One of the most difficult realities of living in a warmer world is that the atmosphere is more likely to unleash worst-case scenarios on us, particularly when it comes to rain. Indeed, a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, which means that when a storm forms, it can gather more water than is typical and then release it like a sponge on the land below. That is what seemed to have happened to the Texas Hill Country Friday morning, when flash floods engorged the Guadalupe River, killing at least 100 people, including more than two dozen children. Extreme weather events such as these that appear and intensify rapidly are becoming more common, and they pose particular challenges to emergency managers who have less time to help communities prepare. In a guest essay, MaryAnn Tierney, a former official at FEMA, argues that this type of storm “leaves less room for error and demands more from the systems that protect us. And yet, the very system designed to meet this moment is being hollowed out.” To Tierney, who has worked in emergency management for more than 25 years, the Trump administration’s cuts to the federal government’s disaster preparedness and response systems mean that they are unraveling at a time when extreme weather demands more speed, investment and better collaboration. “This isn’t about bureaucracy or political turf wars,” she writes. “It’s about whether the federal government will still be there when people need it most.” Instead of divesting and offloading the responsibilities of agencies such as FEMA onto the states, the Department of Homeland Security should be rebuilding the staff and resources the nation needs to keep its people safe. Here’s what we’re focusing on today:
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