I wanted to post this as both a volunteer and a moderator on here, since I’ve seen a lot of people asking how they can help with the flooding disaster in Kerr County and along the Guadalupe River.

First off: please do not self-deploy. I know it comes from a good place, but showing up on your own can cause more harm than good. It can slow down official search and rescue efforts, lead to confusion in damage assessments, and, in some cases, untrained individuals are counted as residents, which complicates area clearance tracking. Working in flooded neighborhoods and debris fields can be dangerous.

The best thing you can do is get involved with a volunteer organization before the disaster, what we call “blue sky” days. That way, you’re trained, insured, and ready to be deployed when disasters like this hit.

Some great groups to look into:

🔹 TEXSAR (Texas Search and Rescue)
One of the most active SAR teams in Texas. Volunteers include K9 teams, drone pilots, medical, and ground search crews. They’re already on the ground in Kerr County.

🔹 Team Rubicon
A veteran-led disaster response org that also includes civilian volunteers. They handle recon, debris removal, chainsaw ops, muck-outs, and more. Fast, efficient, and well-coordinated. If you're into disaster response and want to get your hands dirty, this is a great place to start.

▫️ Salvation Army
They show up with mobile kitchens and feed both survivors and responders. If you want to support behind the scenes with logistics, food, or emotional care, this might be for you.

▫️ American Red Cross (ARC)
Red Cross handles shelters, food, supplies, and long-term casework. Ideal for individuals who wish to support operations and community-facing initiatives.

There are other good orgs too, but these are some of the ones actively involved in this response.

Don’t forget: many local churches and community groups are organizing food and water donations for the affected towns. That’s another way to help without putting yourself or others at risk.

I volunteer with some of the above groups, and I can tell you, they’re either already helping or getting ready to step in as rescue transitions to recovery. If you want to help, get trained and get involved the right way. We’ll need people in the weeks and months ahead.

Thank you for caring and doing it the right way.