Hurricane Ike

According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Ike is heading West-Northwest towards Texas. FEMA has 9 Urban Search & Rescue teams pre staged in various locations to respond to our fellow American's needs, if necessary.

This means over 600 USAR members are activated and ready to move with all of their equipment, supplies and personnel.

As a responder to Katrina in 2005, I saw the devastation firsthand. The immensity of flooding was staggering. Our assignment one day, was to search a 1 mile wide by 3 mile long area of residences, in which all of the homes were under several feet of water. We found many people who had decided to ride out the Hurricane, and were in need of rescue. The problem we faced was that the water was contaminated, so contact was not an option. We had to imrovise and use Navy "Ducks", those amphibious vehicles that drive on roads and double up as a boat. Each house was searched, one by one, as to assure that no one was left behind. It was Hot! and Humid, beyond belief! I lost several pounds a day from sweating, but after rescueing several residents, it was obvious our need there was most important!

USAR teams, personnally rescued over a thousand people in Katrina! Let's hope Ike, doesn't cause the same damage, but with the slow movement right now, Ike will be a powerful storm to say the least! Stand by for more!