Sandy Creek Flood Victims Face New Setbacks with Winter Weather

Families rebuilding after devastating floods now struggle with costly preparations for winter storms.

Published on Feb. 4, 2026

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Months after devastating floods, Sandy Creek families rebuilding from loss face renewed trauma and costly preparation as winter storms test their recovery. Residents like Brandy Gerstner, who lost her home, vehicles, and family business, now live in RVs on their property and must constantly prepare for severe weather, refilling propane tanks and insulating pipes to stay warm. The repeated storms and expenses have taken a heavy emotional toll, stirring up memories of the original flood disaster.

Why it matters

The Sandy Creek area was hit hard by deadly floods last summer, leaving many families displaced and struggling to rebuild their lives. Now, the arrival of winter storms is posing new challenges and expenses for these flood victims, further delaying their recovery and compounding the trauma they've already endured.

The details

After losing their home, vehicles, and family business in the floods, the Gerstner family now lives in a makeshift setup of three RVs on their property, with only one small building left standing. In the days before a recent winter storm, Brandy Gerstner spent three days gathering materials and two more days crawling under the trailers to insulate pipes and lay tarps. When the storm arrived, the sound of rain stirred up painful memories, and the family repeatedly had to refill propane tanks to stay warm, sometimes running out in the middle of the night.

  • The devastating floods in the Sandy Creek area occurred last summer.
  • A winter storm moved into the Austin area in January 2026.

The players

Brandy Gerstner

A Sandy Creek resident who lost her home, vehicles, and family business in the floods, and now lives in a makeshift setup of RVs on her property.

Sandy Creek Alliance

A grassroots group of neighbors that Gerstner has worked with to support flood survivors who are still rebuilding months later.

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What they’re saying

“This is our kitchen, our laundry room, and our storage room. It's the only building that actually survived.”

— Brandy Gerstner

“I didn't realize just how traumatized I still am from that. I knew there was a big storm coming, much like the flood, and then it just rained and rained and rained.”

— Brandy Gerstner

“Waking up to your house being in the 40s is rough. My daughter ran out of propane again, and her shower went ice cold while she was in it.”

— Brandy Gerstner

What’s next

The Sandy Creek Alliance continues to support flood survivors in the area as they work to rebuild their homes and lives.

The takeaway

The repeated setbacks from winter storms have compounded the trauma and financial strain for Sandy Creek families still recovering from last summer's devastating floods, highlighting the long-term challenges they face in rebuilding their community.