After Kansas Tornado Siren Failures, Davids Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Improve Emergency Alerts

Today, Representative Sharice Davids (D-KS-03) introduced the bipartisan Weather Alert Response and Notification Act (WARN Act) to modernize emergency alert systems nationwide. Kansas sits in the heart of Tornado Alley, but emergency alert sirens faltered last year in Johnson County, Miami County, Shawnee County, Sedgwick County, the Kansas City area, and beyond due to system overloads, weather damage, and human error.

Davids and Representative Nicholas Langworthy (R-NY-23) introduced the WARN Act to strengthen and update these critical alert systems, ensuring Kansas communities receive timely, reliable warnings when severe weather strikes. The bill passed the U.S. House in 2024 with unanimous support from both parties.

“Kansans know all too well how critical it is to have reliable emergency alerts — whether it’s a tornado, a flash flood, or another severe weather event,” said Davids. “We’ve seen local instances where sirens didn’t go off when they should have, and others where they sounded without a real threat, creating confusion and undermining trust in the system. I’m proud to join this bipartisan effort to modernize emergency alert systems, ensuring our communities receive clear, accurate, and timely warnings when disaster strikes.”

“In times of emergency, one of the best things we can do to save lives and mitigate damage is to ensure there is an accurate and reliable public notification system,” said Representative Nick Langworthy (R-NY-23). “As we saw with Winter Storm Elliott and countless extreme weather events across the nation, effective warning systems are a matter of life and death. This legislation is the first step to replacing inconsistent, fragmented and arbitrary systems into a streamlined process for an accurate and consistent nationwide emergency alert system. We came extremely close to having this bill become law in the last year, and I’m confident we will be able to get it across the finish line in this new Congress.”  

Specifically, the WARN Act directs the Government Accountability Office to study the effectiveness of local, state, and federal emergency alert systems, with a focus on adopting cutting-edge technologies such as mobile alerts and satellite communications. The legislation aims to improve the clarity and reliability of alerts, providing critical support for emergency managers on the front lines of disasters.