Wednesday, July 09, 2025

Texas Town Rejected Flood Sirens Despite $5M Biden Grant

The link to Reddit breaks the whole thing down with supporting links. Real insight into how awful small town politics is. COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: You know we had a baby flood a couple weeks ago, a month or so, whatever it was. And I keep hearing these reports of the old, old system, and I know we're not going to deal with that though. Expect that to be gone where the Jones call the Smiths, and the Smiths call Camp Rio Vista, and Rio Vista blah, blah, blah, along down the line. But it's still there and it still works. The thought of our beautiful Kerr County having these damn sirens going off in the middle of night, I'm going to have to start drinking again to put up with y'all.

Posted by snoofy at 09:31 PM | 26 COMMENTS | permalink

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SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: The only thing I have to remind people, unfortunately, I guess I'm one of the ones that " Harley maybe has been around here to see some very devastating floods and quite a bit of loss of life. No matter what we do it's going to be up to the public, okay. The notification is great. I think the -- just the markers, the posts at the crossing is one thing, but it actually oughta state that at that level that your car may wash off, get people's attention at that crossing. The only other thing is, and as Bob can attest to, most of the time it has been informal where we call people. Unfortunately, the time we had the most devastating one down on the east end of the County down at the camps, I was working that night, spent 72 hours pulling kids out of fences. But we call people, we called camps, they made the decision that they thought they could beat that ride, and then that no matter what we do and no matter what we install there's going to be loss of life. It's educating people.

Comments

"It's educating people."

In Texas.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

#1 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-07-09 02:37 AM

The National Weather Service literally had a position that would call the local government, law enforcement and other key organizations like the camps when a flood was imminent.

Trump had them take the early retirement and didn't replace them.

No calls went out.

Local Sheriff says he didn't know about the floods until after they were happening.

Trump literally caused this.

#2 | Posted by Sycophant at 2025-07-09 10:11 AM

Trump literally caused this.

#2 | POSTED BY SYCOPHANT

Yep.

#3 | Posted by Zed at 2025-07-09 10:29 AM

"The National Weather Service literally had a position that would call the local government, law enforcement and other key organizations like the camps when a flood was imminent.
Trump had them take the early retirement and didn't replace them."

link?

#4 | Posted by eberly at 2025-07-09 10:40 AM

If Your Time is short
There were about 600 employee cuts at the National Weather Service -- about 100 probationary employees and 500 buyouts.

The Trump administration's proposed 2026 budget would increase the National Weather Service budget by nearly 6.7%.

The same budget proposal cuts other areas of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including research that assists forecasters.
www.politifact.com

#5 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-07-09 10:54 AM

The National Weather Service literally had a position that would call the local government, law enforcement and other key organizations like the camps when a flood was imminent.

This is basically true. Whether there is a link or not.

Not sure if there was a position specifically for outreach but if
there is outreach program.. if there is enough staff for the required duties. I do know of one position that is directly involved in those kinds of activities and that is Warning Coordination Meteorologist.

In addition if staffing permits NWS offices often conduct severe weather preparedness drills, where schools and local organizations can participate and receive test warnings via NOAA Weather Radio ( that was provided AND installed free of charge) helping them get familiar with the system.

If there is not enough staff the outreach programs are one of the first to be cut.

#6 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-07-09 11:00 AM

Correction to #6

Not sure if there was a position specifically for outreach but
THERE IS an outreach program.. if there is enough staff for the required duties.

#7 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-07-09 11:02 AM

Fahy told The New York Times that the San Antonio office's vacancies included a warning coordination meteorologist, the employee charged with coordinating with local emergency services ahead of floods.

Although the offices were not fully staffed, Lanza told PolitiFact "their vacancy rates were not outside the realm of what is normal."

Trump froze all federal civilian hiring when he assumed office " and has since extended that freeze " but the White House exempted the National Weather Service, permitting it to hire for 126 positions following DOGE's cuts.

"We had adequate staffing. We had adequate technology," Greg Waller, service coordination hydrologist with the weather service's West Gulf River Forecast Center in Fort Worth, told the Texas Tribune. "This was us doing our job to the best of our abilities."

I don't necessarily believe Greg Waller. I believe an investigation should happen and I hope Schumer's request is followed....but I wouldn't hold your breath.

#8 | Posted by eberly at 2025-07-09 11:06 AM

"We had adequate staffing. We had adequate technology," Greg Waller, service coordination hydrologist with the weather service's West Gulf River Forecast Center in Fort Worth, told the Texas Tribune. "This was us doing our job to the best of our abilities."

You do realize of course that was a prepared statement approved by NWS legal counsel or PR department or even at the OPM level.

He HAD to say that it he would have been fired the next day.

#9 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-07-09 11:10 AM

Fahy told The New York Times that the San Antonio office's vacancies included a warning coordination meteorologist, the employee charged with coordinating with local emergency services ahead of floods.

Well, there you have it.

If there was no WCM on staff then I guarantee none of the outreach duties were being done because there was no one to coordinate them.

#10 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-07-09 11:13 AM

-I guarantee none of the outreach duties were being done because there was no one to coordinate them.

It's obvious you don't believe that.

#11 | Posted by eberly at 2025-07-09 11:24 AM


He HAD to say that it he would have been fired the next day.
#9 | POSTED BY DONNERBOY

Oh please its SOP to increase staff during these events, thats what they did, the warnings and alerts are backed up on their server with public access.

You can subscribe for txt message alerts for your preferred areas.

#12 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-07-09 11:40 AM


The National Weather Service literally had a position that would call the local government, law enforcement and other key organizations like the camps when a flood was imminent.

Its not a position, its an automated service.

#13 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-07-09 11:42 AM


In addition if staffing permits NWS offices often conduct severe weather preparedness drills, where schools and local organizations can participate and receive test warnings via NOAA Weather Radio ( that was provided AND installed free of charge) helping them get familiar with the system.

You can do this too, just sign up on the their website.

#14 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-07-09 11:43 AM

Why do Americans build in flood zones, then not pay attention when there is imminent danger of flooding.

For those saying lots of false positives, there were only 13 warnings in that county in 5 years.

Americans talk about the big individualism, but then cry about the government when it's really their own fault for not paying attention. These camps should have adults in charge and worried about the kids safety, the local police should have had the camps on alert. Being prepared isn't difficult but it takes discipline.

Its so easy to receive txt msg for any sort of weather phenom from the NWS, even an Asian can do it.

#15 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-07-09 11:48 AM

This thread isn't getting much traction because it doesn't point the finger at Trump.

Which is what really seems to matter.

Not the actual concern over public safety and how so many lives were lost.

they don't give 2 ----- about them.....just pointing the finger at the president.

#16 | Posted by eberly at 2025-07-09 12:04 PM

Oh please its SOP to increase staff during these events, thats what they did, the warnings and alerts are backed up on their server with public access.


Messages made to the press have to be approved by management.

Especially in this highly charged political situation with the mad king currently breathing down their necks.

#17 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-07-09 12:10 PM

This thread isn't getting much traction because it doesn't point the finger at Trump.

It got you and OneNut to come out swinging your purses did it not?

#18 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-07-09 12:12 PM

Its not a position, its an automated service.

#13 | POSTED BY ONEIRONAUT

It's a program. Run by the Warning Coordination Meteorologist. Which may or may not include an automated message.

#19 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-07-09 12:14 PM

Its so easy to receive txt msg for any sort of weather phenom from the NWS, even an Asian can do it.

#15 | POSTED BY ONEIRONAUT

Pull your pants up bro ... your ignorance is showing.

Texting is only one way to receive a warning.

And in this case texting would have done no good as the campers apparently had their phones taken and they had no internet access by camp policy.

The weather service has to accommodate all whether they use a cell phone and the Internet or not.

#20 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-07-09 12:20 PM

You can do this too, just sign up on the their website.

#14 | POSTED BY ONEIRONAUT

Sure go ahead and "sign up".

But if there is no money or staffing available for the program what do you think you will get?

The same thing about 11 million Americans will get when they sign up for Medicare.

Nothing.

#21 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-07-09 12:24 PM

Its so easy to receive txt msg for any sort of weather phenom from the NWS, even an Asian can do it.

#15 | Posted by oneironaut

At 4 am, not many people are jumping out of bed for a text message, idiot.

Jesus, how are you this stupid?

#22 | Posted by Sycophant at 2025-07-09 01:24 PM

Its so easy to receive txt msg for any sort of weather phenom from the NWS, even an Asian can do it.
#15 | Posted by oneironaut

These little girls had cell phones on them...
Do they get to keep their cell phones in Heaven?

#23 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-07-09 01:27 PM

"Jesus, how are you this stupid?"

Because it's easy.

#24 | Posted by Angrydad at 2025-07-09 04:33 PM

Texas, the republic of stupids ...

#25 | Posted by a_monson at 2025-07-09 07:29 PM

The weather service has to accommodate all whether they use a cell phone and the Internet or not.

#20 | Posted by donnerboy

Onenut thinks since he has great phone/internet service in SF, so does everyone across the US.

#26 | Posted by Whatsleft at 2025-07-11 03:07 PM

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