KERRVILLE, Texas – Last summer, as families across Kerr County gathered for the Fourth of July holiday, a sudden and devastating flood struck, leaving many in desperate need of help. Recordings of 911 calls released Friday reveal the harrowing moments as residents sought rescue from the rising waters.
The emergency dispatchers were flooded with over 400 calls as the Guadalupe River overflowed, inundating homes and camps. Callers described rapidly rising waters trapping them in cabins, on rooftops, and in trees. One man, stranded in a tree, pleaded for a helicopter rescue that never arrived.
“There’s water filling up super fast, we can’t get out of our cabin,” one camp counselor said. Despite the chaos, everyone at Camp La Junta was rescued.
Tragically, the floods resulted in at least 136 deaths statewide, with a large number in Kerr County.
One woman near Camp Mystic, a girls’ summer camp, reported rescuing two young girls swept down the river. Twenty-five campers and two counselors at Camp Mystic perished in the flood.
Many residents felt unprepared for the disaster, claiming they received no warning. County officials have faced questions about their response, with some admitting they were asleep or out of town when the flooding began.
First responders and everyday citizens rescued many by boat and emergency vehicle. Some found refuge in trees and on rooftops. However, some of the callers did not survive, including a firefighter who calmly reported the breaking of his tree before passing away.
As water levels continued to rise, trapped families made multiple calls, moving to higher ground within their homes. As daylight broke, calls increased, reporting survivors stranded in trees, on roofs, and cars floating down the river.
Despite being overwhelmed, dispatchers did their best to provide reassurance and advice, urging callers to reach rooftops or higher ground. The 911 recordings also captured the panic and desperation of people trying to help loved ones trapped in the floodwaters.
This tragic event reminds us of the importance of community preparedness and local leadership in times of crisis.
