Over the Fourth of July weekend, a tragedy unfolded in the Texas Hill Country that demands our attention—not just for the heartbreak, but for the lesson it offers. Flash floods claimed the lives of at least 109 people, including dozens of children attending summer camp along the Guadalupe River. Entire families were swept into chaos as the water rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes.
Among the victims were 8-year-old Linnie McCown, 9-year-old Lila Bonner, 18-year-old counselor Chloe Childress, and many more whose names will be etched in the hearts of their communities forever. Officials say at least 161 people are still missing in Kerr County alone.
In the aftermath, people naturally asked: were there warnings? And the answer is yes—there were flood watches and urgent alerts issued in the early morning hours. But many were asleep. Many didn’t get the message in time. The systems were in place, but the human response— understandably—didn’t keep up.
In Cibola County, we have the systems and the ability to be prepared.
I spend a lot of time in this column talking about leadership. I’ve spoken about the city charter, the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and national pride. But today, I want to talk about something more important than government accountability— personal responsibility.
Because no matter how prepared our institutions may be, none of it matters if we, the people, aren’t ready.
Cibola County has an emergency alert notification system. It works. It’s designed to save lives. And yet, many people in our county still aren’t signed up for it. So I’m going to do something simple but serious: I’m going to tell you how to sign up. Right now. No excuses.
There are five easy ways to enroll: 1. Visit hyperr each.com/nmcibolasignup.html 2. Call (505) 209-- 8309 3. Text 'alerts' to (505) 209-8309 4. Ask your Alexa device, 'Alexa, enable Hyper-Reach' I’m not running the QR code this time—we’ve done that in past issues, and space is tight—but the instructions above will take you where you need to go. It takes less than a minute. And it could save your life.
Here are some additional numbers to keep on hand:
Cibola County Office of Emergency Management
2001 Clif Lear Ave.
Grants, NM 87020 Phone: (505) 285-2558 Fax: (505) 876-5485
Non-Emergency Dispatch: (505) 287 9476
We are fortunate to have strong leadership at the county level. Emergency Manager Dustin Middleton, Grants Fire Chief Mike Maes, and Milan Fire Chief Daniel Urioste regularly remind us of the basics: clear your property of flammable materials. Cut the dry weeds. Clean the gutters. Don’t leave firewood stacked against your house. It may be inconvenient, but it’s critical.
I did it this weekend. I swept out my gutters. I cleared pollen and leaves. I made sure nothing was building up that could ignite. I even picked up a new fire extinguisher. These things aren’t fun, and they aren’t flashy, but they are how we protect our homes.
So, this isn’t about fire, or flood, but about having a “ready” mindset.
Please—sign up for alerts. Save the numbers. Talk to your family. Do the things that feel small now, because they might be the difference between life and death later.
Cibola County has made it easy to be informed, we owe it to ourselves and our neighbors to sign up.
Readiness isn’t just the job of emergency managers. It’s the job of every one of us.