The recent flash flooding in Texas may remind some people of a devastating flash flood that hit Rapid City, South Dakota in 1972.
A 15 inch rain over one portion of the Black Hills June 9th of that year caused Rapid Creek and other waterways to spill their banks. The Canyon Lake Dam became clogged with debris, and it failed.
The flash flood caused 238 deaths and more than three-thousand injuries.
The only warning came from sirens.
Since that time, Rapid City and Pennington County have added more ways to warn residents.
"What happened in Rapid in 1972 with that devastating flood was so impactful," said Pennington County Emergency Management deputy director Adam Davis. "It changed the mindset of citizens here, and how we view preparedness and priorities for us to be able to reach the public and communicate with them as effectively as we possibly can."
Davis said the evidence points to and proves you have to have more than one option to reach people, and there has to be a number of methods. He said the outdoor sirens are still being used, but other warning methods have been implemented.
"We have subscription systems, where the public can go and sign up for impact messages, for different levels of warning messages," David said. "We also utilize what FEMA is calling the 'IPAWS' system, which effectively is a way that public safety agencies can push messages to people's cellphones."
Davis said the emergency alert system, that utilizes local radio and television, is also important. And he said the National Weather Service has been a great partner in getting information out to people.
