Austin Fire Chief Joel G. Baker is facing a possible no-confidence vote after being accused of refusing to deploy Austin firefighters to assist in flood rescue efforts in Central Texas over the weekend.
In a strongly worded statement posted Monday, the Austin Firefighters Association (AFA) alleged that Chief Baker blocked the department’s participation in critical rescue operations in Kerr County, an area devastated by record-breaking floods.
“It is absolutely outrageous that the Austin Fire Chief, Joel G. Baker, would not allow highly trained firefighters from Austin to respond to Kerrville,” the AFA wrote. “Because of this egregious dereliction of duty, lives were very likely lost because of Chief Baker’s decision.”
The union said it plans to move forward with a no-confidence vote on July 8 (Thursday) and called for Baker’s removal.
“We are disgusted with our fire chief,” the AFA added. “He needs to be held accountable and fired for his disgraceful dereliction of duty.”
Who Is Joel G. Baker?
Chief Baker was appointed to lead the Austin Fire Department (AFD) in December 2018. According to his official city profile, he began his firefighting career in Georgia in 1986 and served in the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department for three decades, eventually becoming its fire chief before retiring and moving to Austin.
He holds degrees from Georgia State University and Columbus State University, and has been credited with efforts to modernize the AFD since taking charge.
Texas Floods: At Least 100 Dead, Dozens Still Missing
The controversy comes as Central Texas grapples with catastrophic flooding, which has claimed at least 100 lives as of Monday. The Guadalupe River and surrounding areas saw massive water surges after more than 11 inches of rain fell over the weekend.
Texas Department of Public Safety Chief Freeman Martin warned that the toll could rise, with at least 41 people still missing. President Donald Trump has called the disaster a “100-year catastrophe” and is expected to visit the affected areas on Friday.
As search and recovery operations continue, scrutiny is intensifying over which local agencies did or did not respond—and why. Chief Baker has not yet publicly addressed the allegations from the firefighters’ union.
