Built from a family’s need for clearer storm information

The idea for Island Shield began with my grandparents, who have lived in Galveston their entire lives and have experienced many tropical storms and hurricanes. Whenever severe weather threatened the island, they often had to piece together information from television reports, phone alerts, government websites, social media and local news.

As they have grown older, that uncertainty has become more concerning to me. Preparing for a storm takes more time when mobility is limited, medications and important belongings must be gathered, pets need to be secured and transportation has to be carefully planned.

As a developer, I realized I could create something specifically for them: one simple place where they could see the information that matters without switching between multiple news channels, websites, apps and social posts. I wanted them to have access to clear, current information without having to navigate complicated technology or sort through rumors, sensational headlines and fear-driven content.

That is how Island Shield was created. It brings together available weather information, official alerts, tropical-system monitoring, causeway traffic, estimated travel times, shelter resources and other safety information in one accessible dashboard so people can prepare earlier and feel more confident about the decisions ahead.

Now I want to make Island Shield available to everyone in Galveston, free of charge, and eventually expand the same approach to other coastal communities that face similar challenges.

Roughly $1,500 per month helps keep Island Shield online, responsive, improving and available when the community needs it most.

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