The flood warnings that save lives

[..]

The key thing, Stephens adds, is for warnings to tell people whether they should evacuate or stay where they are. "One of the big challenges we have with floods is that when sirens go off, people don't know if they're supposed to shelter in place or evacuate," she says.

[...]

In fact, again and again community connections have proven crucial in ensuring people act appropriately when floods and other disasters hit. This is especially important in rural areas which may be harder to reach via official channels.

[...]

Overall, says Trujillo-Falcón, getting the word out through various mediums will always be incredibly important. "I do think that is the future of flood warning communication systems, that just as much as we're relying on these formal systems to warn us, we should depend on the community more," he says. "Because at the end of the day, we're here to help each other out."

[...