As floodwater rose across parts of Lamar County on Tuesday morning, state emergency crews activated by Gov. Greg Abbott moved in to help local teams pull people out of rising water in northeast Texas. Texas A&M Task Force 1 was among the units backing up local officials during the rescues, while residents in hard‑hit areas were urged to stay off flooded roads and follow directions from emergency managers as damage was checked and cleared.
The governor’s press office shared an update on X saying state assets had been “activated” and that they had supported water rescues, including deployments by Texas A&M Task Force 1 in Lamar County. According to the Governor Abbott Press Office, the activity came as storms continued to impact Northeast Texas. The post did not include a full count of rescues or a detailed damage tally.
Storm impacts continue across Northeast Texas.
— Governor Abbott Press Office (@GovAbbottPress) June 24, 2026
State emergency response resources activated by Gov. Abbott supported local officials with water rescues this morning, including Texas A&M Task Force 1 assisting in Lamar County. pic.twitter.com/J0guJvXzan
What Texas A&M Task Force 1 Does
Texas A&M Task Force 1 serves as the state’s primary urban search‑and‑rescue team and fields specialized water‑rescue squads, boat caches and trained swift‑water technicians for flooding and storm response, according to the task force’s deployment archive. Since its founding in 1997, the team has been deployed to hurricanes, floods and other major incidents and routinely works alongside local fire departments and county emergency‑management offices. For a look at past missions, see the task force’s deployment history at Texas A&M Task Force 1.
State Response and Local Context
Lamar County was already included in a state disaster proclamation after a run of spring storms, a move that allowed state resources to assist local jurisdictions. The April proclamation filed with the Texas Secretary of State lists Lamar County among the covered counties, and the Texas Division of Emergency Management has been coordinating response operations and public information. For the proclamation and ongoing updates, see the Office of the Governor.
Safety For Residents
Officials continue to warn residents not to drive into standing or moving floodwater, since even a few inches can disable a car, guidance echoed by the National Weather Service’s “Turn Around, Don’t Drown” campaign. County‑level coordination is running through the Lamar County Emergency Management office, which lists contact information for the county judge and emergency coordinator. For detailed flood‑safety tips, see the National Weather Service.
State and local officials say more information will be released as teams complete rescues and finish damage assessments. Residents in Paris and surrounding communities are being urged to keep an eye on official county channels and the Texas Division of Emergency Management for details on shelters, road closures and available assistance.
