Kerr County, Texas, lead emergency management official says he was asleep during deadly flooding, and it’s hard to know where to begin sorting through the fallout. The initial reaction is, well, surprise. Then, probably a healthy dose of anger. A lot of people are going to be asking some very pointed questions. The situation involves William “Dub” Thomas, the Kerr County Emergency Management Director since 2015, who has stated he was, in fact, asleep during the unfolding of a devastating flash flood.
Let’s be clear, everyone gets sick, right? It’s entirely understandable that he called out sick on July 3rd. We’ve all been there.… Continue reading
In the wake of catastrophic flooding in Kerr County, Texas, officials have significantly revised the number of missing persons from 97 down to three, following an extensive search and verification process. This revision comes after a devastating Fourth of July weekend that claimed at least 135 lives across the state, including 107 in Kerr County, and prompted a massive search effort along the Guadalupe River. Recovery operations will continue, with over 1,000 local, state, and federal authorities involved in the ongoing efforts. The Texas governor has also announced a special legislative session to address critical issues such as flood warning systems, emergency communications, and victim relief funding.
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Newly released details reveal that the Camp Mystic director, Richard Eastland, delayed initiating an evacuation of the all-girls camp for over an hour after receiving a severe flood warning from the National Weather Service. During this time, heavy rain persisted, and river levels continued to rise. The director, who later died in the flood, consulted with family members, also camp staff, before ordering the evacuation, which ultimately began at 2:30 am. The delay led to chaotic conditions, leaving teenage counselors to make critical decisions and contributing to the tragedy that claimed 27 lives. In addition to the investigation of the camp, the search and recovery operations in Kerr County, where 132 people died, are expected to last up to six months.
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FEMA records reveal that Kerr County officials did not utilize the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) to send critical safety instructions to mobile phones during the onset of severe flooding on July 4th. While the National Weather Service issued IPAWS flood warnings, county officials did not send any wireless alerts through the system, despite having used it in the past for similar events. Experts emphasize that inconsistent policies on issuing alerts across different counties may contribute to delays, with some residents reporting that they received messages through the CodeRed system, which only reaches those who signed up for the service. This failure to promptly utilize the IPAWS system has raised questions regarding whether timely warnings could have potentially saved lives, as it’s important to get it right when people’s lives are on the line.
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It seems like the situation in Kerr County, Texas, regarding the emergency alert system during the recent flooding is a prime example of how things can go wrong when preparedness isn’t prioritized. The core issue is this: Kerr County officials took approximately 90 minutes to trigger an emergency alert, and some residents didn’t receive the alert for up to six hours after the initial warning. This delay is unacceptable, especially given the severity of the flooding that occurred.
The county had, in theory, taken steps to improve its alert system by integrating FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) into CodeRED.… Continue reading
Matt Underwood 
John Q. Hosedrinker