Chief Michael Phillips went missing on July 5, but his body has yet to be recovered. The Marble Falls Area VFD announced an end of watch on July 15.
BURNET COUNTY, Texas — Crews continue to search for a volunteer fire chief from Marble Falls who has been missing for more than 20 days, following catastrophic flooding across Central Texas.
Burnet County said on Monday that the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) recently deployed a task force, TX-TF2, to continue the search for Michael Phillips, chief of the Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department.
Phillips went missing on July 5 during the flooding that pummeled the Hill Country throughout the Fourth of July weekend. He was last seen driving an emergency vehicle during a rescue operation near Cow Creek; the vehicle was later located about 2 miles away, but Phillips was not found with it.
Local teams searched for Phillips for weeks. On July 15, the Marble Falls Area VFD declared an end of watch for Phillips, though his body has yet to be recovered.
Burnet County said TX-TF2 operated from the AgriLife Building at 601 Vanderveer St. for several days. After reporting its findings to Burnet County Judge Bryan Wilson, the task force was released back to TDEM. However, Wilson indicated the county might request further assistance in the future.
The county said the search for Phillips continues. He is the only remaining missing person in the KVUE viewing area.
Thomas Jacobs, interim fire chief for Marble Falls VFD, remembers Phillips as a leader in the department he looked up to.
“I wouldn’t ask for another leader. I wouldn’t ask for anybody else, you know, in the fire service,” said Jacobs. “He was all of our world. I mean he, you know, that’s a hole that’s never going to be filled.”
Jacobs told KVUE Phillips worked in the department for over 20 years and has always been hands-on.
“He fought the hardest and went the furthest,” he said. “He went out doing what he loved. Honestly.”
Jacobs hopes the increased search and rescue efforts will provide Phillips’ family with answers and closure soon.
Burnet County flag to be lowered to honor Phillips
Burnet County will lower the Texas flag to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Tuesday to honor Phillips. His family has scheduled a memorial in Marble Falls the same day.
Gov. Greg Abbott said that “individuals, businesses, municipalities, counties and other political subdivisions and entities in the surrounding area” may also fly their flags at half-staff for the same time period.
“The First Lady and I extend our prayers to the Phillips family during their time of grief and urge all Texans to remember and honor his service as a dedicated volunteer who gave his life for his community,” Abbott said.