Volunteers help with camp clean up and search efforts

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The latest numbers show there are 161 people who still are missing after the flooding in Kerr County.

Officials said 96 people have died in the county, 60 of them adults and 36 of them children.

As the days go on the search continues with many of the people searching just volunteers.

One group of mainly Austinites spoke with KXAN about their search efforts and why they are helping.

"After seeing the tragedy that happened and all the devastation that is going on down here I figured I would come down and see what I could do," said Austin Musician Drew Fish who organized the group.

Fish's brother-in-law, Chris Carson, joined him from Dallas, bringing a skid steer with him to help with debris.

"What really brings me out here is to help the community, and just try to bring closure to the victims who are still out there still lost," Carson said.

This crew has been all over Kerr County helping in a number of ways from searching debris, to cutting up trees and they also have been searching for the people who are missing.

Some of the volunteering took them to some of the many camps in the area. Fish said they stopped by Camp La Junta and Camp Children's Association for Maximum Potential (CAMP) to help clear debris.

"We did a lot of debris clearing," Fish said. "A lot of getting rid of trash that had been built up on the their property."

Brothers Walker and Wade Moran are also from Austin, they too have been in Kerr County for a few days helping out. The Morans said they were happy to help in any way they could.

"They [Camp CAMP] are trying to open up their camp so, we saw just a bunch of people from all walks of life showing up and doing whatever is necessary to help these people out," Walker said.

Wade Moran said they reached out to a few fire departments in the area before they came down and asked what supplies they needed.

"If there are any organizations you know operating down here reach out to them and see what they need," Fish said.

Local departments have asked people to check in if they plan on doing any work, KXAN also has a few ways you can help listed here.

"Everyone is out here, putting in time, putting in work trying to help the community however they can," said Fish.

Fish said initially he called a few people about going over to Kerr County and almost everyone said yes, even his sister and dad went down to volunteer.