Houston has weathered it all: hurricanes, floods, even derechos. But after the devastating Central Texas flash floods, which killed at least 136 people in the Kerrville area, disaster prep feels more urgent than ever.

As Texans deal with the aftermath, the efficacy of weather warning systems has been placed under scrutiny, with critics questioning whether local authorities adequately responded to alerts and circulated that information to residents. State officials have launched investigations into the emergency response. The National Weather Service sent alerts three hours and 21 minutes before waters started to rise, according to the Texas Tribune. Still, many residents, including city leaders, say the warnings came too late. Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice admitted to turning off emergency weather alerts on his phone, and even Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring said he was unaware of flooding concerns until he received a call from a city manager.

With reports of the alert system faltering and extreme weather on the rise, what can Texans do to be better prepared? According to Space City Weather meteorologist Matt Lanza, there is one essential storm tool that can help: a weather radio.

Lanza, who provides Houstonians with the latest information on severe weather through Space City Weather and the Eyewall, says that messaging and alerting systems have proven integral to saving lives. Still, preparedness is particularly paramount in today’s world. While alerts sent through phones are helpful, phones can be unreliable when service is affected, they might not have enough charge, and alerts can be easy to swipe away, or even be turned off altogether. Unlike phones, weather radios that issue alerts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) don’t rely on cell towers, power grids, or WiFi. Instead, they pull from radio towers designed to stay online and receive accurate and up-to-date warnings during and ahead of emergencies.

Relying on data and emergency notifications from the National Weather Service, these devices are connected to a nationwide network of radio stations, known as the NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR). Each radio uses a built-in receiver or scanner to pick up the signals and receive broadcasts that run 24 hours a day. These include official weather warnings and watches, forecasts, and major alerts for disasters, including earthquakes, chemical or oil spills, and other large-scale emergencies in the area. Fortunately, Lanza says today’s models are more refined than they used to be. Many newer NOAA radios come with solar chargers, the option for backup batteries, or hand cranks to power them, as well as handy features such as USB ports and flashlights, making them ideal for both hurricane prep and general emergency use. Weather radios are available for purchase online or in-store, including at Academy Sports and Outdoors, Walmart, and Lowe’s, with prices ranging from $15 to $200. (Lanza points to Midland, a great brand that manufactures the radios.) Regardless of the expense, Lanza says it’s a worthy investment. 

“Sometimes, we do over-warn for certain things, [but] one time, it’s going to be real,” Lanza says. “Don’t fall into that trap. Have a NOAA weather radio in your house.” 

Lanza calls the Central Texas floods  a “nightmare scenario.”

“You’ve got a high-end impact weather event happening in the middle of the night, when everyone’s sleeping during a holiday weekend, no less,” he says.
Despite timely alerts, many never got the message, leading to delays in evacuations across the region. “Getting the warning has no value unless it reaches the people,” Lanza says. 

That’s where a weather radio comes in. It’s not the flashiest tool, but in a region where storms don’t wait for daylight—or your phone to charge—it might just save your life.