Texas Politician Called Out For Fleeing After Heavy Floods

Last Friday (July 4th), catastrophic floods surged through central Texas, devastating towns and leaving a death toll that currently stands at least 89 people including many from a private girls’ summer camp. The focal point of that flooding lies in Kerr County, northwest of San Antonio. Dalton Rice, the city manager of Kerrville, spoke briefly to reporters on Sunday (July 5) before dashing out to avoid further questions, a move that earned him scorn online.

Before his abrupt departure, a reported asked Rice: “One of the questions that still hasn’t been answered three days into this is despite TEM’s warning on July 2nd and July 3rd that something like this could have happened, that the threat existed, why that information didn’t get down at the camps and why they weren’t evacuated?”

Rice replied, “We want to make sure that we continue to focus — we still have 11 missing children that we want to get reunited with their families,” the city manager replied. “Until we can get reunited with our families, we are not going to stop until we do.” As he turned to leave, he added, “So, thank you.”The reported shouted, “Sir, was any emergency alert given out on the 4th that morning of?”, “adding, “Did anyone get an alert?” As Rice and others exited, the reporter shouted, “Sir, there are families who deserve better than that!”

Rice also came under fire for claiming that he saw no issue after jogging in one of the flooded areas at 3 A.M. before the rains came. The lack of response from Kerr County was compounded by the fact that they do not have an enhanced flood warning system, despite residents pushing for one.
According to the Texas Tribune, there was a bill in the state legislature to establish such a system, but it was defeated due to cost concerns from fiscal conservatives. Even if it was passed, the system was not expected to take effect until after September 1.

The Trump administration is also under fire for needlessly dismantling parts of the National Weather Service as well as FEMA. According to reporting by CNN, Secretary of Homeland Security Kirsti Noem appeared on Fox & Friends on Monday (July 7) and stated that she didn’t see any breakdown in local emergency warning systems, and that Texas’ response is “what President Trump has envisioned for FEMA, is immediately allowing the state to do the response and supporting them every way that they can.”

1. CBS News Texas