SAN ANTONIO — As Central Texas continues its desperate search for survivors of historic flash flooding that has killed dozens and left dozens more missing, KSAT Nightbeat anchor Stephania Jimenez sharply criticized U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and other federal officials for offering platitudes rather than urgent information at recent press conferences.
In a blistering on-air monologue Thursday night, Jimenez warned that families waiting for word on loved ones are “on pins and needles,” and condemned what she called “fluff” in federal updates. “When people’s lives are at stake, thank-you’s and self-congratulations are not what we need to hear right now,” she said.
Jimenez recounted watching Noem praise local responders and exchange polite acknowledgments with fellow officials—while crucial details on rescue timelines, shelter capacities, and resource coordinates went unaddressed. “These briefings should be about the next steps to save lives and reunite families,” she declared. “Cut the fluff, cut the thank-you’s, and give us the facts people need to find their children and their neighbors.”
Her comments come amid widespread frustration in flood-ravaged counties, where swift-moving water overwhelmed camps, parks, and riverside communities. Local emergency managers have struggled to coordinate volunteers, helicopter rescues, and reunification centers, and many residents say federal and state updates have been too infrequent or lacking in concrete guidance.
Secretary Noem’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But Jimenez’s plea has resonated with viewers who say that in a time of crisis, words must translate into action—and actionable information can literally mean the difference between life and death.
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