𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐏'𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐊𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐆𝐔𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐖𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐄, 𝐅𝐄𝐌𝐀, 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐓𝐒 𝐔𝐆𝐋𝐘 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐄𝐗𝐀𝐒 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃

 

I read a post from a Brownsville social media influencer who urged people not to assign blame for the flood-related deaths in central Texas, suggesting prayer instead. While reflection may offer comfort, it's also essential to acknowledge the role public policy played in this tragedy.

The facts are clear: both the National Weather Service (NWS) and FEMA have faced major staffing and funding cuts, driven largely by federal efforts to shrink government, particularly under the Trump administration’s D.O.G.E. “efficiency” initiatives.

These cuts had real consequences. During the recent catastrophic floods in the Texas Hill Country, killing at least 51 and leaving many missing, the NWS failed to provide accurate forecasts. Predicting only moderate rainfall, they missed the sudden, extreme flooding that destroyed Camp Mystic, where 25 girls remain unaccounted for.

Emergency officials admitted the forecasts didn’t anticipate the disaster’s scale. Critics had long warned that budget and staff reductions would weaken the NWS’s ability to issue timely, accurate warnings, warnings that were ignored.

Meanwhile, broader climate and emergency response policies have been rolled back. Clean energy programs have been cut, and talks continue about further weakening FEMA. These actions signal a dangerous shift: climate disaster preparedness is no longer a federal priority.

Some public figures offer conspiracy theories or deny climate change. But the truth is, well-funded, science-based forecasting and emergency response systems save lives. Undermining them leads to avoidable tragedy.

This wasn’t just an act of nature. It was a foreseeable disaster made worse by policy decisions that dismantled key protections.  Preventing future loss and deaths starts with honesty about what crippled the rescue efforts.