LOUISIANA (Nexstar) — Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday that the state would be deploying resources and personnel to Louisiana, saying “when neighbors help neighbors, America is stronger.”
The governor’s office said it would be sending a helicopter with crew members, 132 firefighters, 30 fire trucks, plus the Texas A&M Task Force One to provide search and rescue.
In addition to state resources, several nonprofits already have boots on the ground in Louisiana. CrowdSource Rescue, a Houston-based group that formed after Hurricane Harvey, has at least 125 volunteers who have already saved more than 250 people.
Matthew Marchetti, the founder of CrowdSource Rescue, said it’s been “all hands on deck.”
“We work alongside emergency management. And they’ll tell you themselves, you kind of need both sides,” he said. “We can move a lot faster and a lot quicker…so while the larger engines of response are gearing up, we’re already there and then they can take over.”
Another nonprofit, the Texas Search and Rescue (TEXSAR), deployed resources to Louisiana and southern Mississippi including — six rescue boats, two high clearance vehicles, and 28 volunteers to aid in the aftermath.
The organization’s president Justin McInnis said, “Although TEXSAR’s mission is Texas centered, when a disaster strikes this close to home, without a doubt we will make ourselves available and do what we can to help our neighbors.”
The governor’s office said it “will continue to review any additional EMAC requests from the State of Louisiana to provide additional response and recovery assets that may be needed.”