Dramatic footage has been released of a Navy helicopter crew saving 14 people and their four dogs from a shelter in the Texas floods.
Video released by the Navy shows the seven adults, seven children and the animals crowded inside a Sea Hawk helicopter Thursday as they were flown from an elementary school in the town of Vidor, Texas, to safety in nearby Beaumont.
The rescue was performed by a Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron.
Video released by the Navy shows the seven adults, seven children and the animals crowded inside a Sea Hawk helicopter Thursday
They were flown from an elementary school in the town of Vidor, Texas, to safety in nearby Beaumont
In the video, the Squadron can be seen landing in Vidor and ushering a family to the chopper.
Carrying what remains of their belongings and their pets, the folks have a sense of urgency and relief as they make it to the aircraft.
There is a section of the helicopter squared off for the pets as cameras film some of the people inside starting to weep.
The footage ends with the crowded chopper taking off and flying to safety.
The rescue was a first for Aircrewmen 2nd Class Rion Johnson (who has been with the Navy for five years) and Jansen Schamp (for six).
The rescue was performed by a Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron. Rescue was a first for Aircrewman 2nd Class Jansen Schamp (pictured)
‘You never want anything bad to happen to anyone. But, if something does you want to be the first person to get there,’ Johnson said in a statement.
‘So getting the call today and seeing the emotions coming from the survivors it was sad – knowing something terrible happened – but it is also great knowing that they’re safe now.’
It was a sentiment shared by Schamp, a native of Denver, Colorado.
‘It was a very surreal experience. Landing on the field of an elementary school in a relatively tight landing zone, rescuing people of all ages and even animals wasn’t necessarily what I pictured for my first rescue,’ Schamp said.
‘It was very humbling and rewarding in every way. The people we evacuated had lost their homes, they were scared, and they were sad. But most of all they were so grateful for the help they received. This will forever be one of my most memorable experiences.’
Both are aviation rescue swimmers who have trained intensely for such scenarios.
‘We have weekly pool, medical and knowledge based training that keeps us prepared at anytime, anywhere,’ Johnson added.
But for Schamp, it is hard to forget the men and women who are helping but aren’t on the front lines of relief aid.
‘There’s not enough that can be said about the work of our maintainers that work around the clock to ensure we have aircraft available to perform these missions,’ Schamp said.
The military is lending a hand to federal, state and local authorities in Harvey relief efforts.
Thousands of people have been displaced by torrential rains and catastrophic flooding since Harvey slammed into Southeast Texas last Friday.