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City officials in Kerrville were largely unprepared for the devastating floods that struck the Hill Country on July 4, according to newly released city communications, including emails and text messages obtained by KSAT through public records requests.
The documents include a text exchange involving Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice, in which he appeared to mock U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Hours before a July 5 press conference, held alongside federal, state, and local officials to update the public on rescue efforts, a city employee texted Rice, “Just saw you met Homeland Barbie. How is she?”
Rice replied, “Basically Homeland Barbie,” followed by a string of laughter.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem participates in a round table event with President Donald Trump at the Hill Country Youth Event Center to discuss flash flooding on July 11, 2025 in Kerrville, Texas. (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The nickname, and similar terms like “ICE Barbie,” have circulated online to satirize Noem since her appointment as DHS Secretary earlier this year.
The exchange has raised eyebrows given the gravity of the disaster response and growing criticism of how it was handled.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., has sharply criticized the federal response, alleging it was politically motivated. While not directly blaming Noem for the flooding itself, Murphy accused the Trump administration of undermining FEMA’s readiness, claiming FEMA personnel were fired while flood victims were actively calling the agency for help.
Noem defended the federal response in an interview on Fox News Sunday, earlier this month, pushing back on allegations of delay.
She stated that more than 700 FEMA workers were on the ground within hours of a call with Texas officials. She also noted the Coast Guard was deployed immediately following that conversation.
Despite her defense, concerns persist at both the state and local levels.
Rain falls over a makeshift memorial for flood victims along the Guadalupe River, Sunday, July 13, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
At the state level, Texas officials have long resisted calls to implement a warning siren system along the Guadalupe River, where the flooding proved most fatal. Critics argue that such a system could have saved lives.
Separately, a controversial reorganization by the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led to the dismissal of a key National Weather Service emergency coordination officer just months before the disaster, raising additional questions about institutional readiness.
The tragedy has left Kerrville and surrounding communities demanding accountability and systemic reform before the next storm strikes.
NOEM RIPS CNN REPORT CLAIMING SHE DELAYED DHS RESPONSE TO TEXAS FLOOD AS ‘ABSOLUTELY TRASH’
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Gov. Greg Abbott, discuss the ongoing efforts for recent flooding along the Guadalupe River during a news conference in Ingram, Texas, on Saturday. (AP Photo/Rodolfo Gonzalez)
The catastrophic flooding claimed at least 137 lives across Texas, with 108 fatalities reported in Kerr County alone. Among the dead were 27 campers and staff members at Camp Mystic, a century-old Christian summer camp for girls in the town of Hunt.
Authorities are now investigating whether Camp Mystic officials received and appropriately responded to flash flood warnings prior to the tragedy.
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The incident has sparked broader questions about how youth camps and other vulnerable institutions assess and act on rapidly evolving weather threats.
Fox News Digital reached out to Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice and the Kerrville city officials, but did not receive a response.
Fox News’ Stephen Sorace and Asher Redd contributed to this report.
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com
