The Texas Legislature is tackling emergency preparedness after flooding devastated parts of the state during the Fourth of July holiday.
Legislators held a field hearing in Kerrville, Texas July 31, where they heard from first responders, local officials and survivors. Among those in attendance was state Sen. Cesar Blanco, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding.
“My heart is with the families in Kerrville and across Central Texas who are mourning loved ones after this devastating flood," Blanco, D-El Paso, said in a news release. “We heard emotional testimony from survivors, community leaders, and first responders who raised serious concerns about outdated mitigation plans, gaps in emergency response coordination, Emergency Management Coordinator (EMC) training, interoperability communications, and the urgent need for stronger early-warning systems, especially in rural and river-adjacent communities."
The flooding in the Texas Hill Country forced Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session that was supposed to focus on emergency response and preparedness. Abbott expanded the topics that could be addressed in session by asking Republicans to gerrymander congressional districts five years early in a bid to help President Donald Trump maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives ahead of next year's midterm election.
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More than 100 people died in the flood.
“After visiting Kerrville, Hunt, and Camp Mystic and seeing the destruction firsthand, the stakes couldn’t be clearer," Blanco said. "This disaster has shaken our state and underscored the urgent need to strengthen Texas’ disaster preparedness and response. We must act swiftly and thoughtfully to make sure tragedies like this do not happen again.”
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Texas Legislature shifts attention to disaster response in special session
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