As Texas mourns the lives lost during the devastating July 4 flash flood in Kerr County, a pressing question is surfacing—could more lives have been saved if the right technology had been used to warn people in time?
A new report is now casting a harsh spotlight on the county’s emergency response, revealing that officials failed to use a critical alert system designed to warn residents in real-time—despite having access to it.
The Missed Opportunity to Use a Powerful Emergency System
Kerr County officials reportedly did not send out messages through the federal Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS)—a tool similar to Amber Alerts that sends loud, vibrating warnings to phones—despite dire weather warnings being shared in advance.
A National Weather Service meteorologist, Jason Runyen, had even issued a clear warning through a Slack channel where local officials and journalists were present.
But that message was never escalated to an official mass alert.
Just hours later, his warning became reality.
In the early morning of July 4, the Guadalupe River surged by at least 30 feet in Hunt, Texas, near Camp Mystic—an all-girls Christian summer camp.
Tragically, dozens of children and camp staff were killed.
Countywide, around 160 people are still missing.
Experts Say the System Could Have Saved Lives
Emergency management experts now say this oversight may have cost lives.
Abdul-Akeem Sadiq, a professor at the University of Central Florida who studies disaster response, told The Washington Post that failing to send IPAWS alerts was a major mistake.
According to Sadiq, alerts coming from local sources are generally more trusted by residents, especially in rural or flood-prone areas where national warnings are often ignored.
Even if only a few people had received the alert in time, they might have been able to wake others and spread the word.
The Limitations of the System They Did Use
Instead of IPAWS, Kerr County used a more limited system called CodeRED.
This system sends voice messages to landlines listed in the White Pages and only texts those who’ve signed up.
It’s an outdated method compared to IPAWS, which broadcasts to all cell phones in a specific area regardless of sign-up.
To make matters worse, some residents reportedly didn’t receive CodeRED alerts until almost 11 a.m.—hours after the river had already reached dangerous levels.
Screenshots shared with The Post suggest a critical delay in communication.
Kerr County Has Used IPAWS Before—So Why Not This Time?
The decision not to use IPAWS is especially puzzling considering that county officials have used it in the past, even for far less severe situations.
Just last July, Kerr County Emergency Coordinator William B. “Dub” Thomas issued an IPAWS alert warning the Guadalupe River might rise by four feet.
That flood ended without any major damage.
But during this much more serious July 4 flood, IPAWS wasn’t used until two days later—on July 6—when authorities were worried about another possible surge in river levels.
Officials Respond as Pressure Mounts
The Daily Mail reached out to Thomas for comment, but a broader statement came from a communications team representing both local and state officials.
It said the county is currently focused on rescue and reunification efforts and is committed to a “transparent and full review” of how this disaster was handled.
Still, the lack of a clear explanation for why IPAWS wasn’t used sooner continues to stir frustration and public scrutiny.
A Tense Moment at the Press Conference
At a press conference earlier this week, emotions were high.
When one reporter asked Sheriff Larry Leitha whether anyone in the emergency office had simply been awake to send an alert, the sheriff didn’t hide his frustration.
“Sir, it’s not that easy to just push a button,” Leitha replied sharply.
“And we’ve told you several times.”
What Comes Next?
As the community searches for answers and mourns its losses, one thing is clear: questions about the county’s decision-making during those critical early hours won’t be going away anytime soon.
The investigation into why IPAWS wasn’t used earlier will likely be a key focus moving forward.
For many in Kerr County, the heartbreak is still raw—but so is the need for accountability.