KERRVILLE – A 16-member Czech search and rescue team landed in Texas Sunday to help locate victims still missing from the deadly Hill Country floods of July 4.
The team represents the only foreign unit invited to assist, according to Czech Fire Service Spokeswoman Klára Ochmanová.
The firefighters are part of the Czech Republic’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) unit, known for aiding global disaster zones. Their visit was organized through a bilateral agreement between the Czech Embassy in Washington and the Texas National Guard.
The team includes dog handlers, rescue dogs, and technical specialists experienced in locating missing persons. Assignments were coordinated with local emergency teams based on real-time needs and terrain assessments.
SPJST is a fraternal benefit society founded by Texans of Czech ancestry in 1897. It is actively raising funds for flood relief and showing support for the Czech firemen.
SPJST President and Honorary Consul for the Czech Republic to the State of Texas Brian Vanicek acknowledges previous Czech aid.
“The Czech Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided financial assistance to the city of West for rebuilding following the massive explosion of a fertilizer warehouse that occurred there in 2013,' Vanicek said.
He continues with another example.
“Again, in 2017, the Czech Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided humanitarian assistance to displaced families in La Grange, Texas, in response to Hurricane Harvey,” Vanicek said.
SPJST responded in kind presenting financial assistance to the town of Hrušky in 2021. The village was one of the hardest struck by a rare and violent multiple-vortex tornado.
Most recently SPJST provided aid to the Czech village of Jesinek this past January following devastating floods. The event is recorded as one of the worst floods in the Czech Republic’s modern history.
“The mutual relations that have been enjoyed by the Czech Republic and the United States of America are unparalleled in modern history,” Vanicek said. “The positive cooperation between these two independent partners continues to grow, and we remain inseparably bound by common values and shared history.”
The SPJST Flood Relief Fund was initiated Saturday, July 5. SPJST is pooling its donations with Hermann Sons Life to benefit The Community Foundations of the Texas Hill Country.
The charity directs funds to vetted organizations providing rescue, relief, and recovery efforts. Donations support those affected by the floods throughout the Hunt, Ingram, Kerrville, Center Pointe, and Comfort communities.
For more information on the SPJST Flood Relief Fund or to make a donation, visit spjst.org/cares.
About SPJST Foundedin1897,SPJST is a fraternal benefit society committed to enriching the lives of its members and strengthening communities through fellowship, service, and financial security. With a strong focus on education, volunteerism, and meaningful member engagement, SPJST offers life insurance and annuity products along with youth and adult programs across Texas. Learn more at www. spjst.org.
