Kerr County, Texas, lacked a “last mile” warning mechanism that could have saved residents before the deadly floods devastated the area, including a children’s summer camp, killing more than 80 people.

For years, local leaders in Kerr County, Texas, talked about getting a flood warning system that didn't rely on cellphones — but the project was never funded.

Catastrophic flooding hit the Texas Hill County on July 4 when Kerrville received 10 to 12 inches of rain in a matter of hours. The Guadalupe River rose 26 feet within 45 minutes, according to state officials, and dozens of people have died.