With rescue efforts still underway in Houston following the city getting hammered by Hurricane Harvey over the weekend, many volunteers have taken it upon themselves to help people trapped in homes or on rooftops, as local authorities are inundated with more rescue requests then they can handle. One such group of volunteers have even come all the way from Louisiana. The Cajun Navy, as the group calls itself, formed in the wake of Katrina in 2005 and went on to rescue over 10,000 people. The group reformed as “Cajun Navy 2016” last August after storms dumped thirty-one inches across parts of the state — this time with the help of Facebook to coordinate logistics.
On Sunday, the Cajun Navy began to make the four-and-a-half hour trip to Houston with caravans of pickup trucks and fishing boats to help. The invention of Facebook has made the group’s job that much easier, as people are able to specifically reach out for help, sharing locations and other details. The members also have an app used among the group to help track and network rescue efforts, making the operation fairly organized, as well.
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As of Sunday night, the group had already made countless rescues and had planned to continue their efforts on Monday, into the week. When asked about what it’s like to help strangers in need, one Cajun Navy member named Jeff told ABC 13 Houston, “It’s a mix of emotions. You hate to see people lose all they have. All we can do is get them to dry land.”
https://youtu.be/rW08L4-1Gfo
(Via ABC 13 Houston, New Yorker)