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Flood - continued from page 6Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, asthe county’s top elected official, also acknowledged early on July 4th that Kerr County had no flood warning system in place. When asked why evacuations did not happen earlier, Kelly said: “We didn’t know this flood was coming.” He noted that previous efforts to install sirens were rejected due to cost and lack of public support.On July 8th, when asked during a press conference in Hunt, Texas, “Who is to blame for the flood?”, Governor Abbott responded with a sharp rebuke:“Who’s to blame? Know this — that’s the word choice of losers.” He then launched into a football analogy to emphasize his stance: “Every football team makes mistakes. The losing teams are the ones that try to point out who’s to blame. The championship teams are the ones who say, ‘Don’t worry about it, man. We got this.’ The way winners talk is not to point fingers. They talk about solutions.”Abbott stressed that Texas would focus on solutions and recovery. He also stated that investigative committees in the Texas House and Senate would examine the flood response and preparedness failures.Abbott’s response—calling “blame” the word choice of losers and comparing the flood response to football—sparked a wave of criticism and concern across Texas. While some praised Abbott’s focus on solutions, many felt his analogy trivialized the tragedy. The backlash intensified callsfor accountability, transparency, and long- overdue infrastructure upgrades.Abbott called a special legislative session to address flood warning systems, emergency communications, funding for Hill Country recovery, and streamlining disaster regulations.Thus, this flood was not only historic in scale—it exposed vulnerabilities in warning systems, communication, and emergency coordination. The state representative for the Kerr County area is Rep. Wes Virdell, a Republican freshman legislator from Brady, Texas. He voted against House Bill 13—the recent 89th legislative bill aimed at funding emergency sirens and improving disaster communication infrastructure.Before the flood, Rep. Virdell opposed HB 13 for several reasons: 1. He believed the bill’s $500 million price tag was excessive and fiscally irresponsible. 2. He said the bill created a council exempt from transparency and didn’t directly fund sirens or alert systems. 3. Virdell stated: “It didn’t actually have money for funding of the emergency warning systems. It was just the money for creating the commission is all it was.” 4. He also questioned the effectiveness of sirens in rural areas, saying he could only hear one 200 yards away when standing outside.After the flood, he changed his perspective. Virdell expressed regret and reconsidered his vote:“I can tell you in hindsight, watching what it takes to deal with a disaster like this,my vote would probably be different now.” He acknowledged that Kerr County lacked any flood warning system, and that the flood’s speed and timing made alerts nearly impossible to act on. He emphasized the need for better cell service in remote areas, suggesting that sirens alone would not have been enough. He joined first responders in Kerrville during search and rescue efforts, which he said gave him a “close-up view” of the tragedy’s impact. His shift in stance has added momentum for a statewide emergency alert overhaul.The contrast between the economic toll of July 4, 2025, flood and the cost of preventative alert systems is staggering:The impact is estimated at $18 to $22 billion in total damage and economic loss across Central Texas. This includes destruction of homes, businesses, camps, infrastructure, and vehicles; covers costs of evacuations, emergency response, cleanup, and long-term healthcare; and tourism losses and supply chain disruptions are also factored in. Only 2.5% of Kerr County homeowners had flood insurance.House Bill 13, which would have funded sirens and communication upgrades statewide, was projected to cost $500 million over 10 years. Kerr County’s own flood warning system upgrade was estimated at $1 million in 2016. It included sensors, gauges, and real-time data infrastructure.Perspective: The flood’s cost is 36 to 44 times higher than the proposed statewidealert system.Kerr County’s local system could have been implemented for 0.005% of the flood’s total damage. This stark disparity has reignited calls for proactive investment in disaster preparedness.FEMA exempted buildings at old and new sitesAfter a review of FEMA records, the Associated Press reported on July 12th that: “Federal regulators repeatedly granted appeals to remove Camp Mystic’s buildings from their 100-year flood map, loosening oversight as the camp operated and expanded in a dangerous flood plain... In response to an appeal, FEMA in 2013, amended the county’s flood map to remove 15 of the camp’s buildings from the hazard area. Records show that those buildings were part of the 99-year-old Camp Mystic Guadalupe, which was devastated by last week’s flood... (after) further appeals, FEMA removed 15 more Camp Mystic structures in 2019 and 2020 from the designation. Those buildings were located... on a nearby sister site that opened to campers in 2020 as part of a major expansion and suffered less damage in the flood.”Once removed from the flood map, these structures were no longer subject to mandatory flood insurance or federal construction restrictions. The exemptions allowed Camp Mystic to expand and build new facilities without the regulatoryFlood - continued on page 10Extend your range to reach the great outdoors.Seamless Outdoor WiFi for Everyone.» Seamless & Extended Outdoor Coverage» Professional, White-Glove Installation» Weather Resistant» Extend the Power of Your GVTC Fiber InternetAdd Outdoor WiFiShop Our Outdoor WiFi Deals Now!866-353-3581 | gvtc.com/OutdoorWiFi*Terms and conditions apply. Visit gvtc.com/OutdoorWiFi for more info.August 2025www.bsbhighlights.com7