DeWine sending troopers to help in Texas recovery

Published 12:00 am Thursday, July 10, 2025

COLUMBUS — Twenty troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s (OSHP) Mobile Field Force are now en route to Texas to support search, rescue, and recovery work following the July 4th flooding disaster along the Guadalupe River.

“Our hearts go out to everyone in Texas who is suffering through such an unthinkable tragedy,” said Gov. Mike DeWine. “By sending in our teams from Ohio, we can support recovery work and give some relief to the Texas first responders who’ve been working nearly nonstop for several days straight.”

DeWine activated the OSHP Mobile Field Force after calling Texas gov. Greg Abbott over the weekend to offer support from Ohio. The troopers are expected to be in Texas for one week. 

A team from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is also traveling to Texas. 

DeWine is sending four natural resources officers and four K-9s trained in search, rescue, and recovery.

A foot of rain on Friday caused a flash flood the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, Texas, to cause catastrophic damage that killed 104.

The Texas Hill Country in the central part of the state is naturally prone to flash flooding due to the dry dirt-packed areas where the soil lets rain skid along the surface of the landscape instead of soaking it up. Friday’s flash floods started with a particularly bad storm that dropped most of its 12 inches of rain in the dark early morning hours. 

The AP contributed to this story.