July 7, 2025; Guadalupe River, TX, USA; TEXSAR search-and-rescue volunteers scour the banks of the Guadalupe River, looking for victims of the recent floods. The group has deployed 50 volunteers and six swift-water rescue boats to help search for victims. Mandatory Credit: Courtesy of TEXSAR via Imagn Images
Sacramento, California – California is expanding its presence in Texas as devastating floods continue to impact communities across the state. Governor Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that three additional members of California’s elite Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) teams have been deployed to assist with ongoing response operations. The latest deployment brings the total number of California personnel on the ground to 42, now working in and around the flood-ravaged area of Kerr, Texas.
The additional team members, drawn from the Oakland and Sacramento Fire Departments, are part of specialized Human Remains Detection (HRD) units, which include canines trained for some of the most difficult and emotionally grueling tasks in emergency response. Other California responders already deployed come from Los Angeles County, Menlo Park, Orange County, and Riverside County, representing a coordinated effort across multiple jurisdictions to aid Texas in its time of need.
“These are highly trained personnel working under extreme conditions,” said Nancy Ward, Director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). “California is proud to help those in need in Texas.”
The operation is being carried out under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), a national system that enables states to share resources and expertise during major disasters. The California teams are tasked with supporting local agencies in some of the hardest-hit areas, deploying their specialized skills in search, rescue, and disaster recovery.
The HRD canine teams, critical in locating victims in collapsed structures and debris-laden flood zones, are operating under extended assignments—from the usual 14 days to 21 days. To safeguard the health and well-being of the dogs, Cal OES has implemented a schedule allowing two days of field work followed by one day of rest at the base camp.
Governor Newsom framed the deployment as part of California’s broader commitment to national mutual aid. “We help our fellow Americans in times of need,” he said. “California is proud to assist in the ongoing response to the devastating Texas floods.”
This latest deployment follows a pattern of California offering aid to other states in times of crisis. In the past three years, California has sent search and rescue teams to Florida after the Surfside condominium collapse, firefighters to Oregon and Montana during record-breaking wildfire seasons, and recovery experts to Hawaii in the aftermath of deadly blazes.
Officials emphasized that California’s own emergency readiness is not compromised by this deployment. State resources remain fully staffed and prepared for any immediate threats within California’s borders.
For Texas residents still reeling from the historic floods, the assistance can’t come fast enough. And for California’s responders, the work in Kerr is part of an ongoing mission that transcends state lines—a reminder of the shared responsibility to protect and rebuild.
