disposal Times
Researchers develop framework to predict cleanup times after seismic events by analyzing the interdependence of disposal facilities and road networks.
- Read more
DISASTERSUncertainty About Federal Disaster Aid Looms as Storms Roll In
By Cassandra Stephenson, Phillip Powell, Lucas Dufalla, and Ilan Ireland
Multiple states bordering the Mississippi River are still waiting for federal disaster aid decisions.
- Read more

DISASTERSAs Hurricane Season Approaches, Trump’s NOAA Budget Cuts Threaten Safety
By Alice C. Hill
President Trump’s NOAA cuts will significantly hamper the public’s understanding of the environment and weather forecasting, negatively affecting people in the United States and abroad.
- Read more
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONSmart Algorithms Prevent Digital Traffic Jams—Especially When Public Emergencies Strike
In critical moments of public emergencies like earthquakes or extreme weather, network slowdowns can block urgent alerts, delay emergency updates, or disrupt public transit coordination.
- Read more

DISASTERSFlood Risk Increasing in Pacific Northwest
By Felicia Spencer
The next great earthquake isn’t the only threat to the Pacific Northwest. A powerful earthquake, combined with rising sea levels, could significantly increase flood risks in the Pacific Northwest, impacting thousands of residents and properties in northern California, Oregon, and Washington.
- Read more
SEARCH & RESCUENext-Gen UAVs Enhance Search and Rescue Efficiency
Search and rescue operations often face difficulties due to unpredictable weather, rugged terrain, and limited resources. UAVs offer a promising approach to search and rescue missions, but there is a need for improved Aerial Person Detection (APD) technologies to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of UAV-based rescue efforts.
- Read more

SEARCH & RESCUEA Flexible Robot Can Help Emergency Responders Search Through Rubble
By Haley Wahl
SPROUT, developed by Lincoln Laboratory and University of Notre Dame researchers, is a vine robot capable of navigating under collapsed structuresSPROUT, developed by Lincoln Laboratory and University of Notre Dame researchers, is a vine robot capable of navigating under collapsed structures.
- Read more
DISASTERSDevastation from 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake in Myanmar Underscores Regional Lag in Construction Standards, Regulations, Says Resilience Expert
By Tanner Stening
A lot of factors are converging here,” says Daniel Aldrich, director of the university’s Resilience Studies Program. “But the bottom line is we’re talking about construction standards in developing countries.”
- Read more
DISASTER RESPONSEIf FEMA Didn’t Exist, Could States Handle the Disaster Response on Their Own?
By Ming Xie
Coordinating disaster response is complex, the paperwork for federal assistance can be frustrating, and the agency does draw criticism. However, it also fills an important role. As the frequency of natural disasters continues to rise due to climate change, ask yourself: How prepared is your state for a disaster, and could it get by without federal aid?
- Read more

More headlines