COMMITTEE ASSESSES FLOOD RESPONSE, RESPONSIBILITY IN KERR COUNTY

(AUSTIN) — Lawmakers on the House and Senate Select Committees on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding, along with Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows, held a meeting in Kerrville on Thursday to hear from local officials and residents on how they are rebuilding following the catastrophic flooding that hit the region overnight on July 4th, killing at least 137 Texans. Pleasanton Senator Pete Flores, who represents much of the flood-stricken region, including hardest-hit Kerr County, called the event “a monster in the middle of the night.” Flores praised county officials, first responders, and local residents for their dedicated, organized response to the unprecedented floods, and said legislators hoped to learn how the state can improve response and prevention the next time a flood strikes. “The monster will be back, in one form or fashion,” he said. “This committee will learn from you and the people who are going to testify as to what you learned from it and how you believe that we should prepare to help you respond to the monster when it comes back again.”

Officials testified that they went to bed on July 3rd with no expectation of a severe weather event the next day, as NWS forecasts predicted heavy, but not abnormal, rainfall for the region over the weekend.

While flooding in the Hill Country is inevitable, the deaths that occurred on July 4th are not, and lawmakers have been looking at ways to ensure that local residents and visitors are properly warned when flood conditions threaten. Some possible ideas include better direct notifications to cell phones for those in harm’s way or a siren or other public alert system. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha told members he’s not sure that would’ve made a difference in this case. “In my view, no alert system would’ve changed the outcome or prevented the tragic loss of life,” he said. “By the time the true danger became clear, our office was in full mode, rescuing residents and visitors.”

Lubbock Senator Charles Perry, who is chairing the Senate’s flood response committee, was blunt in his assessment for what needs to be done. He wants to see cell coverage, spotty at best in the more remote parts of the region, extended to cover the whole area. For smaller counties like Kerr, Perry said the legislature should look at consolidating emergency coordination services, rather than having separate county and city coordinators. “I want my TDEM director not to have to guess which one he should talk to,” he said. Perry also brought up improving evacuation planning and protocols for people who live or are present in the 500-year flood plain. This may mean plans to flee to higher ground rather than escape via roads, many of which were impassable due to high water during the flooding. Officials, he said, need to be quicker on the trigger to order such evacuations in the future. “All the data and monitoring is good, but you know what that’s doing? It’s squeezing it down to the very last second before we disrupt somebody’s world,” said Perry. “That’s an inconvenience I’m willing to go to now.” Following the tragedy, said Perry, officials have to be less hesitant about potential flooding events. “What we don’t want to do as a community is disrupt that community on a flood warning,” he said. “Y’all don’t get that luxury anymore if you’re living on the river.”

Throughout the hearing, local residents, county officials, and state legislators repeatedly noted that it’s not a matter of if, but when the next flood will strike the region, which sees some of the worst flash flooding in the country. The legislation that arises out of these hearings will use the lessons learned in the aftermath of the July 4th floods to implement policies to better respond to and hopefully prevent the tremendous loss of life recently seen along the Guadalupe River the next time flood waters rage in central Texas.

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