“He was more than just a friend, mentor, and leader — he was our family,” the Marble Falls VFD said in a statement.
MARBLE FALLS, Texas — Marble Falls Volunteer Fire Department Chief Michael Phillips has died in the line of duty, according to an official statement released by his department.
Phillips passed away while responding to a call in Burnet County in the early morning hours of July 5, officials said. Burnet County is located in Central Texas and is just east of Kerr County. As of Tuesday, he remains missing, the department said.
“He was more than just a friend, mentor, and leader — he was our family,” the department said in a social media post.
Details regarding the nature of the call or the circumstances surrounding his death have not been released. The department has not released additional information about the ongoing recovery efforts.
In its tribute, the department pledged to continue serving in his memory.
“We will honor his legacy and the extraordinary service he gave to our community by continuing to be the first responders he strived for us to be,” the statement read.
The department concluded its message with a traditional farewell: “We love you Chief. Rest in peace because we’ve got it from here.”
Search and rescue efforts will continue this week as crews look for the dozens still missing from the July Fourth floods that devastated the Texas Hill Country. In a press conference on Monday, Governor Greg Abbott said 131 people have died in the statewide floods. He also said the number of missing people is now at 97.