Fox & Friends co-host Lawrence Jones III, a Texas native, travelled to the Lone Star state this week to report on the aftermath of the devastating flooding in Kerr County, Texas, which has left more than 100 people dead and close to 200 still missing.
Jones condemned the response of the fire chief in Austin, Texas and wrote on social media: “In my personal opinion, the actions of the fire chief in Austin, TX, are disgraceful. Firehouses from all across Texas responded to the call for help because that’s just what we do in Texas. I was a fire explorer when I was a kid, and when police officers and firefighters call for assistance, you damn well respond!”
In my personal opinion, the actions of the fire chief in Austin, TX, are disgraceful. Firehouses from all across Texas responded to the call for help because that’s just what we do in Texas. I was a fire explorer when I was a kid, and when police officers and firefighters call…
— Lawrence Jones III (@LawrenceBJones3) July 9, 2025
Shortly after those comments, according to reporting by the Austin American-Statesman, “The Austin Firefighters Association decided unanimously Tuesday to initiate a vote of no confidence against Austin Fire Chief Joel Baker over allegations of questionable leadership decisions, according to union leaders.”
On its Facebook page, the association’s president Bob Nicks accused Baker “of contributing to the death toll in the Kerr County floods by issuing a temporary pause on all mutual aid requests a month ago.“
Note: Austin Fire Chief Joel Baker said: “The challenge is, if I don’t send as many people as the union wants me to in a situation like this, we have a problem.” He added, “I’m also obligated to the citizens of Austin. I have to make sure I balance the resources for deployment with what we need locally.”
California retired fire chief Tim McClelland of San Bernadino, California, replied to Jones’s post: “Retired Fire Chief here Lawrence. Understanding mutual aid requests, reimbursements and ordering processes are something ANYONE should know before putting a 5th gold crossed bugle on their collar. This is CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT behavior to refuse mutual aid requests in declared emergencies.”
Retired Fire Chief here Lawrence. Understanding mutual aid requests, reimbursements and ordering processes are something ANYONE should know before putting a 5th gold crossed bugle on their collar. This is CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT behavior to refuse mutual aid requests in declared…
— Tim McClelland (@Chiefmac3500) July 9, 2025
Note: Conservative political pundit Charlie Kirk is also blaming DEI policy and Baker for the flooding by writing: “Meet Austin’s first black Fire Chief who has been working to hire more black and LGBTQ firefighters, and who is now facing a vote of no confidence by his union for denying the pre-deploying of resources to Kerrville citing ‘budget concerns.’”
DEI kills, and the Texas tragedy is just the latest example.
Meet Austin Fire Chief Joel Baker, Austin’s first black Fire Chief who has been working to hire more black and LGBTQ firefighters, and who is now facing a vote of no confidence by his union for denying the… pic.twitter.com/c34jAVESOh
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) July 8, 2025
Those who are defending Baker are leaving comments including: “Charlie Kirk is trying to blame the Fire Chief of Austin, TX for the flood deaths at Camp Mystic. Camp Mystic is 2 1/2 hours away from Austin. Austin had nothing to do with those floods. Charlie is just a sick deranged racist.”
Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax responded to the AFA allegations against Fire Chief Baker in a statement: “It is disappointing that the Firefighters Association would make these allegations and consider such a vote, especially while these communities continue to grieve and recover. It’s even more disheartening how quickly the Association’s claims spread because so many people are ready to place blame.”