Texas officials and grieving families are marking the one-year anniversary of July 4 floods that killed more than 130 people. While some survivors use community fundraisers to honor victims, The Texas Tribune reports that the state legislature has yet to mandate formal training for local emergency management coordinators.
Why Texas Still Lacks Mandatory Emergency Coordinator Training
Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd has repeatedly warned state lawmakers that the state lacks a training baseline for the people tasked with leading disaster responses. Currently, local officials in Texas’ 254 counties and all its cities can appoint coordinators without any formal training in the field.
According to The Texas Tribune, the only requirement for the position is the signature of a mayor or judge. Two bills designed to address this gap and other recommendations from Kidd failed during the final special legislative session of 2025.
“To be an emergency management coordinator in the state of Texas, you need the signature of a mayor or judge. Period. That needs to change.”
Nim Kidd, Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief
The absence of a professional standard became a focal point during legislative investigations into the July 4 disaster. In Kerr County, where most of the deaths occurred, the then-Emergency Management Coordinator, William “Dub” Thomas, was absent on the morning of the flood. Thomas testified that he had been feeling ill since July 2 and took July 3 off.
Investigators found no evidence that any Kerr County representative joined a state emergency preparation call on July 3 to receive warnings about the holiday weekend’s storms. County Judge Rob Kelly was also absent, staying at a lake house in the Austin area.
Legislative Actions and the Kerr County Response
Photo: The Texas Tribune
While the training mandate failed, the legislature did pass specific safety measures. State lawmakers required the installation of flood warning sirens in high-risk areas hit by the disaster. In Kerr County, six of the first eight planned sirens are now operational.
Additionally, two camp safety bills were passed following the deaths of 27 girls at Camp Mystic. These laws require camps to implement more robust emergency plans and relocate cabins away from river-adjacent, flood-prone areas. State data indicates nearly 300 camps have already been licensed under these new rules.
The window for further systemic change remains closed until January, when the legislature returns for its regular session.
“We have work to do next session. We just don’t have to start from ground zero.”
Sen. Charles Perry, Republican from Lubbock
Community Tributes and the Harber Family Fundraiser
Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd testifies on the state’s response to flooding
In Dallas, the aftermath of the floods is being processed through community support and memorial events. The Harber family lost four members in the disaster: grandparents Mike and Charlene, and granddaughters Blair and Brooke, ages 13 and 11. The children were swept 15 miles from their home in Hunt, Texas.
To support the family, Dallas News reports that Renny’s Bar & Grill is hosting a fundraiser through July 12, 2026. The event utilizes a fixed-price menu model where customers pay $49 for a three-course meal, with $10 from each order donated to blairandbrooke.org.
The menu includes a specific tribute to Blair Harber, an aspiring baker. The restaurant is selling boxes of four large Mexican vanilla chocolate chip cookies using Blair’s recipe.
Fundraiser Item
Cost/Donation
Beneficiary
3-Course Meal
$49 ($10 donated)
blairandbrooke.org
Cookie Box (4 cookies)
$10 suggested donation
100% to family fundraiser
The connection between the restaurant and the family is deeply personal. Mike and Charlene Harber had dined at Renny’s just a few days before the floods occurred. St. Rita Catholic Parish, the church the Harbers attended and where the girls were students, honored the family with a memorial rosemary on July 3, 2026.
The Stakes of the 2026 Legislative Session
The contrast between the state’s legislative progress and the operational failures in Kerr County highlights a significant gap in Texas’ disaster readiness. While camp safety and sirens provide physical infrastructure and regulation, the human element—the coordinators—remains unregulated.
The state’s legislative investigation concluded that Kerr County officials were substantially absent from duty and effectively disregarded alerts and warnings. Without a mandatory certification or training baseline, the state remains vulnerable to the same leadership voids that characterized the July 4 tragedy.
For the survivors and the families of the 130 victims, the upcoming January session represents the next opportunity to move beyond memorial rosemary and fundraisers toward a system where the “signature of a mayor or judge” is no longer the only qualification for managing a catastrophe.
Rachel specializes in American politics, public policy, and domestic affairs. She spent a decade reporting from Washington, D.C., before transitioning into editorial management. She leads the U.S. news desk, shaping coverage that explains political developments and national events with clarity and context.
