{"id":2470250,"date":"2025-08-03T12:43:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-03T16:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/unlike-in-kerr-county-kendall-county-prepared-for-the-worst-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-08-03T12:45:49","modified_gmt":"2025-08-03T16:45:49","slug":"unlike-in-kerr-county-kendall-county-prepared-for-the-worst-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/unlike-in-kerr-county-kendall-county-prepared-for-the-worst-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Unlike in Kerr County, Kendall County &#8216;prepared for the worst&#8217; &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Funlike-in-kerr-county-kendall-county-prepared-for-the-worst-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2470250&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article contrasts the emergency preparedness and response between Kerr County and neighboring Kendall County during a devastating July 4 flash flood in Texas Hill Country. Kerr County was unprepared for the event, with key officials absent and no concrete plans in place, resulting in 137 deaths, including 37 children. In contrast, Kendall County officials were proactive, closely monitoring weather conditions from july 3, issuing evacuation orders, and coordinating emergency responses, which successfully prevented any fatalities. Kendall County&#8217;s preparedness stemmed from lessons learned from a deadly 1987 flood, along with extensive planning, updated safety protocols, and investments in infrastructure and alert systems. the county judge, Shane Stolarczyk, emphasized the importance of planning for the worst and highlighted collaborative efforts with various partners to protect the community. Recommendations were made for statewide improvements, including a river-wide alert system, while criticism was directed at the river authority for delays in implementing monitoring systems despite having funds.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Unlike in Kerr County, Kendall County &lsquo;prepared for the worst,&rsquo; no one died<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2195413\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square) &ndash; While<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/texas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> Kerr County<\/a> officials responsible for emergency preparedness were nowhere to be found on July 3 and had no plans in place ahead of the July 4 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/natural-disaster\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">flash flood <\/a>event, neighboring Kendall County <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/police\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">officials<\/a> were in prepositioning and preparedness mode.<\/p>\n<p>The county had suffered from a flash flood event in 1987 when heavy rain caused the Guadalupe River to rise 29 feet near Comfort and crest at 31.5 feet, the ninth-highest crest on record, the NWS said. The flash flood killed 10 teenage campers and injured 33.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/3489653\/israel-kill-palestinians-seeking-food-opening-fire-crowds\/\">Israeli forces kill at least 27 Palestinians seeking food after opening fire on crowds<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3489642\/cruz-never-spoke-with-biden-during-presidential-term\/\">Cruz reveals he never spoke with Biden during his presidential term<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3489638\/smithsonian-pressure-trump-impeachment-exhibit\/\">Smithsonian says it wasn&#8217;t pressured to remove Trump mention in impeachment exhibit<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The July 4 flash flood killed 137 in the Texas Hill Country, with 108 reported dead in Kerr County, including 37 children.<\/p>\n<p>At a state legislative hearing on Thursday, lawmakers heard the Kerr County judge, emergency management coordinator (EMC) and sheriff appear to make excuses, explain that they were asleep, on vacation, or sick, and couldn&rsquo;t have anticipated a catastrophic flood event &ndash; and hadn&rsquo;t prepared for any flood event at all &ndash; The Center Square&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/texas\/article_c3a6d14b-1ac6-4655-8d54-0cd00abaf98f.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>After they testified, legislators heard Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk explain in detail the preparations officials began taking on July 3, including actively monitoring weather systems all night. They weren&rsquo;t sleeping and weren&rsquo;t out of town. An evacuation order was issued in Comfort and along the river and no one died.<\/p>\n<p>Stolarczyk, a captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, has served in Texas&rsquo; border security mission, Operation Lone Star. He also works as an assistant staff judge advocate for the 502d Force Support Group at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston and runs a law practice with his wife in Boerne. Prior to being elected county judge in 2022, he served for 10 years as a staff attorney for the chief justice of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals of Texas. Under his leadership, Kendall County was awarded the Texas Association of Counties 2024 Excellence in Safety Award.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Disasters always carry an element of unpredictability,&rdquo; he told lawmakers on Thursday. &ldquo;We were fortunate at this time. The USGS flood gauge data reflected a 50-year flood event for the Comfort community, not 100-year, not a 500-year event. Even more luckily, Cypress Creek did not flood.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;But make no mistake, it was proper planning not luck that formed the backbone of response. Our philosophy in Kendell County is simple. Prepare for the worst every time,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;That philosophy guided the creation and implementation of our emergency action plan. This is not just a binder gathering dust. It&rsquo;s a living document, tested, updated and actively used by our coordinated emergency team.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>He said their success depended on trusted collaboration among a range of partners overseeing shelters, road closures and public alerts. &ldquo;The timeline of our flood response shows our proactiveness prior to the flood waters reaching our community.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>County officials began vigilantly monitoring the weather early in the morning July 3. County EMC Brady Constantine was advised to &ldquo;be vigilant and stay alert for heavy rain,&rdquo; specifically in RV parks and campgrounds along the river, he said.<\/p>\n<p>Constantine attended a Thursday morning weather advisory call the Kerr County EMC skipped because he &ldquo;was sick&rdquo; and took the day off. Within a half hour of the call, Constantine notified county officials to be vigilant for potential flooding. By 1 p.m., a NWS flood watch was issued, which was escalated to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-england-areas-under-flood-watches-as-tropical-storm-elsa-continues-moving-northeast\/\" title=\"New England areas under ... watches as Tropical Storm Elsa continues moving northeast\">flash flood warning<\/a> by 11 p.m., Stolarczyk said. Officials were monitoring flood gauges, low river crossings and weather conditions throughout the night, he said.<\/p>\n<p>Constantine had &ldquo;an uneasy feeling about the pending weather conditions,&rdquo; Stolarczyk said. At 1:14 am, the NWS issued a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/governors-in-northeast-states-battered-by-ida-take-emergency-action\/\" title=\"Governors in Northeast states battered by Ida take emergency action\">flash flood emergency warning<\/a> for Kerr and Bandera counties; Constantine activated emergency responses at 4 a.m.<\/p>\n<p>As an initial 20-foot flood wave rushed the Guadalupe River south, it took 90 minutes to reach Kendell County, Stolarczyk said. But before then, officials had already set up an emergency command center and a mandatory evacuation order was issued for those living along the river and in Comfort. Road and bridge crews were closing off roads and assessing impacted bridges. Officials also activated a siren warning system for the Comfort area &ldquo;to warn citizens of the impending flood danger.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>But well before this, Stolarczyk said the county strengthened its flood plain regulations, including banning all RVs from being parked in flood plain areas. In Kerr County, RVs along the river were wiped out.<\/p>\n<p>The county also implemented new <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >home construction restrictions based<\/a> on flood measurements, invested in a feasibility study for Cypress Creek, located upstream in Kerr County, &ldquo;to protect our downstream Comfort community,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<p>They also pursued a countywide drainage master plan, created a full time grant coordinator position to identify and apply for flood mitigation funding, expanded FEMA training, implemented a new emergency alert system, allocated $1.5 million for culvert improvement, partnered with soil and water conservation to implement several measures and passed a $20 million bond to purchase conservation easements to protect water ways and limit development in those areas.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3489594\/texas-house-advances-newly-drawn-gop-congressional-map\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">TEXAS HOUSE ADVANCES NEWLY DRAWN CONGRESSIONAL MAP THAT FAVORS GOP<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>He also made recommendations for the state to implement, including developing a river-wide emergency alert system.<\/p>\n<p>At the hearing, lawmakers learned that the river authority tasked with monitoring the Guadalupe River took nine years to not implement a monitoring or alert system despite having the funds to do so, The Center Square&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/texas\/article_934861c6-493c-4d93-9d20-36442543a002.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2195413\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2195413\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kendall County prepared; no deaths in flash flood event<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2470251,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/AP24271612897899.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[37711,58476,60529,58581],"class_list":["post-2470250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-disaster-preparedness","tag-emergency-planning","tag-kendall-county","tag-kerr-county"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/AP24271612897899.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2470250","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2470250"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2470250\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2470254,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2470250\/revisions\/2470254"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2470251"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2470250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2470250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2470250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}