“Be Prepared”: Texas Task Forces Lead Heroic Response in Hill Country Floods

“Be Prepared”: Texas Task Forces Lead Heroic Response in Hill Country Floods

Author: Andrew Pool - Founder
JULY 8, 2025

The Devastating Hill Country Floods of July 2025

Early July 2025 brought unprecedented flash floods to Central Texas, turning tranquil rivers into raging torrents. In the Hill Country, heavy rainfall – nearly a foot in some areas – caused the Guadalupe River to rise with astonishing speedkwtx.com. Before dawn on July 4, the river surged 26 feet within 45 minutes, inundating summer camps, homes, and roadskwtx.com. Entire cabins at Camp Mystic, a historic girls’ camp on the Guadalupe, were swept away as campers and counselors scrambled for higher ground. By July 8, the disaster’s toll had grown grim: at least 110 people had lost their lives and 161 were still missing statewide, with Kerr County alone accounting for 87 deaths (including 30 children)fox4news.com. Yet amid this tragedy, more than 850 people were rescued in the first few days thanks to swift action by emergency respondersfox4news.com. The Hill Country floods of 2025 will be remembered as one of Texas’ most deadly flood events – but also as a moment when preparedness, courage, and integrity saved countless lives.

Preparation Pays Off: The Boy Scout Motto in Action

Well before the floodwaters peaked, Texans were already living the Boy Scout motto: “Be Prepared.” Days before the disaster, officials had anticipated the threat and mobilized resources. In Hill County, for example, emergency managers closely monitored weather forecasts and saturated ground levelskwtx.com. They pre-positioned Texas Task Force 2 and other rescue units in the region as a precaution, knowing that readiness can spell the difference between life and death. “Being ready for these severe weather events is all about preparation,” noted Hill County Emergency Management Coordinator Tom Hemrick – and preparation is exactly what they focused onkwtx.com.

Texas Task Force 2 vehicles staged in Hill County, Texas, in mid-June 2025, exemplifying early flood preparednesskwtx.com.

When torrential rains triggered flash floods, those advance efforts paid dividends. Texas Task Force 2 (TX-TF2) arrived in Hill County and staged in Hillsboro days beforehand, ready to respond at a moment’s notice across six surrounding countieskwtx.comkwtx.com. Team leader David Birdsong described TX-TF2 as an “all-hazards team” capable of wide-area search, structural collapse rescue, and – for this event – swift water rescueskwtx.com. Local authorities also pushed out early warnings via emergency alert systems to urge residents and campers to seek safe groundkwtx.comkwtx.com. This culture of vigilance and preparedness undoubtedly saved lives. As Birdsong advised, staying “situationally aware” of evolving weather and heeding evacuation orders is critical to survive such fast-moving disasterskwtx.com. The proactive staging of rescue teams and the public’s responsiveness to alerts demonstrated how “Be Prepared” is more than a motto – it’s a practical strategy for disaster resilience.

Texas Task Force 1 and 2: Elite Lifesaving Teams

Central to the rescue operations were Texas Task Force 1 (TX-TF1) and Texas Task Force 2 (TX-TF2), the state’s elite urban search and rescue teams. Both task forces are sponsored by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) and have a long history of responding to disasters. Texas A&M Task Force 1 is one of 28 federal FEMA Urban Search & Rescue teams in the nation, and also serves as a statewide team under the Texas Division of Emergency Managementtexastaskforce1.org. Since its founding in 1997, TX-TF1 has deployed on over 100 missions across Texas and the United States, relentlessly carrying out search and rescue operations with highly trained, multi-disciplinary personnelteex.org. Headquartered in College Station and boasting more than 600 members from across 60 organizations, TX-TF1 can mobilize a 70-person task force with swiftwater boats, K9 units, medical specialists, and heavy rescue equipment. The team prides itself on being self-sufficient for 72 hours and able to sustain 14-day continuous operations in devastated areastexastaskforce1.org – the epitome of “Be Prepared” through training and logistics.

Texas Task Force 2, based in Dallas, is the younger sister team, established in 2007 to expand the state’s search and rescue capacitytexastaskforce2.org. Initially a Type-3 (35-person) task force, TX-TF2 later grew into a Type-2 team, meaning it can field a 70-member deployment for major incidentstexastaskforce2.orgtexastaskforce2.org. With over 200 members from about 20 North Texas agencies, including firefighters, engineers, and canine handlers, TX-TF2 brings a wealth of expertise to the fieldtexastaskforce2.org. Like TX-TF1, the Dallas-based team is built for rapid mobilization – members can muster within four hours of activation, and they arrive equipped to sustain themselves for the first 72 hours of a crisistexastaskforce2.orgtexastaskforce2.org. Under TEEX’s sponsorship, both Task Force 1 and 2 train rigorously year-round, drilling everything from collapsed-building rescues at the famous “Disaster City” training site to helicopter hoist operations and floodboat navigation. This extensive preparation enables them to act decisively when real emergencies strike. As TEEX notes, TX-TF1 and TX-TF2 stand as Texas’s premier rescue teams, ever ready “at a moment’s notice” to locate, extricate, and aid victims trapped by disastertexastaskforce2.orgtexastaskforce2.org.

When the July 2025 floods hit, Texas Task Force 1 and 2 were activated as part of a massive state response. Governor Greg Abbott elevated the State Operations Center to an emergency footing and deployed more than 1,750 personnel and 975 vehicles from over 20 state agenciesgov.texas.govgov.texas.gov. Among these, TX-TF1 and TX-TF2 provided their specialized capabilities: swiftwater rescue boat squads, floodwater boat teams, and urban search-and-rescue units with canine teams to comb debris for survivorsgov.texas.gov. They worked alongside the Texas National Guard’s high-water vehicles and helicopters, Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens and boats, Department of Public Safety air rescue units, and many local fire/rescue departments in a coordinated effortgov.texas.govfox4news.com. In fact, the flooding response saw an extraordinary statewide mutual aid effort – 28 Task Force boat teams and resources from 78 local agencies converged to help their fellow Texansfox4news.com. This level of teamwork and interoperability is only possible through foresight and cross-training, hallmarks of the Task Force program. Years of preparedness training led by TX-TF1 and TX-TF2 meant that when the call came, teams from across Texas could integrate quickly and get to work saving lives.

Heroes in Action: Rescues Amid the Storm

As floodwaters raged through neighborhoods and campsites, countless acts of heroism unfolded – some captured by news cameras, many others quietly unseen. First responders and volunteers alike sprang into action with a “bias for action” that put service above self. In San Angelo, over 150 miles from Kerr County, sudden floods on the same morning caught residents off guard, but Fort Worth Fire Department’s swiftwater team – deployed with Texas Task Force 1 – rushed in to assist local authoritiesfox4news.comfox4news.com. Dramatic drone footage later showed Fort Worth firefighters in chest-deep water, helping TX-TF1 rescue people from submerged homes on July 4thfox4news.comfox4news.com. In the Hill Country, Plano and Bedford fire crews, as part of Task Force boat squads, navigated treacherous currents to reach stranded campers and residentsfox4news.comfox4news.com. The Bedford Fire Department reported that its team alone saved numerous lives in Kerrville, emphasizing that every life saved mattered in the midst of such devastationfox4news.comfox4news.com.

One particularly inspiring story came from Camp Mystic, where fast-rising waters imperiled hundreds of young girls and staff before dawn. Rescue teams arrived to a chaotic scene: cabins engulfed, people clinging to trees and debris. Amidst the darkness and torrent, the U.S. Coast Guard joined the effort as part of a unified command. At 5:57 am on July 4, as the flood emergency unfolded, Texas Task Force 1 called for Coast Guard air support near Kerrvillenews.uscg.mil. The Coast Guard scrambled helicopters from Corpus Christi and Houston, which arrived to find campers trapped by the floodnews.uscg.milnews.uscg.mil. Fifteen girls were plucked to safety from rooftops and hilltops by Coast Guard rescue swimmers and aircrews at Camp Mysticnews.uscg.mil. In one remarkable act of dedication, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer stayed behind on the ground with victims – providing medical aid and coordinating the evacuation of about 230 campers and staff onto National Guard helicopters and other agency aircraftnews.uscg.mil. This selfless rescuer literally remained in harm’s way to ensure others got out. “The preservation of life during this incident is our top priority,” explained Coast Guard Captain Ulysses Mullins, underscoring why his crews worked side-by-side with Texas teams to reach everyone they couldseapowermagazine.orgseapowermagazine.org.

Not all heroes wore uniforms. Camp counselors and older campers became rescuers too, in the spirit of integrity and leadership. At Camp Mystic, teenage campers carried younger girls to high ground through swirling waterskwtx.com. Over at a nearby boys’ camp, quick-thinking counselors formed human chains and used mattresses as improvised rafts, actions that saved many youngsters before official help arrivedkwtx.comkwtx.com. In one instance, an 8-year-old girl from Camp Mystic was swept away on a floating mattress and later found alive downstream – a miraculous survival that reunified her with familykwtx.com. Such stories spread a ray of hope in an otherwise dark time. Across the flood zone, neighbors helped neighbors: volunteer boaters (often dubbed the “Texas Navy”) patrolled inundated streets to ferry families to safety, and local ranchers used their high-clearance trucks to pull strangers out of stalled cars. Every act – big or small – by those with the initiative to act reduced the loss of life. Texas officials noted that without these rapid responses, the death toll could have been even higherfox4news.comfox4news.com. Indeed, integrity and bias for action were on full display as ordinary people and trained professionals alike put duty before self, fulfilling the promise of “Be Prepared.”

Integrity in the Aftermath: The Unglamorous Work

When the floodwaters finally receded and national news cameras drifted to the next story, a new crisis emerged: thousands of Texans were left with devastated homes, ruined possessions, and heartache for lost loved ones. This is the phase of disaster that tests the true meaning of integrity – doing the right thing even when no one is watching. In Kerr County and other impacted areas, responders seamlessly transitioned from rescue to recovery. Texas Task Force teams, along with local firefighters and law enforcement, stayed on to conduct exhaustive searches of riverbanks and debris piles for days, determined to find every missing personseapowermagazine.orgseapowermagazine.org. Volunteers poured in from around the state, many using personal vacation time to help strangers pick up the pieces of their lives. They cleared out mud-caked homes, delivered food and water, and comforted families in shelters. Churches and charities organized cleanup crews to rip out soggy drywall and flooring – hard, dirty work that rarely makes headlines but is invaluable to starting recovery.

Crucially, support for the flood victims did not end with the rescues. Local organizations established relief funds to aid survivors in rebuilding. For example, a Kerr County community foundation launched a flood relief fund that numerous businesses and donors contributed to, ensuring resources for long-term recovery effortsfox4news.comfox4news.com. Donation drives across Texas collected truckloads of supplies, from bottled water and diapers to furniture for families who lost everythingkwtx.comkwtx.com. This outpouring of help, often after media attention faded, showed the depth of Texans’ commitment to one another. Integrity means following through: volunteer teams kept showing up week after week, long after the disaster declaration, doing the unglamorous labor of cleaning and rebuilding simply because it was the right thing to do. In the words of one relief organizer, “These folks need help now more than ever – and we’re not going to leave when the spotlight leaves.” Such persistence in compassion is the quiet heroism that sustains communities.

Even government responders demonstrated integrity by staying the course. The Texas Division of Emergency Management’s recovery task force deployed liaison officers to help families navigate FEMA aid and insurance claimsgov.texas.govgov.texas.gov. The Texas National Guard shifted from rescue operations to assisting with damage assessments and distributing supplies in remote areasgov.texas.gov. Engineers from the Texas A&M Public Works Response Team inspected bridges and water systems to expedite repairsgov.texas.gov. All these efforts underscore a fundamental principle: Disaster response doesn’t end when the cameras turn off. It ends when the community is healed – and that demands diligence, empathy, and integrity in the long haul.

Be Prepared: A Personal Call to Action

For those of us reading about these floods from afar, the story carries a personal message. Disasters can strike anywhere, often with little warning. “Be Prepared” is not just a slogan for Boy Scouts or rescue teams; it’s a mindset we all can embrace in our daily lives. We might not all be able to deploy on a Task Force boat crew, but we can take steps to protect our families and strengthen our communities. Start with personal preparedness: have an emergency plan and a go-kit ready for your household, especially if you live in a flood-prone or storm-prone area. Stay informed about weather risks – as Texas officials repeatedly urged, remain “weather aware” and heed the guidance of local authorities when warnings are issuedgov.texas.gov. Something as simple as avoiding low-water crossings in a flash flood (remember: Turn Around, Don’t Drowngov.texas.gov) or evacuating when told to do so can be life-saving. Preparedness is also about maintaining vigilance: know the hazards in your area, practice how you’d respond, and make sound decisions in a crisis rather than panicking.

Equally important, preparedness means being ready to help others. Everyone can lend a hand, whether by learning basic first aid, volunteering with local emergency programs, or donating wisely after a disaster. Consider joining community emergency response teams (CERT) or volunteering with organizations like the Red Cross or local volunteer fire departments – these groups provide training so that in times of need you can assist safely and effectively. Even without formal affiliation, you can be the neighbor who checks on the elderly during severe weather, or who organizes a neighborhood relief drive when disaster strikes. The heroes of the Hill Country floods showed that action fueled by compassion can make a profound difference. From the teenager who carried younger children through the flood, to the off-duty nurse who tended the injured in a shelter, to the citizens who showed up with boats and trucks, each answered the call without waiting to be asked. This bias for action – seeing a need and stepping in – is something we can cultivate in our communities every day.

Finally, let the legacy of the 2025 Texas floods be a lesson in integrity and resilience. Integrity is exemplified by those who do the right thing when no one’s looking – the people who continue sandbagging a neighbor’s home after midnight, or who spend their weekend cleaning debris from a stranger’s yard, expecting no reward. We honor them by adopting that same ethic of service. In our own lives, that could mean quietly maintaining readiness, or making decisions that prioritize safety and kindness over convenience. It might mean teaching our children the value of being prepared and helping others, so a new generation grows up ready to meet the challenges that will come.

Disasters will continue to test us, whether in Texas or elsewhere, but if we carry forward the spirit of preparedness, courage, and integrity witnessed in the Texas floods, we can face those tests head-on. Be prepared, be steadfast, and care for one another – in doing so, we become the everyday heroes our world needs, come hell or high water.

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