Texas Flood Survivors Demand Action: A Hearing on Disaster Preparedness

Survivors Share Heartbreaking Flood Experiences

• 💔 Kelly Raybon, a mother from Houston, recounted the terror her sons experienced at Camp Launt during the July 4th floods.
• 😥 Her nine-year-old son endured 12 agonizing hours unsure if his younger brother had survived the floodwaters that swept through their cabins.
• 🧠 The trauma has left her son Brock scanning rooms for higher ground, constantly checking the weather, and battling nightmares.

Testimony to Lawmakers on Disaster Preparedness

• 🏛️ Survivors and local leaders testified for 13 hours before the state's joint select committee on disaster preparedness and flooding.
• ⚠️ Concerns were raised about a lack of planning and a delayed response to the deadly floods.
• 🚨 Testimony revealed that three top Kerr County officials were asleep or out of town when the flooding began, prompting questions about emergency protocols.

Calls for Urgent Change and Safety Measures

• 🌊 Lawmakers met in the epicenter of the floods, hearing harrowing accounts of destruction, including finding wallets and limbs.
• 💍 Alicia Baker shared the heartbreak of her daughter not being identified until days later, solely by her charm bracelet.
• 📢 Baker suggested implementing sensors that set off sirens as a critical safety measure for future events.
• 📝 Committee members stated they are taking the learned information back to Austin to address ongoing flooding safety concerns.