Officials balked at the cost for installing a siren warning system and the potential for sirens to blare in the middle of the night and wake up

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told CBS News Monday that the state of Texas could pay for storm sirens along the Guadalupe River.

As historic flash floods swept through Kerr County over July 4 weekend, killing more than 100 people and leaving families scrambling to escape in the dark, a years-old decision by county officials to block a proposed siren alert system has come under renewed scrutiny.

Over the last decade, an array of local and state agencies have missed opportunities to fund a flood warning system intended to avert the type of disaster that swept away dozens of youth campers and others in Kerr County,

Sirens are also limited to a certain radius of people who can hear during “clear” conditions. Heavy rainfall and river currents can obstruct the sound, making it unreliable.

A small Texas town that recorded no deaths in last weekend’s flood disaster had recently upgraded its emergency alert system — the kind of setup state, county and federal officials

As questions mount over warning systems during the deadly Texas flooding, Channel 9 learned that sirens intended to save lives in the North Carolina mountains failed to work during Helene. ALSO READ: Harrowing stories of rescue emerge from Texas floods as crews search for over 160 reported missing Sirens along Wilson Creek in Caldwell County are

State Rep. Wes Virdell, whose district includes Kerr County, voted against House Bill 13 earlier this year. The bill would have funded a statewide rural alert system. But after spending the weekend assisting in disaster zones caused by the floods, the state rep voiced a change of heart, per the Texas Tribune .