Houston honors firefighters, volunteers who aided Central Texas flood response

Houston city and fire department officials on a fall morning recognized Houston Fire Department volunteers who deployed to Central Texas after the July 4, 2025, floods that surged the Guadalupe River and killed more than 135 people, including children at summer camps.

The ceremony in the Legacy Room brought elected leaders, firefighters and family members who lost children in the storm together for a series of remarks, presentations and the distribution of commemorative shadow boxes and pendants. Mayor John Whitmire and union and department leaders praised volunteers’ search-and-rescue efforts and described the city’s support for families.

“Floodwaters don't stop at city lines, and neither does compassion,” said the event host. The speaker said crews from Houston packed gear and deployed on their own time and expense to assist in Hunt County and other affected areas during what the speaker called “the worst natural disaster in Texas history.” The opening remarks said the Guadalupe…