Latest news with #disasterResponse
Forbes
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Here's Why Texas Lacked A Flood Warning System Everyone Knew It Needed
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has fired back against experts and officials who claim her recent policy changes at the Federal Emergency Management Agency left search and rescue teams hamstrung and crippled a disaster call center in the days following deadly flash floods that killed at least 130 people in central Texas. A painted broken heart is seen near Camp Mystic along the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas, on July 8, ... More 2025. AFP via Getty Images Noem on Sunday railed against reporting by the New York Times that found 'nearly two-thirds' of all distress calls to FEMA from flood victims went unanswered due to staff cuts and a CNN report that found policies she'd implemented, namely a change that required her personal sign-off on any spending over $100,000, delayed the deployment of search and rescue crews to the area. Noem called the reports, which sourced unnamed former and current FEMA employees, false and "inappropriate," and said the agency's response to the Texas floods was "the best response we've seen out of the federal government in many, many years." 'The individuals who are giving you information out of FEMA, I'd love to have them put their names behind it because anonymous attacks to politicize the situation is completely wrong,' Noem said on 'Meet The Press.' Sources inside FEMA also told CNN the new policies delayed a request from Texas first responders the state for aerial imagery to help in search and rescue. Claims FEMA failed Texas in the days after the flood are part of a partisan blame game that has cast fault on everyone from local taxpayers to federal agencies, including FEMA, the National Weather Service and President Donald Trump himself. State officials initially tried to put fault on the NWS early on in the flood recovery efforts, claiming the agency did not properly convey the storm's threat, but experts have since said the warnings issued were as timely and accurate as could have been expected. Some former NWS officials told the Times, however, that while the warnings may have been up to par, cuts to the NWS and early retirement incentives doled out under Trump led to staffing shortages in the central Texas office that may have impacted the agency's ability to communicate with local authorities in the hours after the warnings were issued. Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We're launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day's headlines. Text 'Alerts' to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here : Kerr County officials knew for a decade that a better flood warning system would serve the local community well, meeting minutes obtained by the Texas Tribune show, but one was not in place when last week's floods hit the state for several reasons. One reason: Texas state officials repeatedly rejected requests from Kerry County to pay for such a warning system, estimated to cost about $1 million, and turned away the county's applications at least three times between 2017 and 2024 for various reasons, the New York Times reported. Another: Local officials also failed to act when they were given $10 million under the pandemic-era American Rescue Plan Act money in 2021 and, instead of using it on storm-related infrastructure as the grant encouraged, allocated it to other public safety projects, county employee raises and a new walking path, according to the Texas Tribune. Kerr County's own voters are getting blamed, as well, by local officials who say there was little public support for a system: 'Generally everybody's for doing something until it gets down to the details of paying for it," Harvey Hilderbran, the former state representative from Kerr County, told the Tribune. It's unclear how many people could have been saved if Kerr County had a flood warning system, but Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said there 'should have been sirens here.' Officials in Kerr County have said they are "committed to a transparent and full review of past actions." Taking the American Rescue Plan Act money granted to Kerr County back in 2021 at all was a controversial move in the conservative area, which voted for Donald Trump in all three of the last elections. A survey sent to residents about the money showed that 42% of the 180 respondents wanted to reject the $10 million grant altogether, according to the Tribune. Local taxpayers didn't want to be beholden to the Biden administration, with one resident telling Kerr County commissioners, "We don't want to be bought by the federal government, thank you very much. We'd like the federal government to stay out of Kerr County and their money,' the Tribune reported. Another resident asked the commissioners to send all of the money "back to the Biden administration, which I consider to be the most criminal treasonous communist government ever to hold the White House." Crucial Quote "Who's to blame? Know this, that's the word choice of losers," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday responded to a reporter's question about who is at fault for the tragedy. "The way winners talk is not to point fingers. They talk about solutions. What Texas is all about is solutions." Abbott has called for a special legislative session to start later this month to look at how to strengthen the state's future response to flooding including items on flood warning systems and communications, natural disaster preparedness and relief funding. Key Background Rapid rainfall hit central Texas on July 4, pushing Guadalupe River levels more than 32 feet and devastating nearby communities. The rising waters made for the deadliest inland flooding event in Texas in almost 50 years, and the death toll as of Friday accounted for at least 130 people with another 160 still missing. Among the victims are at least 35 children. At least 27 people, including children and counselors, died at a generations-old, all-girls Christian summer camp called Camp Mystic, where former First Lady Barbara Bush was once a counselor. A report by the Washington Post found that Camp Mystic Executive Director Richard 'Dick' Eastland did not begin evacuating the camp until more than an hour after he received the NWS' severe flood warning around 1 a.m. on the morning of July 4. The alert, which did not include an evacuation order, prompted Eastland to "assess the situation" with family members and ultimately begin evacuations. He died trying to rescue campers. What To Watch For Changes to the NWS. Noem said that Trump wants to improve the agency's warning system and 'renew this ancient system that has been left in place with the federal government for many, many years.' Forbes Was Texas Warned Of Flooding Properly? Here's What We Know By Zachary Folk Forbes Texas Officials Deflect Questions On Flood Response Efforts As Death Toll Rises By Ty Roush Forbes Why Kristi Noem Is Under Fire For Delayed FEMA Response To Texas Floods By Mary Whitfill Roeloffs Forbes Marjorie Taylor Greene Fuels Government Weather Conspiracy After Deadly Texas Flood By Sara Dorn
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas Flood Victims Couldn't Call FEMA After ICE Barbie's Cuts
The Federal Emergency Management Agency didn't answer thousands of phone calls after the Texas floods last week because it had fired call center contractors. Records obtained by The New York Times show that FEMA laid off contractors the night of July 5, when flood waters were receding but still high, and when damage assessment was taking place. It took Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem until Thursday—five days later—to renew the contractors' contracts. After taking office, Noem created a policy where she must personally approve expenses totaling $100,000 or more. The contrast in two-way communication between July 5 and the following days is stark. Before the contracts at four call center companies expired that night, FEMA answered 3,018 of 3,027 calls. On July 6, however, it answered only 846 of 2,363 calls. Data from July 7 shows an even worse level of responsiveness: 2,613 of 16,419 calls. A Homeland Security Department spokeswoman told the Times in a statement, 'When a natural disaster strikes, phone calls surge, and wait times can subsequently increase. Despite this expected influx, FEMA's disaster call center responded to every caller swiftly and efficiently, ensuring no one was left without assistance.' Under the Trump administration, FEMA has been on the chopping block, with the president saying he wants to do away it with entirely or substantially overhaul it so that states—even red ones like Texas—shoulder more of the financial burden. That could explain why Noem also waited until July 7 to authorize the deployment of FEMA's search and rescue teams to the region; and why nothing on acting FEMA administrator David Richardson's resume indicates experience with managing emergencies. The flood has killed at least 128 people, officials in Kerr County said Friday. More than 150 remain missing. Trump, who visited the area on Friday, softened his attacks on FEMA by claiming to focus on a 'rebranding' of the agency—as if it were a piece of real estate.
CNN
09-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Texas Representative hits back at Governor Abbott's comments: ‘This is not a game'
Texas Congressman hits back at Governor Abbott's comments: 'This is not a game' Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) pushed back against a football analogy made by Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday, saying the catastrophic flooding in the state and the region's response to the disaster is 'not a game.' 00:38 - Source: CNN Vertical Politics of the Day 14 videos Texas Congressman hits back at Governor Abbott's comments: 'This is not a game' Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) pushed back against a football analogy made by Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday, saying the catastrophic flooding in the state and the region's response to the disaster is 'not a game.' 00:38 - Source: CNN Trump told donors he threatened to bomb Moscow on Putin call Donald Trump told a private gathering of donors last year that he once sought to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from attacking Ukraine by threatening to 'bomb the sh*t out of Moscow' in retaliation, according to audio provided to CNN. The audio was obtained by Josh Dawsey, Tyler Pager and Isaac Arnsdorf, who detailed some of the exchanges in their new book, '2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America.' The Trump campaign declined to comment on the content of the tapes. 01:36 - Source: CNN Texas Gov. says 'losers' blame others for flood response Texas Gov. Greg Abbott used a football analogy after being asked about the emergency response to the catastrophic flooding that killed more than a 100 people in the state. 00:32 - Source: CNN Kaitlan Collins presses Trump on who paused Ukraine weapons President Trump's approval of sending defensive weapons to Ukraine amounted to a turnaround after a senior White House official told CNN last week that the administration was pausing some of those shipments. CNN's Kaitlan Collins questioned the President about the pause. 00:28 - Source: CNN Mexicans protest immigrants from US Residents of Mexico City are protesting against gentrification that is forcing some people out, and they partially blame the United States. More than 1.6 million US citizens already reside in Mexico, according to the US State department. 01:30 - Source: CNN Trump vents his anger about Putin during Cabinet meeting During a Cabinet meeting, President Donald Trump expressed his frustration with Vladimir Putin. 'We get a lot of bulls*** thrown at us by Putin,' Trump said. The remark showed Trump's frustrations at Moscow, which has shown no willingness to end its war in Ukraine. 00:30 - Source: CNN Why Ex-NOAA chief thinks DOGE cuts may have hurt flood response Rick Spinrad, a former NOAA Administrator, explains why he believes the government staffing cuts implemented by the Trump administration may have hindered the response to the devastating floods in Texas. 00:52 - Source: CNN Justice Department says there's no evidence Jeffrey Epstein had 'client list' After months of touting the impending release of new, blockbuster information on accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, the Justice Department announced in a memo that there is no evidence he kept a 'client list' or was murdered. 01:12 - Source: CNN Immigration enforcement swarms LA park Dozens of federal immigration agents in tactical gear accompanied by members of the California National Guard were deployed Monday to a mostly empty MacArthur Park in Los Angeles Monday morning. It's unclear if anyone was taken into custody during the operation, which sparked outrage among local residents and which Mayor Karen Bass called 'outrageous' and 'an attempt to spread fear.' An Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson told CNN the agency does not comment on ongoing operations. 01:07 - Source: CNN Which countries received a Trump tariff letter? 00:56 - Source: CNN Musk says he's forming new political party Billionaire Elon Musk says he is forming a third political party, following his dramatic falling out with President Donald Trump. CNN's Hadas Gold breaks down Musk's plan and the challenges involved. 01:22 - Source: CNN Trump uses antisemitic term at rally President Donald Trump used a term considered antisemitic at a rally on Thursday night while talking about his major domestic policy bill that was approved by Congress hours earlier. 00:49 - Source: CNN Trump signs 'Big Beautiful Bill' President Donald Trump signs a sweeping spending and tax legislation, known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," at the White House. 00:38 - Source: CNN How Trump's 'Garden of Heroes' could get made President Donald Trump hopes to create a new national monument called the "National Garden of American Heroes" that would include 250 statues and be unveiled in one year. CNN's Sunlen Serfaty talks to Monumental Labs, a high-tech marble fabricator just outside New York City, about the challenges of making Trump's vision a reality. 02:05 - Source: CNN
CNN
09-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Texas Representative hits back at Governor Abbott's comments: ‘This is not a game'
Texas Congressman hits back at Governor Abbott's comments: 'This is not a game' Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) pushed back against a football analogy made by Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday, saying the catastrophic flooding in the state and the region's response to the disaster is 'not a game.' 00:38 - Source: CNN Vertical Politics of the Day 14 videos Texas Congressman hits back at Governor Abbott's comments: 'This is not a game' Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) pushed back against a football analogy made by Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday, saying the catastrophic flooding in the state and the region's response to the disaster is 'not a game.' 00:38 - Source: CNN Trump told donors he threatened to bomb Moscow on Putin call Donald Trump told a private gathering of donors last year that he once sought to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from attacking Ukraine by threatening to 'bomb the sh*t out of Moscow' in retaliation, according to audio provided to CNN. The audio was obtained by Josh Dawsey, Tyler Pager and Isaac Arnsdorf, who detailed some of the exchanges in their new book, '2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America.' The Trump campaign declined to comment on the content of the tapes. 01:36 - Source: CNN Texas Gov. says 'losers' blame others for flood response Texas Gov. Greg Abbott used a football analogy after being asked about the emergency response to the catastrophic flooding that killed more than a 100 people in the state. 00:32 - Source: CNN Kaitlan Collins presses Trump on who paused Ukraine weapons President Trump's approval of sending defensive weapons to Ukraine amounted to a turnaround after a senior White House official told CNN last week that the administration was pausing some of those shipments. CNN's Kaitlan Collins questioned the President about the pause. 00:28 - Source: CNN Mexicans protest immigrants from US Residents of Mexico City are protesting against gentrification that is forcing some people out, and they partially blame the United States. More than 1.6 million US citizens already reside in Mexico, according to the US State department. 01:30 - Source: CNN Trump vents his anger about Putin during Cabinet meeting During a Cabinet meeting, President Donald Trump expressed his frustration with Vladimir Putin. 'We get a lot of bulls*** thrown at us by Putin,' Trump said. The remark showed Trump's frustrations at Moscow, which has shown no willingness to end its war in Ukraine. 00:30 - Source: CNN Why Ex-NOAA chief thinks DOGE cuts may have hurt flood response Rick Spinrad, a former NOAA Administrator, explains why he believes the government staffing cuts implemented by the Trump administration may have hindered the response to the devastating floods in Texas. 00:52 - Source: CNN Justice Department says there's no evidence Jeffrey Epstein had 'client list' After months of touting the impending release of new, blockbuster information on accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, the Justice Department announced in a memo that there is no evidence he kept a 'client list' or was murdered. 01:12 - Source: CNN Immigration enforcement swarms LA park Dozens of federal immigration agents in tactical gear accompanied by members of the California National Guard were deployed Monday to a mostly empty MacArthur Park in Los Angeles Monday morning. It's unclear if anyone was taken into custody during the operation, which sparked outrage among local residents and which Mayor Karen Bass called 'outrageous' and 'an attempt to spread fear.' An Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson told CNN the agency does not comment on ongoing operations. 01:07 - Source: CNN Which countries received a Trump tariff letter? 00:56 - Source: CNN Musk says he's forming new political party Billionaire Elon Musk says he is forming a third political party, following his dramatic falling out with President Donald Trump. CNN's Hadas Gold breaks down Musk's plan and the challenges involved. 01:22 - Source: CNN Trump uses antisemitic term at rally President Donald Trump used a term considered antisemitic at a rally on Thursday night while talking about his major domestic policy bill that was approved by Congress hours earlier. 00:49 - Source: CNN Trump signs 'Big Beautiful Bill' President Donald Trump signs a sweeping spending and tax legislation, known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," at the White House. 00:38 - Source: CNN How Trump's 'Garden of Heroes' could get made President Donald Trump hopes to create a new national monument called the "National Garden of American Heroes" that would include 250 statues and be unveiled in one year. CNN's Sunlen Serfaty talks to Monumental Labs, a high-tech marble fabricator just outside New York City, about the challenges of making Trump's vision a reality. 02:05 - Source: CNN
CNN
09-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Rep. Doggett fires back at Gov. Abbott's comments about Texas flood
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) pushed back against a football analogy made by Gov. Greg Abbott yesterday, saying the catastrophic flooding in the state and the region's response to the disaster is 'not a game.'
