The Cajun Navy rides again

In a previous post on this blog, I reported on the unheralded rescue efforts of the self-proclaimed Cajun Navy during flooding in Louisiana in August 2016.  In the overwhelming aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Texas last week, the Cajun Navy rode again. Private boat owners, many from Louisiana, drove their own vehicles, towing their boats to areas of need. This shot of a highway exit ramp laden with volunteers and their boats warms my heart. Our own Dunkirk. 

Small boats made a huge difference. The scale of destruction, the speed of rising water, and the number of people needing help across such a large area completely overwhelmed local emergency services. These volunteers with their bass boats, airboats, and inboard/outboard motors supported the local effort with timely help and manpower. And boats, of course.

We're told that rescues totaled in the thousands over a period of days. It's unclear how many people were rescued by official emergency services, and how many by volunteers like the Cajun Navy. I doubt those who were rescued would make a distinction. A hero is a hero. Humanity at its best.

The Cajun Navy

During the recent floods in Louisiana, a loosely organized group again came out to help their neighbors. They call themselves the Cajun Navy. Similar to the 9-11 Flotilla and the local response after Hurricane Katrina, a call for help went out through unofficial channels, this time a local radio station. Anyone with a seaworthy vessel was to meet at a local mall. Organizers expected a couple dozen boats and volunteers. They got almost 400 boats, some high-water trucks, and 10,000 people willing to help. How awesome is that?

The official channels of help like the Red Cross, local police, National Guard, etc. are of course essential in management of rescue operations during disasters like this. But there's something touching and genuine about coming to the aid of another person, not because it's your assignment, not because it's your job, but because it's the right thing to do.