The most dangerous thought to have about the flooding in Kerr County, Texas, is “that wouldn’t happen here.”

If you’re watching the news coverage of the tragedy and feeling both gutted and compelled to action, I’m with you. The loss of life is incomprehensible, as the death toll surpasses 120, and around 170 individuals remain missing. As the parent of a toddler who only asks, “Why?” I find myself asking the same.

Kerr County grapples with a grueling recovery mission. More than 1,000 personnel are working to recover bodies and manage debris as survivors assess whether anything remains of their homes. Later, unanswered questions requiring systemic change, for example, buildings located in floodplains, emergency alerts, response plans, local officials’ actions and federal staffing cuts, will be reported on by the media and evaluated in After Action Reports (AARs).

Similar to the Maui Emergency Management Agency’s AAR released after the 2023 wildfires, affected agencies and organizations in Texas will compile these reports through interviews, surveys, document analysis and other data sources to identify strengths and weaknesses in response and corrective actions.

We have an emergency management system in Maine to facilitate mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Every municipality appoints an emergency manager, each county maintains an emergency management agency, and the Maine Emergency Management Agency provides state-level leadership, coordination and support. However, the emergency management system nationwide is strained by the increasing frequency and intensity of disasters.

In 2024, the U.S. lost 568 lives during 27 natural disasters, with losses exceeding $1 billion. Maine is not immune to disasters. Historically, Maine experienced one declared disaster annually, but since March 2022 Maine has seen eight, according to the Maine Infrastructure Rebuilding and Resilience Commission’s Final Report.

The scope of planning for, responding to and recovering from disasters is beyond government agencies, and requires the Whole Community approach, engaging “the private and nonprofit sectors, including businesses, faith-based and disability organizations and the general public.”

This seems like an appropriate time to highlight the state’s “Dirigo” motto. As individuals, we can take steps to increase preparedness. Consider:

• Getting prepared. Develop a household plan of what to do during disasters, have basic supplies on hand and protect your home.

• Signing up for alerts. Opt-in to alerts provided by your municipality or county emergency management agency (for example, Rave alerts in York County or CodeRed in Cumberland County). Ensure your cellphone is opted in for wireless emergency alerts, text messages pushed out by the National Weather Service and local and state public safety agencies when an urgent situation requires you to take action. Purchase a NOAA Weather Radio as a backup if cellphone coverage in your home is spotty.

• Getting engaged. Just like we consider voting a civic duty, so is getting engaged in community emergency preparedness. Municipalities, counties and the state develop hazard mitigation plans, which require community input. Your community may participate (or need support in getting started) in the Community Resilience Partnership, which offers grants for climate mitigation actions. Workplaces, schools and daycares have emergency plans. Ask those organizations how you can become a preparedness ambassador.

• Volunteering. Whether virtually, onsite in Texas or in your community, there are ways to put your skills to use through a recognized volunteer organization. Many county emergency management agencies have volunteer teams and provide training opportunities.

• Training. Courses such as the National Weather Service’s SKYWARN training equip you with the skills to identify and report severe weather, and CPR/first aid could help you save a life. Online courses are offered by FEMA, the Red Cross and more.

• Donating. Well-intentioned donations of “stuff” creates logistical challenges for recipient organizations to sort and distribute. Donating money to funds such as the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund provides flexibility for nonprofits to leverage funds where they are needed most.

While this is not a comprehensive list of preparedness actions, I hope this prompts individual action and fosters conversations in your household and community. Maine hearts go out to Texas.