BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) -
One year after the Cajun Navy fleet deployed to pluck stranded families from the flood waters that overwhelmed southeast Louisiana, the volunteer rescuers have mobilized again to help in the Houston area after heavy flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey.
A second wave of volunteers with the group gathered in Baton Rouge on Monday to head to the Houston area to provide additional support.
The group made it into Houston early Monday morning, poised to assist with rescue efforts in a region devastated by flooding due to Harvey.
The Cajun Navy is blasting social media with messages for help as neighbors in Texas face the same devastating flooding.
“We're planning a large push to head in probably in the next day or so when things calm down about. It's just something we have to play by ear a bit and see how the weather cooperates,” Jon Bridgers Sr., an organizer in charge of the Cajun Navy 2016 Facebook page, said Sunday.
Bridgers said he and others set out with boats towards Houston on Sunday but did not make it far. He said about 40 miles outside the city, the roads are impassable and that most of their volunteers can’t get through. However, he said some have made it and are doing their best to help.
“We have been given the GREEN LIGHT to enter your area. This is what we need from YOU ALL. We are here to search and rescue,” wrote Gary Davis in another Facebook group.
Bridgers returned home to monitor calls for help and to help organize volunteers online.
Like the great flood of 2016, many families trapped in Houston are turning to social media, posting horrific pictures of families trapped by high water, pleading for help. Most posts include addresses and phone numbers. One video has been circulating of Montel Williams relaying information about a man in a broken wheelchair needing assistance.
http://www.wafb.com/story/36227295/cajun-navy-to-texas-were-coming-as-quick-as-we-can
Bridgers, and other volunteers are sharing those with the grassroots group with hopes of connecting rescuers on the ground in Houston with those victims. He’s also helping organize volunteers collecting water and food to take to Houston once the water recedes.
“It's going to be the same situation as what we had back last year,” said Bridgers.
Members of Cajun Navy resuscitate Houston resident found floating lifeless
Three members of the Cajun Navy who went to the Houston area Monday morning to rescue stranded residents pulled a lifeless elderly woman from floodwaters and resuscitated her.
Joshua Lincoln of Madisonville, Ricky Berrigan of Lacombe and Donnie Davenport of Pearl River were motoring their flatboat northeast of Houston when they came across 73-year-old Wilma Ellis, floating face down.
"I thought it was a trash bag," Lincoln said. "She was wearing a black shirt.
"The lady must have been crossing in some current. She floated right to the boat. We jumped out and got her and gave her compressions right there in the water. We were holding her from behind."
After about 15 chest compressions, Ellis began to cough and breathe on her own, Lincoln said.
The men pulled her into the boat and used a blanket to help her regain body warmth. She was scared, wet and a little disoriented, Lincoln said.
After unsuccessfully searching for anyone who knew Ellis, the men dropped her with a local businessman at a gas station near the corner of Tidwell Road and Parkway Forest Drive.
Ellis was wearing a hospital bracelet at the time of the rescue.
"We're trying to get an ambulance or helicopter to her," Lincoln said. "I put her medic bracelet out there on social media. I just don't know what else I can do."
Lincoln said he still has Ellis' dentures.
The situation is far worse in Houston than anything he saw on television, Lincoln said.
"This is unbelievable," he said. "It's horrible."
http://www.nola.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2017/08/members_of_cajun_navy_resuscit.html
Cajun Navy veteran has advice for those heading to rescue flooded residents
During 2016's Great Flood of Louisiana, Baton Rouge resident Chris Macaluso, a member of the Cajun Navy, rescued stranded residents in Park Forest, Monticello and Woodland Ridge subdivisions.
The experience was physically draining and emotionally moving for Macaluso, but it taught him valuable lessons about floodwater rescues. He hopes his Cajun Navy brethren heading to Houston and surrounding areas can benefit from what he learned.
Macaluso posted a list of do's and don'ts to his Facebook timeline and elaborated on each for NOLA.com.
1) Put as many lifejackets in the boat as you can.
"You've got inexperienced folks getting in the boat with you, and there are going to be areas you get into where it's 8, 10, 12 feet deep, even in neighborhoods," Macaluso said. "You want to make sure everyone has a lifejacket on if you can.
"The other thing is you're going to be going through some dangerous stuff, so there's a very real chance that boat's going to roll if you hit something submerged or get into swift current."
Macaluso said during Baton Rouge's flood, he had as many as seven people in his 16-foot aluminum flat boat.
http://www.nola.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2017/08/cajun_navy_veteran_has_advice.html#incart_river_index
"I didn't have a lifejacket for all of them, but I wish I would have," he said.
2) Bring lots of bottled water.
"The people you're rescuing are stressed out and probably haven't stopped to drink," Macaluso said. "Plus, if you're wearing a rain jacket, lifejacket and working to load people, you're going to need to drink."
3) Coordinate with local law enforcement.
"We coordinated with the Baton Rouge Police Department, and they sent us into the areas where they really needed the resources," Macaluso said. "That's why it's important. There were times that certain areas had too many boats in them, and that's not making the best use of the resources."
4) Check your truck and move it to higher ground as water rises.
"We launched the boat at the first spot we could, where it was deep enough to get the boat off the trailer, and I moved the truck to higher ground, but as the day moved on and the water rose, I had to move the truck three or four times," Macaluso said. "We damn near got stranded because the water was coming up so fast.
"You're so busy rescuing people and trying to remember where people are who need to be rescued, you lose track of the fact the water is coming up. You need to constantly remind yourself, 'Hey, I need to check on my vehicle.' Otherwise, you're not getting out."
5) Bring extra gasoline.
"If you're going to Houston or Beaumont or Vidor or anywhere else over there, you may not be able to get fuel, so pack as much as you can in spare cans," Macaluso advised. "That way you can offer some to people who need it."
6) Don't go alone. Bring a strong friend.
"You'll need help lifting people and putting them in the boat," Macaluso said. "You're also going to need help shoving the boat over high spots."
7) Bring a powerful spotlight and an air horn.
"There are going to be people holding up in their houses on the second floor or on top of furniture," Macaluso said. "You want to be able to announce to them that you're there.
"Also, if you do get stuck back there, you've got that noisemaker to let people know where you are if you need help.
"Regarding the light, if you're in areas where the power has gone out, it's going to get dangerously dark. You're going to want to be able to see so you can stay in the middle of the road."
Honestly, I don't like the idea of a separate military force operating outside of the authority of the government.
>>172831
They don't have guns just volunteers to help after storms.
>>172831
They're a bunch of regular folks with boats going out and rescuing people before they drown in their attics.
>>172838
Nah, they have guns, they just don't publicize it because the media will put out a headline like "Gun Toting Redneck Vigilantes Wreak Havoc on Flood Victims"
One of the major rules of boating is always bring a gun onto your boat.
>>172900
It's a good thing too. I've heard that some looters have been taking potshots at rescuers.
According to Wikipedia, there is a working post-WWII Higgins boat in Houma, LA. Any idea on how much it would cost to drive or even fly it out there. With a capacity of 36 people or 8100 lbs. of supply's it could prove extremely helpful.
>>172922
Pirates, looters, The Krakken, the open waters hold many dangers.
>>172942
Sirens, kelpies, Jason..., Red October.
Cajun Navy members met with gunfire by apparent looters in Texas, group says
Members of the Cajun Navy, a group of Louisianians helping Tropical Storm Harvey victims in Texas, were shot at Monday by apparent looters, the group said on Facebook.
The Cajun Navy has become widely known across the state for its response efforts during natural disasters. The group previously provided assistance to Louisianians during last year's historic August floods.
A group of rescuers are in Texas already and more are expected to be on the way. Those who have arrived have brought their own boats to aid in the rescue efforts.
But now it appears the group is currently standing down after an apparent incident with some looters sometime Monday in Texas.
One of the group's members in a Facebook post that has since been deleted said that looters decided to pose as people needing help and attempted to overtake the group's boats. The group said shots were fired at the boats during the incident.
"Clyde and the other team members and teams are all safe," the group said on Facebook. "I repeat, they are all safe."
The group believes the looters may have not wanted it to perform rescues. The group also said it is currently "on stand-down" pending a new strategic plan.
Cajun Navy member Clyde Cain told CNN that one of the group's boats broke down, and while the crew sought shelter in a delivery truck, people tried to steal the inoperable boat.
"They're making it difficult for us to rescue them," he said. "You have people rushing the boat. Everyone wants to get in at the same time. They're panicking. Water is rising."
"We have boats being shot at if we're not picking everybody up. We're having to pull out for a minute. We're dropping an air boat right now to go rescue a couple of our boats that broke, and they're kind of under attack," he said.
http://www.wdsu.com/article/cajun-navy-members-met-with-gunfire-by-apparent-looters-in-texas-group-says/12109436
>>172993
The looters are lucky they haven't had any return fire. (we all know the folks with boats do have guns on board) They'd get a warning shot and that's about it.
>>173000
Too bad that almost never happens, this return fire you speak of.
>>172928
The draft is too high. It needs at least three feet and there are a bunch of shallow spots to get hung on.
We should build a wall around Houston to protect surrousing conservatives from this communist aid. Let the free market sort them out like God intended.