Overview

• The Austin Firefighters Association scheduled a no-confidence vote for July 8 targeting Fire Chief Joel G. Baker over his handling of flood rescues.
• Union leaders say Baker denied state requests for swiftwater rescue crews on July 2 and 4, delaying deployment until later on July 4.
• An internal June 6 memo halted out-of-city deployments through October amid about $800,000 in unpaid state reimbursements.
• Baker denies budget concerns influenced his decision and says he approved three rescue swimmers as soon as he learned of the state’s request.
• Central Texas flash floods over the Fourth of July killed more than 100 people, including at least 28 campers on the Guadalupe River, intensifying scrutiny of mutual aid policies.