Families of flood victims call for new alert systems as Kerr County officials defend response

KERRVILLE. Texas - Kerr County officials said none of the alert systems in place on July 4 could have prevented the flash flood disaster that killed dozens of people.

Today is the first public hearing on the tragedy along the Guadalupe River, with testimony in Kerrville from first responders and relatives of the victims.

What we know:

The much-anticipated hearing started with lawmakers stating that the hearing was not about pointing fingers but trying to find solutions to prevent this from happening again, but some of the questioning was critical of actions taken by some officials. 

More than 130 people died in the Central Texas Floods, most of them in Kerr County, including children on camping trips from North Texas. 

For weeks, it has been reported that the forecast quickly changed overnight, and the hardest hit part of the Texas Hill Country saw a flood wall of nearly 30 feet. 

Outdoor siren system

The purpose of this state legislative hearing is to find solutions to prevent future disasters. One common option is an outdoor siren system, but many more resources are needed as well. 

"In my view, no alert system would have changed the outcome or prevented the tragic loss of life that was upriver. By that time the true danger became clear. The monitoring of our office was in full mode, rescuing residents and visitors," said Kerr County Sheriff, Larry Leitha. 

The mayor of Kerrville said he wants emergency sirens installed before next summer.

Lt. Gov. calls out Kerr County Judge

Dig deeper:

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick was the acting governor at the time of the flood.

Even though lawmakers said this was not about pointing fingers, Patrick did call out the Kerr County Judge for not being in town during the flood.

"I’ve gotten to know these people and I think I have to make this point on behalf of them. Judge Kelly, I never saw you on day one. I came here from Austin. In this room. I talked to the sheriff multiple times. I talked to the mayor multiple times," said Patrick.

County Judge Rob Kelly did not offer a rebuttal but acknowledged earlier in the hearing that he was at Lake Travis on July 4. 

Testimony from those affected

What they're saying:

Emotional testimonies were given by flood victims and their families. 

No one is suffering more than parents like Allissa Baker, the mother of one of the Camp Mystic children swept away by the raging Guadalupe River.

"When we know better, we do better. And so, we need to do better for the people in this community, for the people that are suffering," said Baker. 

"I don't think the sirens by themselves will be helpful. Like I said, people will stop listening to those. But the sensor, when it gets to a certain level and then the sirens go off and then people know it's time. Like, this is serious."

Local perspective:

Many people from Kerr County and the Texas Hill Country testified before the joint committee to tell their stories from that fateful day. 

The trauma Kelly Rabon’s sons experienced at La Junta, a boys' camp in Hunt, Texas, which sits along the Guadalupe River, still lingers.

"He battles nightmares of water dripping from the ceiling or his mattress being wet. His fear is so profound that he is now anxious about the tsunami in Hawaii. He lives with the terror that no child or any person should have to carry," said Rabon.

"It means creating a system to identify who was impacted and proactively providing them with care, no matter where in Texas or beyond they call home."

TexasNatural Disasters