On July 4, heavy storms hit 44 counties across Central Texas, leading to the flash flooding of the Guadalupe River, an event that killed more than 136 people. 117 of the deaths occurred in Kerr County, contributing to questions about management and responsibility from officials in the county.
At a state hearing following the disaster, Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd brought the actions of local emergency management to the attention of the state. While he did not mention failures of individual local management departments, Kidd highlighted the need to reconsider establishing a system for “credentialing of emergency managers at the local level.” At the time of the hearing, there were no such prerequisites or training.
Members of the hearing said that Kerr County and Guadalupe River officials failed to secure funding for an early flood-warning system and criticized local officials for their negligence. Several Texas senators criticized the state’s emergency management system, but Tara Bushnoe, general manager of the Upper Guadalupe Water Authority, said a 2023 state commission advised against building a warning system to cut spending and taxes.
Beyond the management system, Kidd highlighted shortcomings in the National Weather Service’s forecasts, which did not pinpoint which regions would be most affected. As a result, resources had to be spread over a large area, limiting the ability to respond quickly in Kerr County.
He said the storm’s “area of concern” covered dozens of counties and required coordinating with more than 400 local officials across the Texas Hill Country.
Another state hearing on July 31 sparked further controversy over the rescue efforts and preparations before the storm. Texas Emergency Management Coordinator William B. Thomas and Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said they were both asleep when the floods struck overnight.
Thomas said that he felt ill in the days leading up to the flood, so he was off duty and excused from two regularly scheduled Texas Emergency Management coordination calls. During the same hearing, Kerr County’s top executive, Rob Kelly, testified that he was out of town preparing for a family gathering. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called out Kelly after his testimony, claiming that it was his “responsibility” to direct the response.
Texas Rep. Ann Johnson said that “the three guys in Kerr County, who were responsible for sounding the alarm, were effectively unavailable.” She advocated for protocols to be put in place in case the three people are not available, advising policymakers to look ahead.
Alongside testimonies from Texas government officials, more than 100 people signed up to speak during the public comments portion of the hearing. Alicia Jeffrey Baker, whose parents and daughter were killed in the flood, blamed alert systems. She explained that officials needed to install more audible alarms and sensors in the water.
“We need to do better for the people in this community, for the people that are suffering,” she said.
Citizens Bud Bolton and Rosa Toller shared similar testimonies, explaining that the lack of cell service and Wifi led residents to be entirely dependent on ineffective alert systems. CNN writes that Bolton “didn’t get an alert, instead he witnessed the chaos outside.” Bolton recalls watching hundreds of RVs float past him while children trapped inside screamed, while Toller explained that her warning came from screaming neighbors.
Local resident Keli Rabon explained that the floods led to trauma and mental health issues for her son. Rabon explained that she had earlier asked for mental health resources from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
