Thursday, October 1, 2026
The catastrophic floods that devastated parts of the Texas Hill Country on July 4 were a grim reminder of how unforgiving nature can be — and how crucial it is to heed emergency warnings.
As rainfall overwhelmed creeks and roadways, dozens of people were swept away or trapped by the fast-rising water, some having ignored alerts, others caught unaware. Tragically, too many lives were lost. The stories from Texas have been heartbreaking, but they also serve as a warning of their own: ignoring official advisories during emergencies can be a fatal mistake.
In New York, and especially on Long Island, we are no strangers to extreme weather. From Hurricane Sandy in 2012 to the torrential downpours of recent summers, our region has faced floods, hurricanes, nor’easters and heat waves. The frequency and severity of these events are only increasing with climate change. What’s different now, however, is that there are more advanced tools to warn residents — but those tools are only effective if people actually use them.
New York state has several emergency alert systems in place. NY-ALERT, the state’s official system, provides email and text notifications about severe weather, public health threats, road closures and more. Wireless Emergency Alerts sent to smartphones by government agencies are timely warnings about flash floods, tornadoes and evacuations. At the county level, both Nassau and Suffolk offer opt-in notification systems that deliver local alerts via text, phone or email. (See box for sign-up instructions.)
These systems work — but only when people pay attention. Far too often, warnings are dismissed as overblown or inconvenient. The it-won’t-happen-here mentality is downright dangerous. So is alert fatigue, in which frequent messaging leads people to tune out.
In Texas, some residents ignored evacuation orders until it was too late. We should ask ourselves: If such intense storms hit Long Island tomorrow, would we be any better prepared than central Texas was?
This isn’t just a matter of individual responsibility — it’s also about how well local and state governments communicate the risks we face. New York has made significant progress in emergency preparedness since Sandy, but there is plenty of room for improvement. Awareness campaigns remain limited, and many residents don’t know how to sign up for alerts or what the different warning levels actually mean.
Long Island’s diverse population includes many non-English speakers. Warnings are distributed in English, but can be translated into other languages through the recipients’ devices. Accessibility for the disabled community is lacking, however, with few alerts available in formats suitable for the hearing or visually impaired. These shortcomings could delay critical action during an emergency.
We also need to normalize public drills and test alerts. These aren’t mere formalities; they’re tools to help people make responses to emergencies almost instinctive. Local governments should partner with schools, companies and media outlets to ensure that emergency preparedness becomes part of the public routine, not just a test bulletin that flashes across a screen once a year.
And while we commend first responders and emergency managers across Long Island for their tireless work, we urge elected officials to double down on public education and transparency. What criteria trigger an evacuation? How are flood-prone areas being mapped and monitored? Do communities with historically poor infrastructure have equal warning access? These questions deserve — demand — clear answers.
The bottom line is this: We have the technology, the data and the experience to save lives, but none of that matters if we don’t listen.
The nightmare in Texas must be the wake-up call. We Long Islanders must take preparedness seriously. Every household should be registered for NY-ALERT and their county system. Every household should know when to leave in an emergency, where to go and how to care for vulnerable family members.
Preparedness is protection. The next storm-induced flood or blackout may not give us the luxury of time to figure out what to do. Let’s make sure that when the warnings come, we don’t ignore them.
