In this brief, Ramon reviews the disaster preparedness and response measures of 2021’s Great Texas Freeze. The state was not equipped with the necessary resouces to prepare for the freezing temperatures, leading to a breakdown of Texas infrastructure. The impacts included nearly 5 million homes without power for weeks, 57 deaths, and $195 billion in property damage.
Ramon discusses how preparation measures from individual to federal levels–such as home winterization to a national power grid–could have reduced the damage of the Texas freeze. Ramon recommends a social media campaign, which could advocate and push for improved infrastructure, increased in-home preparedness, and a nationwide power grid, decreasing vulnerability across the state.