After the multiple disasters of Hurricane Harvey in Corpus Christi and in the Houston areas, a south Texs State Representative is proposing a statwide 'Disaster Alert' system, modeled on the successful Amber Alert program, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
State Rep. Richard Pena Raymond (D-Laredo) says he has discussed his idea with the Department of Public Safety and the Emergency Management Division, and plans to introduce it in a second Special Session which is expected later this fall.
"My proposal would be to add another category to the Texas Department of Emergency Management Alert System," Raymond said. "It would be the Disaster Alert. Currently, we have the Amber Alert, Silver Alert, Blue Alert and Endangered Missing Persons Alert."
He says all evidence is that the current alert systems function well, and the Disaster Alert would work the same way.
When a disaster, either natural or man made, threatens the state, Alert messages would go out on dynamic highway message signs, radio and TV, cell phones, and reverse 9-1-1.
He says the alerts would include or would point people to places where they could obtain needed information on emergency information, including where gasoline and lodging are available, which neighborhoods are evacuating, where emergency shelters are located, and so forth.
It is generally expected that a second Special Session will be needed to approve emergency allocations and a recovery plan for Hurricane Harvey, and Raymond expects to introduce his Disaster Alert bill at that time.