Emergency Alert System messages are intended to keep you informed in the event of an emergency, but at least one of the major ways to start the system is itself the victim of harsh weather.

"Impacted by the weather. Probably hit by lightning. That has affected the stability of the system,” said Francisco Sanchez who heads the Harris County Office of Emergency Management.

Officially, it is called the Public Information Emergency System, or PIES.

A radio system that lets emergency managers activate the Emergency Alert System to be broadcast over radio and television stations.

The antenna for the system sits on top of the 5 Greenway Plaza building. It was recently struck by lightning.

Replacing it is tough. It is not something you can squeeze into an elevator.

That means a fix is nothing quick.

There are scenarios where the system failure could be a problem in getting vital alert messages out.

Like an explosion or attack at a plant in the ship channel. Major events that can flood telephone systems that have become the primary notification route in recent years.

That's exactly why PIES is a radio system.

"It is a system that was developed in the 1960's in the Civil Defense era. Since then we have developed a lot of technology that is able to supplement that and that is just one of the pieces of the puzzle,” said Sanchez.

The emergency message can still get out, but it just has to take a different path, which can take more time.