Text messages revealed how long emergency response was delayed in the deadly Kerr County July 4th flash flood. Officials paid to respond to disasters were difficult to reach or not available when needed.
Kerr County is yet to release an after action report on their response to the flash flood. County Commissioners raised the need to do one back in August 2025.
The County has a plan to respond to flood disasters. How did that plan work on July 4th? It's long past time for the public to be informed of official actions vs. those specified in the disaster plan. Not doing an evaluation would be yet another abdication of responsibility.
The banquet of non-consequences continues. Competent leadership must be a thing of the past.
Update 4-15-26: A director of Camp Mystic testified that he:
"had not seen the official weather warnings before the storm, did not convene a staff meeting about the potential flooding and acknowledged that the camp did not have a detailed, written flood evacuation plan."The cascade of ignorance and lack of preparation was widespread in Kerr County.
Update 4-20-26: Texas Tribune reported Camp Mystic's security guard testified as to events that evening/early morning:
The security guard at Camp Mystic the night of last year’s deadly flood acknowledged Wednesday that if a general evacuation order came early in the storm, lives could’ve been saved.
Update 4-22-26: KXAN reported:
According to the House’s resolution, the committee would be tasked with investigating contributing factors, allocation of resources, effectiveness of preparedness and effectiveness of response and coordination between local, state and federal entities. The Senate’s resolution called for a broader “complete and thorough examination of the facts and circumstances surrounding the flooding events.”
So how did this broad mandate get reduced to summer camps? It appears there may never be an assessment of Kerr County emergency official's response (non-response) to the disaster.
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