East Texas emergency officials discuss ways to improve government response efforts

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) – Texas state senators recently met as part of a committee examining response efforts following Hurricane Beryl.

Some East Texas officials, including Smith County Emergency Management Coordinator Brandon Moore, said government bureaucracy has made their lives more difficult.

“It would be great if there was transparency at the state and local level,” Moore said. “It would be great if there was more availability for subject matter experts.”

Moore said his office could use more debris management equipment.

“The problem with emergency management is that it’s not used until something bad happens,” he added. “It’s hard to justify spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on equipment that might be used twice a year.”

Polk County Judge Sydney Murphy echoed Moore’s sentiment, saying the bureaucracy has proven “cumbersome.”

Tens of thousands of residents in Deep East Texas were left without power as a result of Hurricane Beryl.

“At one point, the state of Texas paid for all or part of the emergency management directors,” Murphy added. “That might be an area the state needs to look at again.”

Moore stressed individual preparedness in case of an emergency. She recommended having nonperishable food, bottled water, batteries and flashlights on hand. She also advised creating a plan in case of a natural disaster and consulting resources such as Texas Ready if you have questions.

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