Distressing 911 calls released from hard-hit Kerr County flooding in Texas

The Kerr County authorities have released hundreds of 911 calls from the devastating July 4 flood that struck the Texas Hill Country. The recordings were made public late Thursday after requests under the Freedom of Information Act by multiple media organizations.

We want to warn the public that the content of these calls is extremely distressing. Some of the callers did not survive, stated Kerrville Police Chief Chris McCall in a video message before the release.

The first flood-related 911 call in western Kerr County arrived at 2:52 a.m. on July 4. Over the following six hours, the county's 911 center, responsible for all emergency calls in Kerr County, received 435 calls. Only two operators were on duty, and McCall praised their efforts in managing the overwhelming call volume.

I am deeply proud of our telecommunications staff, McCall said. These public safety professionals showed extraordinary dedication, handling the surge in calls while providing assistance and comfort to each caller.

Some calls had to be redirected to nearby dispatch centers due to the high volume. Operators often had to make the difficult choice of ending one call to respond to the next while collecting essential information from each caller.

The 911 recordings are being released completely, without any redactions. The police department warned that the content is distressing and advised caution for listeners, particularly those connected to victims.

More than 130 people died in flash floods across the Hill Country, including at least 117 in Kerr County. At Camp Mystic, a Christian all-girls camp along the Guadalupe River, 28 individuals lost their lives, including 25 campers, two counselors, and the camp director, as rapidly rising floodwaters engulfed the camp.

Earlier, 911 calls from other affected counties in the region, such as Gillespie and Kendall, were also made public.

Author: Natalie Monroe