KERRVILLE, Texas – The chief emergency management official for Kerr County has publicly admitted he was asleep during the peak of a catastrophic flash flood event in late July that claimed at least four lives and caused widespread destruction, igniting a firestorm of criticism from residents and prompting an urgent county-led investigation.

William “Dub” Thomas, the Kerr County Emergency Management Coordinator, made the stunning admission during a tense county commissioners' meeting on Thursday. He stated he was not alerted to the rapidly rising Guadalupe River in the overnight hours of July 30-31 until it was too late, leaving residents in the flood's path without critical emergency warnings.

A Community Unwarned

The flooding, fueled by an intense and unexpected downpour, sent a torrent of water through low-lying areas along the Guadalupe River. Homes were inundated, vehicles were swept away, and residents were forced into harrowing self-rescues in the dark.

Local authorities have confirmed four fatalities, with search and rescue teams still combing through debris fields. Many survivors have expressed anger and disbelief, stating they received no reverse 911 calls, text alerts, or other official warnings until after the water had already surrounded their homes.

"We woke up to the sound of water rushing into our living room," said Maria Flores, a resident of a riverside community downstream from Hunt. "There was no call, no siren, nothing. By the time we realized what was happening, the road was gone. We were trapped."

At the commissioners' meeting, Thomas told the packed room, "The alerts that should have come to me did not come. I was not made aware of the situation until approximately 4 a.m., by which point the crest had already hit several areas." His statement was met with audible anger from the crowd.

An Investigation into Systemic Failure

The admission has shifted the focus from a natural disaster to a potential failure of emergency management protocol. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, who called the situation "a catastrophic breakdown," immediately announced a "full and transparent" investigation into the incident.

"Our citizens deserve answers," Judge Kelly said in a press conference following the meeting. "We need to know if this was a failure of technology, a failure of procedure, or a failure of personnel. Everything is on the table. The public's trust has been broken, and it is our solemn duty to restore it."

The investigation will examine the county's automated alert systems, its communication protocols with the National Weather Service, and the specific duties and actions of the Emergency Management Coordinator's office during the disaster. The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) has offered to provide technical assistance and review the county's emergency operations plan.

The Role of an Emergency Coordinator

An Emergency Management Coordinator is the central figure responsible for preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters. Their duties typically include monitoring potential threats, activating public warning systems, coordinating first responders, and opening emergency shelters. In a flash flood scenario, providing timely alerts is considered one of the most critical, life-saving functions.

The incident in Kerr County serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of communities to increasingly frequent and intense weather events. As officials begin their investigation, a grieving community is left to grapple with the knowledge that the system designed to protect them may have failed in their most desperate hour of need.