Texas county where campers died was denied money by Republicans to boost warning systems [View all]

DENIED by Republicans.
DENIED by Republicans running the State of Texas.
DENIED by Republican Governor Asshole Abbott

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Texas county where campers died was denied money to boost warning systems

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/07/07/texas-flooding-kerr-county-flood-warning-money-denial/84499153007/

July 7, 2025

Nearly a decade before catastrophic flooding in south Texas killed at least 95 people, including 27 girls and counselors from a beloved summer camp, the state’s Division of Emergency Management denied requests from the county where the camp is held for a $1 million grant to improve its flood warning system.

Summer camps were top of mind during county leaders’ discussions of the project, meeting minutes show. Then-County Commissioner Tom Moser envisioned designating point people at each camp who would monitor a website and alert camp counselors and attendees if evacuation was needed.

The Division of Emergency Management did not answer USA TODAY's specific questions about why the county's applications were rejected.

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In June 2016, President Barack Obama declared a major disaster in Texas after torrential rains killed 20 people and destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses in the state’s southeast corner. It unlocked more than $100 million in money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to both clean up the damage and help communities across the state prepare for the next disaster.

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The Texas Division of Emergency Management denied Kerr County’s 2017 application, meeting minutes show. Kerr County applied again in 2018, when more federal funding became available after Hurricane Harvey. But meeting minutes indicate that Texas’ emergency authority again did not approve it.