From the LA fires to the Texas floods, consumer drones keep getting in the way of rescue operations
During a Sunday press conference, after the usual updates, officials made what has become a familiar request during recent natural disasters: Don't fly your personal drones over the disaster area.
"We know that people want to volunteer, but what we are starting to see is personal drones flying," Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice told reporters. "These personal drones flying is a danger to aircraft, which then risks further operations."
The Kerrville Police Department echoed Rice's remarks on Sunday.
"Media-operated drones are interfering with official search and rescue drones. There is a no-fly zone in Kerr County for private drones," the department said on its Facebook page. "We need cooperation in this matter. Let our first responders do their job."
During a press conference hosted by Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday, Maj. Gen. Thomas M. Suelzer of the Texas National Guard said the department had launched an MQ-9 Reaper drone to perform assessment operations.
"It's truly an eye in the sky for our search and rescue people," Suelzer said.
Though drones are now commonly used in military and law enforcement operations, they are also popular among civilians, mostly for photography and shooting video but also for those looking to help search after disasters. During several recent disasters, however, officials have said those civilian drone operators have hindered rescue operations.
The Dixie fire
In 2021, the Dixie fire spread across Northern California. The flames ripped through communities, displacing residents and burning nearly a million acres of land.
That July, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said an unauthorized drone had impeded emergency operations.
"Yesterday, aircraft assigned to the #DixieFire were forced to land due to an unauthorized drone flying over the fire traffic area," the agency said on its official Facebook page. "Drones restrict firefighters' ability to protect lives, property, and natural resources. Remember, if you fly, we can't!"
Hurricane Helene
Hurricane Helene battered the southeastern US in late 2024.
After making landfall in Florida, it traveled up the coast through Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Heavy rainfall, strong winds, and flooding demolished homes and submerged vehicles.
Amid the search and rescue efforts, the US Department of Transportation shared an X post asking consumer drone operators to stay clear. At the time, the Federal Aviation Administration had issued a temporary flight restriction in certain areas.
"Do not fly your drone near or around rescue and recovery efforts for Hurricane Helene," the agency said. "Interfering with emergency response operations impacts search and rescue operations on the ground."
The FAADroneZone, the agency's site for drone services, said in a separate X post that "interfering with emergency response efforts may result in fines or criminal prosecution."
At the time, some online observers thought volunteer drone operators were being barred from assisting in relief efforts, which sparked a backlash.
The DOT later clarified that the FAA didn't ban consumer drones from providing assistance and relief.
"These restrictions occur at the request of local authorities or law enforcement. FAA does not put these into place without requests," a spokesperson told Fox News.
The agency added that "anyone looking to use a drone or other aircraft to assist in Hurricane Helene disaster relief and recovery efforts should coordinate with first responders and law enforcement on scene to ensure they do not disrupt life-saving operations."
Los Angeles wildfires
In January, a series of wildfires erupted across the Los Angeles region, causing widespread damage and forcing hundreds of thousands to evacuate their homes.
In addition to emergency firefighting efforts on the ground, officials deployed two Super Scoopers, which are amphibious aircraft that collect water to drop on wildfires.
An unauthorized civilian drone struck one Super Scooper, forcing it out of service.
"We would like to remind everyone that flying a drone in the midst of firefighting efforts is a federal crime and punishable by up to 12 months in prison or a fine of up to $75,000," a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson said at the time.
The incident prompted an investigation by the FAA, which said in a statement that "flying a drone near a wildfire is dangerous and can cost lives."
The Department of Justice said the drone operator agreed to plead guilty to one count of unsafe operation of an uncrewed aircraft. The plea agreement included the drone operator paying full restitution to the Government of Quebec, which supplied the aircraft, and completing 150 hours of community service.
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USA Today
11 hours ago
- USA Today
Texas flooding death toll rises; Kerrville overwhelmed by generosity: Updates
Search crews continued the grueling task of recovering the missing as more potential flash flooding threatened Texas Hill Country. Over a week since an inundated Guadalupe River sent floodwaters tearing through homes and youth camps in Texas, optimism for rescuing any of the dozens of people still missing from Hill Country on Saturday has steadily faded as the death toll continued to rise. Hundreds of rescuers, many of them volunteers, have scoured miles of destruction for any sign of the missing. But they haven't rescued anyone alive since July 4, the day of the flood, officials in the hardest-hit Kerr County said. Some 160 people are missing from the county alone. As of the morning of July 12, the death toll had risen to at least 129, with authorities in Kerr and Travis counties reporting more bodies recovered. The toll in Kerr County rose to at least 103, including 67 adults and 36 children, according to the county's Joint Information Center. In Travis County, the toll rose to nine from eight, spokesperson Hector Nieto confirmed to USA TODAY. Officials previously said at least 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, the beloved all-girls Christian camp, were among the dead. "I've never seen anything like this, and I've seen a lot of bad ones," President Donald Trump said as he and first lady Melania Trump surveyed the damage on Friday. "It's hard to believe the devastation." In Kerrville, community's generosity has surpassed some needs The overwhelming response from community members near and far has become too generous, officials in Kerrville said on Saturday. The Kerrville Police Department said so many people have brought food for its staff, some has gone to waste. All its needs, including meals, are taken care of, the police department said. The police department also asked law enforcement officers in the region to stop showing up unannounced to help, as it is coordinating with agencies to assign officers to certain tasks. On Friday, the city of Kerrville asked volunteers to stop coming to help, as the most urgent needs are being handled by first responders and families within the community who were affected by the flooding. "Your generosity and support mean more than words can express," the city said. "Please don't lose heart – your help WILL be needed. As the days and weeks unfold, there will be many opportunities to step in and support our neighbors. We promise to share updates as specific volunteer needs arise." What happens if they aren't found? Grim reality sets in More than 10 months after Hurricane Helene spawned floods that ripped through western North Carolina last year, the bodies of Lysa Gindinova's 3-year-old cousin, Yevhenii Segen, and their grandmother, Tatiana Novitnia, have still not been found. The two were swept away by floodwaters, and the family wrestles with the fact they may never see them again. 'It doesn't feel real,' Gindinova told USA TODAY. Families in Texas are starting to face that same haunting realization after the deadly Hill Country flash floods as volunteers continue to scour the region for the missing. Much like last year's North Carolina floods, the Texas floods left behind mountains of debris: piles of crushed trailers and cars, stacks of downed cypress trees and walls of hardened mud that make recovery challenging. The amount of debris and destruction have made the grim task slow and taxing. Troy Tillman, 34, a sheriff's detective from just outside Lubbock, Texas, described uncovering a Ford F-250 pickup – completely submerged in mud and rock along the Guadalupe in Center Point, about 10 miles downriver from Kerrville. If a 3-ton truck like that is buried, Tillman thought, what else could be entombed at their feet? Read more. ‒ Rick Jervis and Christopher Cann Volunteers expected to help with recovery Saturday Kerr County said it is expecting a large number of "spontaneous volunteers" to help with recovery efforts on Saturday. Volunteers have been a key part of search and rescue in the days since the flood, with officials sometimes asking volunteers to stay away so qualified personnel can conduct some of the grueling work. Volunteers are asked to register with Texas Community Recovery and check in at Tivy Antler Stadium in Kerrville before attending a safety briefing. Officials continue to grapple with question of blame Officials in Texas have faced relentless questions about what could have been done to prevent the high death toll and short amount of warning time in the Hill Country flooding. In Kerr County, Sheriff Larry Leitha has said he's not dodging the questions, but is focusing on the top priority of locating each missing person and identifying each victim found. Trump on Friday rejected concerns about whether communities along the Guadalupe River were adequately prepared for the disaster. 'I think everybody did an incredible job under the circumstances,' Trump said. 'Only a very evil person would ask a question like that.' Gov. Greg Abbott earlier in the week said "blame" was the "word choice of losers." Is more flooding on the way? As cleanup and recovery continues in Texas Hill Country, a renewed threat of flash flooding is in store over the weekend, forecasters said. Scattered showers are expected to develop Saturday afternoon and evening in south-central Texas, including parts of areas that already flooded. Heavy rain can quickly run off already wet ground, forecasters said. In Kerrville, there is about a 35% chance of an inch of rain falling through Sunday morning, the weather service office serving Austin and San Antonio said. "The expected heavy rainfall totals along with already sensitive, wet antecedent conditions may lead to scattered to potentially numerous instances of flash flooding," the National Weather Service said. Abbott activated emergency response resources on Friday at the Texas Division of Emergency Management in response to the forecast: "Texas continues to stand ready to deploy all necessary resources to support Texans as severe storms move across our state,' he said. Over 13.5 million people were under flood watches from the National Weather Service across parts of Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico on Saturday morning. How many died in Texas flooding? Here's a breakdown of the Texas flooding death toll, according to county officials: Contributing: Christopher Cann, Joey Garrison, Bart Jansen, Karissa Waddick and Michael Loria, USA TODAY
USA Today
18 hours ago
- USA Today
Grim reality looms as search for missing Texas flood victims presses on
Each day, hundreds of rescuers traverse flood-mauled riverbanks searching for victims. But with each passing day, local officials say it's harder to remain optimistic. Hours ticked by. Days morphed into long, painful weeks. Then agonizing months. Still, Lysa Gindinova clung to hope. A hope that somehow, somewhere amid the tangled mountains of mud-caked debris along the South Toe River in Western North Carolina the bodies of her 13-year-old cousin, Yevhenii Segen, and their grandmother, Tatiana Novitnia, would be found. The two were swept away by floods spawned by Hurricane Helene last year. Rescue crews found the bodies of an aunt and uncle who were missing. But not Yevhenii and Novitnia. Nearly 10 months later, there's still no sign of them – and the family, who fled the fighting in Ukraine for the serene mountains of North Carolina, still wrestles with the fact that they may never see them again. 'It doesn't feel real,' Gindinova told USA TODAY. Gindinova and her family are among countless residents across the United States whose loved ones are presumed dead but never found months or years after natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, mudslides and earthquakes. Families in Texas are starting to face that same haunting realization after the deadly Hill Country flash floods as volunteers continue to scour the region for the missing. At least 120 bodies have been recovered since heavy rainfall turned the Guadalupe River into a torrent of destruction in the early hours of July 4. Ninety-six of those killed were in Kerr County, the hardest-hit in Central Texas where the toll includes at least 36 children. The catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe, which rose to more than 35 feet in some places, pushed homes off their foundations and obliterated campsites and RV parks as if by dynamite. More than 160 people were still missing in the county, authorities said July 10, and hopes of finding survivors dwindle with each passing day. County authorities say they haven't made a "live rescue" since the day of the flood. Much like last year's North Carolina floods, the Texas floods left behind mountains of debris: piles of crushed trailers and cars, stacks of downed cypress trees and walls of hardened mud that make recovery challenging. Each day, hundreds of rescuers – many of them volunteers from across the state and country – traverse flood-mauled riverbanks searching for victims. But the amount of debris and destruction have made the grim task slow and taxing. 'It's possible there are victims in that debris pile,' Kerrville Police Department Sgt. Jonathan Lamb told reporters earlier in the week, urging residents not to touch mounds of wreckage before it's properly searched. He said it was getting 'harder and harder to become optimistic.' 'One of the most horrific experiences' Past disasters of similar scope have left families waiting for months, years and even decades to recover loved ones, said Chris Boyer, executive director of the National Association for Search and Rescue. He pointed to Hurricane Helene, where at least five people, including Yevhenni and Novitnia, were never found. And two decades after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast in 2005, killing more than 1,800 people, about 30 have yet to be identified, said Jason Melancon of the Orleans Parish Coroner's Office. For authorities on the ground, deciding when to call off search parties or shift them into full recovery mode is 'a highly emotional decision,' especially in more rural areas, Boyer said. 'There's no describing how to tell a family that you're done searching for their loved one and that they may never get the remains back,' said Boyer, who has led recovery crews in aviation disasters. For a search and rescue organizer, he said, 'it's one of the most horrific experiences you're going to have.' 'A lot more violent' Troy Tillman, 34, is a burly sheriff's detective from just outside Lubbock, Texas. He arrived in Kerr County on July 6 to help search for missing people. He has done this before. Tillman helped rescue more than 100 people stranded in homes after floods in Vidor, Texas, in 2017 in the wake of Hurricane Harvey and took part in missions during last year's wildfires in the Texas panhandle. One of his first searches in the Texas Hill Country revealed just how different this disaster would be: He and his crew noticed a glimmer in a rocky bank along the Guadalupe in Center Point, about 10 miles downriver from Kerrville. As they dug around the object, they realized it was a Ford F-250 pickup – completely submerged in mud and rock. If a 3-ton truck like that is buried, Tillman thought, what else could be entombed at their feet? '(Hurricane) Harvey didn't move people 10 miles from where they were,' he said. 'This was a lot more violent.' On July 10, Tillman and others were scouring a stretch of riverbank in Center Point when they came upon a field of crumpled RVs, cars and camper trailers stretching about 200 yards. They radioed in for heavy equipment, including an excavator and skid-steer loaders. He planned to keep at it until told to go home. 'If we do find a kid or someone's mother or sister, it's closure for that family,' Tillman said. Another volunteer searching through the debris was Jonathan McComb, who knows firsthand the pain disasters can deliver. McComb was vacationing with his family and friends in a riverside home in Wimberley, Texas, about 80 miles east of Kerr County, during Memorial Day weekend 2015, when violent floods ripped the home off its pilings and sent it roaring down the Blanco River. McComb was the only one of the nine people at the home to survive. The bodies of his wife, Laura, and son, Andrew, 6, were recovered. But his 4-year-old daughter, Leighton, was never seen again. Later that year, McComb joined TEXSAR, a search and rescue volunteer group that deploys to disasters around Texas. He arrived in Kerr County on July 4 to help search for the missing and has been doing so every day since. 'We weren't able to recover my daughter from 10 years ago, and I know what that feels like,' McComb told USA TODAY. 'I want to do what I can to help.' In disaster this big, not all are found During his decades of experience, Boyer said, flood survivors are almost always found within hours of the disaster, even if they're swept miles from where they entered the water. He said he didn't know of any major floods of similar scale in which survivors were found past the first 24 hours. He noted the power of the rushing water and the large debris – cars, trees, mobile homes – carried in the raging torrent. 'If you're caught in that, your odds of survival are very minimal,' Boyler said. With so many people missing, it's likely not everyone will be found – at least not immediately, Boyer said. 'In disasters like this, there's a high probability you won't find everyone,' he said. 'There are 50-foot walls of dead trees, boulders and silt that people could be under. Those areas may not be exposed again until the next big flood 50 years from now.' In Texas, state authorities and scientists are trying to identify the bodies they've recovered using rapid DNA tests – a tool commonly employed in the wake of natural disasters. As of July 9, at least 15 adults and 13 children remained unidentified in Kerr County alone, Sheriff Larry Leitha said. Texas Rangers are in charge of collecting DNA from family members and the dead and flying them to the University of North Texas near Dallas for analysis, Col. Freeman Martin of the Texas Department of Public Safety said this week. As drones have made it easier to peer into hard-to-reach areas, advancements in DNA technology have greatly improved the ability of authorities to identify disaster victims, Boyer said. Far less material is needed to find a DNA match, he said, and rapid tests allow labs to return results in a matter of days – not weeks. 'Since Katrina, that technology has exploded and moved light-years ahead,' he said. A new flood resurrects old memories But to identify anyone, first you need the body. Mitch Hampton, a longtime river guide and volunteer in Western North Carolina, spent weeks last year leading search teams on his inflatable rafts down the French Broad River, first leading the rescue of 11 people at the height of the floods then helping recover three of the five bodies found in his county. After four weeks, he and his raft-rescue team shifted their focus to the South Toe River and its tributaries in neighboring Yancey County, where he spent another two weeks scouring riverbanks and poking through debris piles, looking for the missing Ukrainian family members. They were never found. Hampton said images of the disaster unfurling in Texas resurrected painful memories. One photo in particular – of a first responder next to a towering debris pile, his face buried in his hand – recalled the frustration of working 12-hour days along the French Broad and South Toe rivers and often coming up with nothing, how the flood debris seemed to just swallow people whole, and how rescue crews he ferried on his raft would at times bow their head and cry. 'It reminded me of the feeling of wanting to do something and feeling helpless at the same time,' Hampton said. 'My heart's torn looking at what's happening out there. It's a tough thing to deal with.' 'Don't think there will ever be closure' It took 10 days for Gindinova to learn that her aunt and uncle, Anastasiia and Dmytryo Segen, had been found dead miles down the South Toe River. She traveled from New York to Micaville, North Carolina, to identify the bodies. With no word about the Segens' son Yevhenii, Gindinova still hoped her young cousin would be rescued. For days, she continued to search the riverbanks herself and stayed in close contact with volunteer groups scouring the mountains. But after a while, the search parties disbanded. The calls stopped coming. Authorities told her Yevhenii and her grandmother probably were gone forever. In the months after the storm, Gindinova said, she leaned on her faith and reread the Book of Job for guidance. She found some comfort in vivid memories of her loved ones, like how Yevhenii made small animals with his 3-D printer or her grandmother's colorful cross stitches that she gifted to friends and loved ones. But the pain of their absence lingers. 'I don't think there will ever be closure,' Gindinova said. Once the bodies were recovered, the family cremated the Segens and spread their ashes across a high point of the Blue Ridge Mountains near their home. If Yevhenii and Novitnia are ever found, they'll receive the same ritual. Follow Jervis and Cann on X: @MrRJervis, @Chris__Cann.
Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Chicago Tribune
Timeline raises questions over how Texas officials handled warnings before the deadly July Fourth flood
Officials in Texas are facing questions about whether they did enough to get people out of harm's way before a flash flood swept down the Guadalupe River and killed at least 120 people, including more than two dozen children and counselors at an all-girls Christian camp. More than 170 people are still believed to be missing, a week after the forceful floodwater hit over the July Fourth weekend. In the days since the devastation, state, federal and Kerr County officials have deflected pointed questions about preparations and warnings. Many remain unanswered. The Associated Press has assembled an approximate timeline of the events before, during and after the deadly flash flood from sources including state and local documents, social media posts, firsthand accounts and scanner traffic archived on Broadcastify. It begins with the activation of the state's emergency response resources on July 2, the day Texas signed off on the camp's emergency disaster plan. By daybreak on July Fourth, it was clear that some children from Camp Mystic had been swept away by floodwaters, even as others were able to escape to safety in their pajamas. The Texas Division of Emergency Management activates state emergency response resources anticipating the threat of flooding in parts of West and Central Texas. On the same day, state inspectors sign off on Camp Mystic's emergency protocol, according to records obtained by the AP. 10 a.m.: County judges and city mayors are invited to attend a daily call to discuss weather forecasts, according to comments by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and a regional coordinator reaches out personally to officials in the area. According to Patrick: 'The message was sent. It is up to the local counties and mayors under the law to evacuate if they feel the need.' However, in Kerr County, where the devastation is most extensive, Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring said later he did not know what state emergency management resources were deployed ahead of time and that he did not receive a phone call. 1:18 p.m.: The National Weather Service's Austin/San Antonio office issues a flood watch estimating rainfall of 1 to 3 inches, with isolated amounts of 5 to 7 inches for parts of south central Texas, including Kerr County. 'Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers,' the alert says. 1:14 a.m.: Citing radar, the National Weather Service issues a flash flood warning for central Kerr County until 4:15 a.m., warning that it is life-threatening. Between 3 a.m. and 3:30 a.m: Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice is running on the river trail and 'everything was fine,' he says later. 'Four o'clock, when I left, there was no signs of it rising at that point,' Rice says during a news conference. 'This happened very quickly over a very short amount of time.' Rice says the isolated location and the fast, heavy rain created an unpredictably dangerous event, even with radar and National Weather Service warnings. 'This is not like a tornado where you can have a siren. This is not like a hurricane where you're planning weeks in advance,' Rice says. 'It hit. It hit hard.' Between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m.: Floodwaters begin to inundate Camp Mystic. Young campers, counselors and staff are roused from sleep and begin a desperate rush to higher ground, according to social media accounts. Some girls had to climb through cabin windows. One staffer says she was on the roof with water rising toward her at 4 a.m. 3:30 a.m.: Erin Burgess wakes up to thunder at around 3:30 a.m. in her home in Bumble Bee Hills, a housing development between Hunt and Ingram. Within about half an hour, the water is rushing into her house. Burgess and her 19-year-old son eventually cling to a tree outside for an hour before the water recedes. 3:35 a.m.: The National Weather Service extends its flash flood warning for central Kerr County until 7 a.m. based on radar and automated gauges. 3:35 a.m.: A U.S. Geological Survey gauge along the Guadalupe River about 5 miles north of Camp Mystic and about 1 mile east of Hunt shows the river has reached nearly 16 feet. At that location, the river floods at 10 feet. Between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m.: Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha is first notified about the situation from one of his sergeants. 4 a.m.: Kerrville police officers on their way to work start to encounter rising floodwaters and people in need of rescue. A sergeant comes to the intersection of FM 1340, a secondary highway, and State Highway 39 and realizes he is trapped 'on an island that was Hunt, Texas,' according to Jonathan Lamb, a community services officer with Kerrville police. According to Lamb: 'He saw people, dozens of people, trapped on roofs. He saw people trapped in swift moving water.' For 13 hours until 5 p.m., according to Lamb, the sergeant, a detective, several Hunt volunteer firefighters and an emergency room doctor work to rescue, evacuate and treat injuries largely on their own, until other emergency responders can arrive. Meanwhile in Kerrville, officers are rescuing and evacuating a few hundred people as they realized low lying areas close to the river were in danger, according to Lamb: 'One of them was wrapping a 100-foot (30-meter) flex line garden hose around his waist to go into the water and rescue those people. I know that this tragedy, as horrific as it is, could've been so much worse.' 4 a.m.: Water was pooling on the floor of Jane Towler's family cabin in Hunt, just south of the town center and about 5 miles north of Camp Mystic. 4:03 a.m.: The National Weather Service names a flash flood emergency for south-central Kerr County, saying in all caps that it is a 'particularly dangerous situation. Seek higher ground now!' Citing radar and automated rain gauges, the bulletin says low water crossings and the Guadalupe at Hunt are flooding. 4:16 a.m.: Towler shoots video of muddy water rising as she and her loved ones wonder how they will survive. Furniture floats in the water. Towler calls 911 from atop the kitchen counter. The family climbs onto the roof. 4:35 a.m.: A U.S. Geological Survey gauge along the Guadalupe about 5 miles north of Camp Mystic and about a mile east of Hunt stops sending data. The last recorded river level is 29.5 feet. 5:30 a.m.: Police knock on Matthew Stone's door in a Kerrville riverfront neighborhood, urging residents to evacuate. Stone says he did not receive any warning on his phone: 'We got no emergency alert. There was nothing.' Then, 'a pitch-black wall of death.' 5:34 a.m.: The National Weather Service bulletin reports a flash flood emergency from Hunt through Kerrville and Center Point, saying 'automated rain gauges indicate a large and deadly flood wave is moving down the Guadalupe River.' 5:38 a.m.: In a comment on a Facebook post, a woman begs the Kerr County Sheriff's Office to help her mother-in-law, who is trapped in a trailer between Hunt and Ingram. 5:52 a.m.: Minutes later, another woman comments on the same post to say Bumble Bee Hills is flooded and help is needed. 6:06 a.m.: The National Weather Service extends the flash flood warning until 10:00 a.m. The bulletin says local law enforcement have reported 'major flooding' and water rescues along the Guadalupe. 6:19 a.m.: Another person says on the Kerr County Sheriff's Facebook page that a 'friend and her family are on their rooftop in Hunt, waiting for rescue.' 6:45 a.m.: A U.S. Geological Survey gauge in Kerrville shows the Guadalupe has peaked at 34.29 feet, a preliminary figure that is subject to change. It is the third-highest level recorded at that location. The record of 39 feet was set July 2, 1932, 6:59 a.m.: The river water has receded from Burgess' home and she notes that the line of muck reaches halfway up her kitchen cabinets. 7:24 a.m.: The National Weather Service advises that the flash flood emergency extends to the community of Sisterdale. 7:32 a.m.: The emergency management agency in Kendall County, which is adjacent to Kerr County, posts on Facebook that people along the Guadalupe in the community of Comfort are under mandatory evacuation orders. 9:34 a.m.: A rescue boat brings several people to safety after they are pulled from a home on Carolyn Road in Comfort, according to communications between Kendall County dispatchers and fire personnel. The boat turns around to rescue others trapped in the house. 10:31 a.m.: According to archived radio traffic between county dispatchers and fire personnel, water levels are rising in Kendall County. One unit is asked to check whether the water is over the road at a bridge over Cypress Creek, a tributary of the Guadalupe in Comfort. 'It's just pouring in right now. I don't believe it's over the banks,' the unidentified unit answers. 'But we do have some houses in low flooding areas taking on water, but I don't believe it is over the bank at this time.' 10:52 a.m.: Comfort, Texas, sounds its flood sirens as a last resort to evacuate residents near the Guadalupe River who had not heard or heeded previous advisements to evacuate. A small Texas community where everyone survived flooding has sirens that warned them10:56 a.m.: Kendall County dispatch requests that a team be sent to the Bergheim Campground in Boerne, Texas, near Guadalupe River State Park. They are asked to 'try to make contact with management and everybody down there to advise them that it needs to be evacuated here in the next hour or so.' 11:29 a.m.: Camp Mystic parents receive an email noting that the grounds have 'sustained catastrophic level floods' and are without power, water and internet. Parents with a daughter who is not accounted for have been contacted directly, according to the camp. 11:30 a.m.: Local officials hold their first news conference to describe the situation and response. Asked what kind of warnings went out to residents, Judge Rob Kelly, Kerr County's chief elected official, says: 'We do not have a warning system. ' Asked why camps were not evacuated, Kelly says officials did not know 'this flood' was coming. 'We had no reason to believe that this was going to be any, anything like what's happened here,' Kelly says. 'None whatsoever.' 3:30 p.m.: Two afternoon news conferences are the first to offer an initial death toll. Lt. Gov. Patrick says six to 10 bodies have been found so far. Around the same time, Leitha, the Kerr County sheriff, reports that 13 people have died. Patrick also announces that the whereabouts of about 23 girls attending Camp Mystic are unknown. 7:11 p.m.: A state agency responsible for search and rescue operations, the Texas Game Wardens, posts on Facebook to say its agents have entered Camp Mystic and 'are evacuating the campers to safety.' Roughly two dozen campers are still missing. 9 p.m.: Gov. Greg Abbott signs a disaster declaration at a news conference. Leitha reports about 24 fatalities.
