The top two emergency management officials in Kerr County told lawmakers Thursday that they were asleep in the early morning hours of July 4 when floodwaters rose. The disaster killed more than 100 people in their jurisdiction, including 27 young campers and counselors at Camp Mystic.
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, who is the head of county emergency management, and Kerr County Emergency Management Coordinator William Thomas testified to state legislators at a hearing in Kerrville that they woke up only after other local officials tried to reach them. Larry Leitha, the county sheriff, said he went to sleep without a worry about the weather.
Lt. Gov Dan Patrick, who attended the hearing, accused Kelly of being absent on July 4 as various leaders worked to get a handle on the disaster. Kelly said he was in the emergency operations center but did leave at one point to check on his wife. But Patrick, who was serving as acting governor that day while Gov. Greg Abbott was out of town, said Kelly wasn’t around.
