City officials in Kerrville were caught off guard by the severe floods that hit the Hill Country on July 4, as revealed by city communications recently made public, which included emails and text messages obtained by KSAT through public records requests.
The documents contain a text conversation involving Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice, where he jokingly called U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem “basically homeland Barbie.”
Before a press conference on July 5 with federal, state, and local officials to update the public on rescue operations, Rice received a message from a city employee asking about Noem. Rice replied with “Basically homeland Barbie,” followed by laughter.
The nickname “homeland Barbie” has been circulating online to mock Noem since she took on the role of DHS secretary earlier this year.
Her response to the flood crisis has received criticism, especially after it was revealed that changes in federal contract approval processes delayed FEMA’s deployment by about three days.
State and local concerns have also emerged.
Texas officials have been hesitant to implement a warning siren system for the Guadalupe River, where the most fatal flooding occurred. Additionally, a controversial reorganization by the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led to the removal of a key National Weather Service emergency coordination officer just months before the disaster.
The tragic events have left Kerrville and nearby communities seeking answers and reforms before the next disaster hits.
In response to mounting scrutiny, Secretary Noem defended the federal government’s actions, stating that FEMA’s response was the fastest in history. She emphasized that FEMA operated as President Trump intended, unlike under the Biden administration.
She also highlighted the support given to local officials and the state during the crisis.
The catastrophic flooding resulted in at least 137 deaths across Texas, with Kerr County reporting 108 fatalities. Among the victims were 27 individuals from Camp Mystic, a girls’ Christian summer camp in Hunt.
Authorities are investigating whether Camp Mystic officials received and appropriately responded to flash flood warnings prior to the tragedy.
The incident has raised broader questions about how youth camps and other vulnerable institutions assess and respond to rapidly changing weather threats.
Fox News Digital attempted to reach out to Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice and city officials, but did not receive a response.
Stepheny Price, a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, contributed to this report.
Stepheny Price is a Writer at Fox News with a focus on West Coast and Midwest news, missing persons, national and international crime stories, homicide cases, and border security.
