911 Audio Reveals System Overwhelmed as 28 Died at Camp Mystic During July 4 Flood

Kerr County’s 911 system received 172 emergency calls between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. during the July 4 flood that killed 119 people, including 28 at Camp Mystic and more than 30 at HTR TX Hill Country Resort, according to call records and audio transcripts obtained by The Lead.

The recordings, released Friday, capture dispatchers struggling to provide survival guidance, knowing that rescue teams could not reach victims who were isolated by the floodwaters.

The Lead has reviewed calls from the two-hour window that appears to represent the peak of the crisis, with 51 calls in the first hour and 121 in the second — an average of 1.4 calls per minute — as the Guadalupe River rose to historic levels along Highway 39.

Among the most harrowing moments: One woman reported at 4:19 a.m. that two young girls had floated down the Guadalupe River from the direction of Camp Mystic and that she had pulled them from the water at her home, approximately one mile downstream from the camp.

“We’ve already got two little girls who have come down the river and we’ve gotten to them, but I’m not sure how many else are out there,” the woman told a 911 dispatcher.

Camp Mystic Calls Show Rapid Deterioration

The first call from Camp Mystic came at 3:57 a.m., when counselor Cameron Kroger reported the camp was flooded. The camp was cut in half by floodwaters. Kroger said some staff were on the hill but could not reach the main office. 

“Some of the cabins are filling up with water,” Kroger told the dispatcher.

One minute later, at 3:58 a.m., another caller from Camp Mystic reported a more dire situation: multiple people trapped upstairs in a building with water rising into the room. Some calls came from Polish staff members at the camp for the summer.

After being transferred from Kerrville Police Department dispatch to the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office, a caller asked a critical question: “But how can you get on to the roof if the water is so high?”

The dispatcher responded: “I’m not sure.”

The dispatcher advised callers to reach the highest point possible and said help was coming, but acknowledged the system was overwhelmed.

Camp Mystic co-owner Dick Eastland died in the flood by approximately 4 a.m. The first call from camp ownership did not come until 7:23 a.m., when Britt Eastland reported 20 to 40 people missing and requested the National Guard.

System Routed Calls Across Multiple Counties

All 911 calls in Kerr County are initially answered by Kerrville Police Department dispatchers, who then transfer county-jurisdiction calls to the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office. On July 4, calls also overflowed to Bandera County Sheriff’s Office and Guadalupe County 911, adding transfer delays while callers remained trapped.

Many callers reported their cell phones were cutting out or operating in emergency SOS mode, meaning they had no regular service and dispatchers could not call them back with updates.

At 4:38 a.m., a caller reported Al Lorio was trapped at 109 Highway 39 with water at the ceiling and only a small air pocket remaining. Kerrville dispatcher Riley Gordon told the caller rescue boats were en route. Moments later, the caller reported Lorio had stopped responding and the call had ended. Lorio died in the flood.

By 4:43 a.m., a caller in Ingram told dispatchers what had become apparent: “You’re not going to be able to get here.” West Kerr County was cut off by flooded water crossings.

This is a developing story. The Lead continues to review 911 audio and will publish additional findings.