Disaster Impact & Response - At least 173 people are missing and the death toll has risen to 120 in Texas due to devastating flash floods [1] - The number of flood-related deaths in the US reached 145 in 2024, significantly above the 25-year average of 85 deaths per year [3] - Texas, North Carolina, New Mexico, and Chicago experienced four recorded flood events within a week [5] - Elimination of FEMA could leave states like Texas and Florida without a crucial backstop during disasters [7][8] Budget Cuts & Potential Consequences - Federal budget cuts leading to a lack of weather balloons may have slightly degraded the ability to forecast the Texas floods in advance [2] - Proposed cuts to NOAA, including climate research funding, could make the US less safe in the future [4] - The administration's proposed cuts to departments could result in hundreds of billions of dollars in bills and drain economic activity [13] - Cuts to social safety nets are being considered to pay for tax cuts [14] Political & Economic Considerations - Disasters like the Texas floods are likely to spark conversations about the impact of budget cuts, particularly those involving science and research [5][6] - Lack of disaster preparedness due to budget cuts could lead to significant economic damage [9] - Recovery efforts after disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, highlight the important role of FEMA and the potential economic impact of inadequate rebuilding [10] - Political pressure will likely mount on both sides regarding disaster relief, especially since the Texas flood occurred in a red state [11]

Company Focus - José Andrés believes good meals and "longer tables" are solutions to complex problems [1] - José Andrés discusses World Central Kitchen, disaster relief, and zero gravity food creation [1] Industry Activities - The report highlights José Andrés' involvement in disaster relief efforts [1] - The report mentions the creation of zero gravity food [1]

Disaster Relief Efforts - World Central Kitchen (WCK) is providing aid to flood victims and first responders in central Texas [1] - WCK has served over 6,400 meals in Texas [1] - WCK partners with local restaurants and chefs to provide meals and support the local economy [1] - WCK is assessing needs in underserved communities to provide "last mile meals" [1] Operational Adaptability - WCK emphasizes adaptability and flexibility in its disaster response [1] - WCK minimizes paperwork and contracts to expedite aid delivery [1] - WCK utilizes a zoned approach with maps for efficient resource allocation [1] Emotional Impact - Disaster response work can take an emotional toll on responders [1] - The Texas floods are considered a national tragedy [2] International Presence - World Central Kitchen is an international organization that has responded to disasters such as the Turkey earthquake and Hurricane Florence in North Carolina [4]

And as rescue crews continue their search for the scores of people still missing across central Texas, the Salvation Army is on the ground providing critical support for the first responders and the many residents displaced by the devastation. Joining us now is Phil Swireers who is a major with the Salvation Army in Texas. And Mike Barnacle, you have the first question.Major SWires, this event in Texas has gripped the nation and perhaps even the world. And I think part of the reason it has, obviously the lo ...

In Texas Hill Country, a community that is now mourning the deaths of at least 110 people, 30 of them children, after flash floods ravaged the region late last week. Today, 5 days after those deadly storms, Texas Governor Greg Abbott says more than 160 people are still missing in the Kirk County area alone, which saw some of the worst of that fatal flooding. But the governor vowed not to give up the search.Know this, we will not stop until every missing person is accounted for. Know this also, there very li ...

The reality is that Trump doesn't think natural disasters should be his problem at all. I mean, from the very first week of his new term, Trump has proposed getting rid of FEMA altogether, just eliminating it. Cuz in Trump's view, the federal government shouldn't have to deal with emergencies.That task should be left to the states. And as he sees it, the only role he should really play here is being the point person on whether states get anything from the federal government at all. He loves to have that pow ...

Core Points - Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) and its partners are donating over $600,000 for flood relief efforts in Kerr County and the Texas Hill Country following the July 4th flash floods [1][2] - The relief efforts include contributions to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country's Kerr County Flood Relief Fund, matching contributions, in-kind donations, and volunteerism [1][4] Group 1: Donation and Relief Efforts - The donation will support vetted organizations providing rescue, relief, and recovery efforts in affected communities such as Hunt, Ingram, Kerrville, Center Point, and Comfort [4] - TMNA is implementing a Dealer Match Program, matching contributions from eligible Toyota and Lexus dealers up to $10,000 [6] - Toyota Financial Services (TFS) is offering payment relief options to affected customers, including extensions and deferred payments [5] Group 2: Community Commitment - Gulf States Toyota emphasizes its commitment to supporting local communities during hardships, reflecting the company's roots in Texas [3] - Team members at the San Antonio manufacturing plant are collecting essential supplies and donations to aid ongoing relief efforts [7] - Toyota's ongoing sustainable development commitments include partnerships with organizations like the American Red Cross for disaster response [8] Group 3: Company Overview - Toyota has been a significant presence in the U.S. for nearly 70 years, focusing on sustainable mobility through its brands and dealerships [9] - As of 2025, Toyota employs nearly 48,000 people in the U.S. and has produced over 35 million vehicles at its manufacturing plants [10] - Toyota Financial Services, with approximately 3,800 employees and over $150 billion in assets, provides finance and related products for Toyota in the U.S. [12][13]

Core Points - Verizon is donating $100,000 to Texas Search and Rescue (TEXSAR) to support search, rescue, and recovery operations following the Central Texas floods [1][9] - The company is waiving domestic call, text, and data usage from July 7 to August 3 for affected customers in 95 zip codes across 28 counties [2][9] - Verizon's network remains operational despite the floods, and the company is actively monitoring the situation to ensure safety and connectivity [3] Company Support and Initiatives - Verizon's donation is aimed at enhancing the capabilities of volunteer first responders in Central Texas [3][9] - The company is providing low-earth orbit satellite devices to assist the Texas Department of Public Safety in their drone search and recovery operations [3][9] - Verizon's satellite technology allows customers to access messaging and emergency SOS features in areas without traditional cellular coverage [4] Company Overview - Verizon Communications Inc. generated revenues of $134.8 billion in 2024 and serves nearly all Fortune 500 companies [6] - The company is headquartered in New York City and focuses on delivering mobility, reliable network connectivity, and security to its customers [6]

Can you just shed some light as to how much of a complicating factor that is for for an area of Texas that has already suffered so much tragedy in such a short amount of time. Haley The onset of additional weather just makes it so much more difficult for everybody, for the first responders, but also for the families who have already been displaced. You know, they want to go out there and help their neighbors and try to find some of their belongings or help to try to find the missing loved ones.But if this w ...

I'll also be signing an executive order to begin the process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA or maybe getting rid of FEMA. I think frankly FEMA is not good. I think when you have a problem like this, I think you want to go and uh whether it's a Democrat or Republican governor, you want to use your state to fix it and not waste time.What lesson are we learning right now that the president might need to hear. I think the the most important thing is that it has always been the responsibility of ...