Three weeks after the catastrophic flash flooding in Central Texas, which authorities now confirm killed at least 137 people, state lawmakers came together this week to address how to move forward with safety the top priority. This effort involves the Texas Joint Select Committees on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding. As Texas Public Radio (TPR) reports from the special legislative session underway in Austin, several recommendations were suggested during the all-day hearing on Wednesday.
One recommendation from the Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd was to begin the requirement of employing only credentialed, professionally certified emergency managers. In smaller counties that can be an appointed position. “We've got some great local emergency managers out there. But there's no baseline standardization for how they got to where they are.”
Kidd also described what he sees as the state’s fragmented emergency response system, in which each of the 254 Texas counties has the authority to order evacuations. Authorities have said no such order was given in the hardest hit areas as flooding began.
The second hearing will take place next week in Kerrville, Texas. That’s according to information coming out of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s office. Lawmakers expect the next hearing to be emotional, but also provide a chance to hear from residents impacted by the storm, along with local officials still dealing with recovery and cleanup
efforts. The office’s website listed the following items that the joint committees will examine:
1. Flood Warning Systems
2. Flood Emergency Communications
3. Relief Funding for Hill Country Floods
5. Natural Disaster Preparation & Recovery
