KERR COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — Kerr County sheriff Larry Leitha detailed the early hours of the July 4 floods in Kerrville and the kinds of calls that dispatch received during a Disaster Preparedness & Flooding Committee meeting in Kerrville on Thursday.
Watch Sheriff Leitha's remarks here:
The sheriff said the National Weather Service (NWS) also issued flash flood warning to Kerr County at 1:14 a.m., with one to two inches of rain falling, and one to two inches anticipated per hour and an additional two to three inches possible.
Sheriff Leitha focused on a period of time between 1:14 a.m. and 5:01 a.m. and this comes after weeks of questions from the public and media about what happened leading up to and during the flooding disaster.
"What we've done in about 28 days, it usually would take about six months, and we have a lot of data to look into: recordings, radio transactions, but we've done the best we can to get what we can for today for y'all," Sheriff Leitha said.
1:14 a.m. to 3:30 a.m.:
Sheriff Leitha said the Kerr County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) communication center had seven phone calls received and processed 22 radio transmissions.
3:31 a.m. to 4:22 a.m.:
The communication center had 50 phone calls for service and rescue and 114 processed radio transmissions in that 51 minute time period. The sheriff said dispatch was very busy at that time and it was only a team of two people in the communication center.
2:08 a.m.:
A caller called into dispatch to see what road conditions were like and if they're clear.
2:53 a.m.:
A 911 call came in from River End, describing water coming over the river break, and advised visitors of flooding, but no evacuation.
"A lot of times when rain comes, it [the river] goes up. that's normal for our area," Sheriff Leitha said.
3:30 a.m.:
The sheriff says dispatch got a call from a family of a roof requesting air evacuation.
"Now that's what I consider it's all hands on deck, starting at 3:30 a.m.," Sheriff Leitha said.
3:35 a.m.:
Dispatch called out for Hunt Volunteer Fire Department to swift water rescue.
3:39 a.m.:
Mountain Home Volunteer Fire Department requested KCSO to tone out Ingram Volunteer Fire Department for evacuation at River RV Park.
3:41 a.m.:
A KCSO deputy confirmed Schumacher Crossing was not passable.
3:43 a.m.:
KCSO tones out Kerr County special operations for a swift water rescue.
3:46 a.m.:
Dispatch received a call from someone with two young children and they said there was water overtaking the home. That phone call was 24 minutes long, the sheriff said.
"Our dispatcher did a great job during that phone call," Sheriff Leitha said. "Not only was she on the phone at the time with those two children, she was on the phone, had them on speaker phone, on an additional phone, also doing radio transmission typing."
3:50 a.m.:
Calls from Casa Bonita came in, advising communities are flooding. Dispatch advised the callers to seek higher ground.
3:52 a.m.:
Ingram Volunteer Fire Department went into service.
3:57 a.m.:
Calls came in from Camp Mystic, with callers saying they were stranded on hills and seeking evacuation.
4:05 a.m.:
Multiple reports came in of cabins on Casa Bonita flooding.
4:08 a.m.:
A KCSO sergeant was landlocked, meaning he had to abandon his cruiser and start evacuating nearby residents.
"What he did is he, he got trapped, but he got out of his vehicle and continued to notify people of what's going on. Also provided first aid to one lady in that time," Sheriff Leitha said. "He was actually trying to get ahold of another deputy. I had another female sergeant that was getting ready. That female sergeant lost her vehicle, her department er office Tahoe, and she was underwater and could barely breathe for 45 minutes."
4:15 a.m.:
A KCSO corporal arrived at Highway 39 and barricaded the highway.
4:22 a.m. to 5:01 a.m.:
During this 39 minute time period, the dispatch center workload was 19 calls of service and rescue and 168 radio transmissions.
4:22 a.m.:
Hunt Volunteer Fire Department seeks Code Red Alert and KCSO dispatch acknowledges.
4:23 a.m.:
A KCSO sergeant approves the Code Red Alert.
4:24 a.m.:
A KCSO deputy reports he hears kids screaming in the river.
4:28 a.m.:
Dispatch called TxDOT for barricades.
4:30 a.m.:
TxDOT calls dispatch asking for information on what is happening in reference to the flooding.
4:32 a.m.:
NWS called KCSO asking if the roads are closed and if it is flooding.
4:35 a.m.:
KCSO tones out Ingram Volunteer Fire Department for children trapped in water.
4:38 a.m.:
A KCSO deputy was dispatched to Roland Lane to assist with children trapped in water.
4:42 a.m.:
A KCSO corporal advised people are on the roof in Hunt and dispatchers are advising callers to seek higher ground.
4:44 a.m.:
A KCSO corporal seeks helicopter evacuations for Hunt.
4:46 a.m.:
The ETA for swift water rescue boat is at 10 minutes. A KCSO deputy says the kids don't have 10 minutes.
4:47 a.m.:
KCSO dispatch received calls that Camp La Hunta building collapsed and is seeking a water rescue.
5:01 a.m.:
KCSO issued a Code Red Alert.
