Search-and-rescue personnel use heavy equipment and specialized hardware to clear debris from riverbanks following the devastating floods in Central Texas earlier this month that left more than 130 people dead and many missing as well. (Photos by Josh Bardwell)
Weeks after devastating flash flooding in Central Texas, recovery efforts are ongoing – with more than 130 people dead and scores missing, closure is the best hope for many families.
Following the historic weather event on the July Fourth weekend, a massive search-and-rescue operation quickly grew beyond 1,000 first responders – local, state, federal and others – pulling hundreds to safety but with many more still unaccounted for.
According to West Mountain VFD Fire Chief Josh Bardwell, “When we got here, we were still involved in the primary searches. It hadn’t transitioned to a full recovery yet.”
A lieutenant with Smith County Emergency Services District No. 2, Bardwell was dispatched July 9 by Texas A&M Forest Service to assist search-and-rescue operations in the region. Serving as a Heavy Equipment Boss through the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System, he’s embedded with Colorado Urban Search & Rescue Task Force One.
Throughout the linear 60-mile stretch of the Guadalupe River, they’re focused on the area between the towns of Center Point and Comfort.
A heavy equipment operator clears kayaks from a pile of debris swept down the Guadalupe River in catastrophic floods on Fourth of July weekend. West Mountain VFD Fire Chief Josh Bardwell is part of the massive recovery effort underway in the Texas Hill Country.
“We have completed all primary search, and we are now reengaged with secondary search,” Bardwell reported Saturday. “The overall mission is to try to recover everyone, if possible, to bring closure to all the families.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s disaster declaration includes 26 counties in Central Texas, the Hill Country and South Texas – last week, the official death toll climbed to 135 with half as many unaccounted for.
Working to stabilize the affected area, “We were to integrate with the individual urban search-and-rescue teams working throughout various divisions,” Bardwell said, “from the town of Hunt, where the Mystic Campground was, all the way through to Canyon Lake.
“Our job is to be the liaison and heavy equipment assistance to the federal and USAR teams doing search-and-rescue. We’re not cleaning up, we’re specifically tasked with searching for the missing.”
For the sake of the victims’ families, there’s much that can’t be said right now.
It’s an arduous task, driven by a legion of dedicated emergency personnel and volunteers focused on recovering men, women and children caught off-guard and without a way to escape when the floodwaters struck.
“We’re just methodically working down the river on both sides of the river every day from sun-up to sundown with heavy equipment and specialized equipment, sifting through these debris piles and logjams,” Bardwell said, “working with the search team to methodically pick through it all, looking through anything and everything to search for people.
A helicopter flies past a Texas flag at half-staff following deadly flooding in Central Texas, Hill Country and South Texas in early July. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 26 counties. Last week saw the death toll updated to 135 with half as many victims still unaccounted for; a massive recovery effort is underway.
“The hardest part hasn’t been the heat, it’s been the personal disappointment that hits when you excavate and sift through tons of debris in one site for hours just to come up with nothing. Everybody desperately wants to bring everyone lost home.”
Some families are getting that closure. One at a time.
With Bardwell’s 14-day assignment coming to a close, his mind is on the personnel who remain and the ongoing task ahead.
“According to the state, this is going to be a long duration event, for many more weeks if not more months,” he said. “The recovery to the clean-up stage is going to take a long time.
“Everybody’s been working really hard to find the missing, and it’s been commendable to see.”
More people want to step up to help with the recovery and stabilization of the communities. Reach out to the local fire departments and county leadership to find the best way to serve, Bardwell says: “It can be difficult with such a large incident as this to have everyone on the same page.”
The mission continues.
“We want to find everyone, and we want to try to bring closure to these people. You’ve got a lot of people trying to do the right thing out here.”