KERRVILLE, Texas — In the early hours of July 4th, while an unprecedented flood engulfed a rural Texas county, devastating the area and claiming the lives of over 130 individuals, the whereabouts of Kerr County’s top officials were far from the emergency. Both the county’s sheriff and emergency management director confessed to being asleep as the disaster unfolded. Additionally, Judge Rob Kelly, the top executive of Kerr County, was not present, being out of town at the time.
During a legislative session held by members of both the House and Senate, Kerr County officials detailed their whereabouts within the early hours as the catastrophic flooding began wreaking havoc in the Texas Hill Country. This session gave the first clear insight into how county leadership was absent during the initial crucial moments when the floodwaters led to widespread destruction and the loss of 136 lives, which included 27 young girls and counselors at a camp.
Repeated requests for public records to understand the decision-making and response have either been denied or remain unanswered, and the officials have yet to respond to multiple requests for interviews.
Describing the lack of preparedness, William “Dub” Thomas, who oversees emergency management for the county, informed lawmakers about his health issues that resulted in him missing important calls with Texas Emergency Management a day prior to the flood. Both Thomas and County Sheriff Larry Leitha conceded to being asleep as emergency calls began pouring in. Meanwhile, Judge Kelly, holding the highest executive power in the county, admitted to being on vacation at Lake Travis, roughly 100 miles away from Kerr County.
This absence of key officials during the critical hours elicited visible frustration from Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. He sought to clarify the record before a present audience, underlining the heavy workload on the ground for many whilst key leaders were unavailable. Applause from the audience followed his stern comments directed towards Kelly.
The urgent need for a robust warning system was underscored by testimonies of local officials who expressed concerns over the lack of modern alerts which could have possibly prevented the sweeping away of homes, vehicles, and subsequent desperation of families seeking refuge on rooftops. Attempts to secure approximately $1 million needed to install a flood monitoring system went unfulfilled, a decision highlighted as costly given the frequent use and importance of the Guadalupe River area. The proposed protective measures would have mirrored, in financial impact, the county’s biannual spending for courthouse security, equivalent to 1.5% of its annual budget.
Judge Kelly described the tragedy as a result of virtually no warning and cited the need for enhanced communication capabilities, including improved broadband, to mitigate such disasters in the future.
Sheriff Leitha provided the gathered legislators with a detailed sequence of the night’s events, beginning around 3:30 a.m. when emergency dispatch received a harrowing call for evacuation from a family stranded on their roof. Despite realizing the magnitude of the emergency by then, Leitha himself wasn’t informed till nearly an hour later, reinforcing the absence of real-time communication.
In response to inquiries about contingency plans during lapses in top official availability, Sheriff Leitha acknowledged the necessity for procedural improvements to ensure immediate communication.
For residents along the Guadalupe River, the floods came without warning. Despite historical opportunities to implement a warning system, this fundamental alert safeguard was absent on that fateful holiday. The hearing provided the gravity of these shortcomings as officials presented new evidence through records and 911 transmissions that portrayed a dire scenario of urgency and helplessness during the flood’s peak.
Accounts from emergency calls revealed the chaos and desperation; from poignant messages of people trapped in treetops to families evacuating waterlogged homes, including a memorable plea from a woman anxious for children stuck at a camp perilously gripped by the surging waters. The vivid imagery of these records conveys the human toll and pressing need for proactive measures to shield vulnerable communities in the future.