Union Accuses Austin Fire Chief of Dereliction After Kerr County Disaster

Austin Fire Chief Joel Baker encountered increasing scrutiny this week as the city’s firefighters' union geared up to cast their votes on a resolution expressing no confidence regarding his department’s sluggish reaction to the devastating floods in Kerr County. The Austin Firefighters Association took to social media on Monday to express their outrage, accusing Baker of a “disgraceful dereliction of duty” for reportedly overlooking early mutual aid requests that might have dispatched rescue teams to the flood zone days earlier.

Association President Bob Nicks stated that the department turned down an informal request for assistance on July 2, just two days before the flooding of the Guadalupe River, which devastated large areas of Kerrville and resulted in the tragic loss of at least 84 lives, including 28 children. A second request made on July 3 was also reportedly denied. Nicks reported that he reached out to Baker via text over the weekend, attempting to convince him to take action, but did not receive any response.

Baker confirmed he had received messages from Nicks but stated he was not aware of any official requests until the morning of July 4. He gave the green light for two teams to head out that day, which included four rescue swimmers, with additional deployments sanctioned later in the weekend.

An internal email obtained by the American-Statesman revealed that Baker had halted emergency deployments through the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) in early June due to an $800,000 backlog in unpaid state reimbursements. Baker acknowledged that the directive was ambiguous and clarified that it was never meant to stop all assistance, but rather to evaluate deployments on an individual basis.

Baker expressed his concerns about the city's budget crisis and the strain on local resources due to Austin's flood risk. He asserted that he was working to juggle the duties of supporting Kerr County while ensuring the safety of Austin residents.

Nicks contended that the department was well-equipped to handle both emergencies, stating, “Our bench has enough depth.” On Tuesday, the union is anticipated to cast their votes regarding the potential no-confidence resolution aimed at Chief Baker.

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