Louisiana lends a hand to states affected by Helene

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Local rescue organizations and first responders from Louisiana have headed out to the states affected by Hurricane Helene.

“We’re hearing reports about entire towns being washed away, people being trapped on mountains,” said Brian Trascher, Vice President and Public Information Officer for the United Cajun Navy.

Hurricane Helene destroyed many areas in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

“I know right now it seems hopeless, but just know that law enforcement, and local officials, and that the national guard out of those areas, they do know that you guys are out there, they do know you’re stuck, they do know the situation is they’re doing everything they can to get to you,” added Trascher.

The United Cajun Navy has made its way to the damaged states to assist in relief.

”We’re actually getting calls from the national guard, asking if we can assist with extractions because even with all their resources they are overwhelmed,” explained Trascher.

Trascher tells WAFB they have two dozen volunteer crews spanning across the states in Helene’s path. They have crews in Florida, near the Georgia border, and they have crews assisting with lifesaving rescues in the Carolinas and Tennessee.

“We’re getting calls of people saying, ‘Hey I haven’t heard from my grandmother for two days ago and I’m looking for my nephew and his wife.’ There’s a lot of people who have lost touch with their loved ones and they don’t know if they’re alive or dead and it’s really gut-wrenching to hear come in,” said Trascher.

Acadian Ambulance has sent 30 ambulances filled with 62 crew members to South Carolina to assist in disaster relief and lifesaving efforts. South Carolina is also receiving help from an urban search and rescue team consisting of Baton Rouge, Zachary, and East Side Fire Departments, as well as Louisiana Fire Marshal and East Baton Rouge EMS. Their crew consists of 21 people.

“Our team consists of structural collapse specialists, these guys are able to go into structures to get people out, we’re also a wide area search specialist, so we can cover a wide area and do damage assessments,” said Baton Rouge Fire Chief, Michael Kimble.

He says they headed to South Carolina thanks to a partnership between Governor Landry and Mayor-President Broome’s office.

”To go out and help others, it just says a lot about our state, our parish, and our community,’ added Kimble.

Chief Kimble says that they are in Greenville which has had little to no communication since the storm passed through.

”Cell phones are down, technologies down, no internet. So, these folks haven’t even been seen or touched since the impact of the storm,” explained Kimble.

Chief Kimble said anytime devastation has hit Louisiana, South Carolina has assisted, and now it’s time to return the favor. They are looking to be out there until the middle of next week.

If you would like to volunteer or donate to the United Cajun Navy, that information can be found here.

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