Kerr County's emergency management coordinator acknowledged Thursday that he was ill and asleep when rain inundated the Hill Country community early July 4.
Will Thomas told lawmakers during a legislative hearing in Kerrville that his wife woke him at 5:30 a.m. with a call from the city "requesting that I mobilize." At that point, floodwaters had already torn through Kerrville.
Thomas's testimony was part of the special hearing state lawmakers called in Kerrville to hear from residents and local officials about the state and local response to the flooding in Central Texas.
Gov. Greg Abbott has asked lawmakers to introduce legislation during the current special session to address concerns raised by the floods, including how residents were warned about the rising Guadalupe River and how quickly they received aid.