Texas Hill Country Floods Crossing The Guadalupe River

One conversation builds you. The other destroys you. The conversations you participate in and surround yourself with shape your mindset and ultimately your life. If you sit where people gossip, talk shit, and pick apart others, you’ll end up thinking smaller, fearing judgment, losing trust, and lowering your standards, because that is low standard living. If you surround yourself with those who are working to get better, live with integrity, and are looking to improve those around them, you will raise your standard in all areas of life. Your standards for your life are a reflection of who you surround yourself with.

This week we received a Underwater drone to aid in our capabilities of Recovery Operations. This will aid our Divers or on a Boat running Side scan sonar. We can now send “Dory” down and confirm what we are seeing on sonar. We want to thank Donors for this great gift, its folks like your self that make what we do possible with out you we would not be as successful as we are at bringing them home.….. For that We Thank you 🙏

While we were on deployment A special guest came to visit Us in Central Texas Floods. DJ is an amazing young man who has overcome so many obstacles and challenges in his young life, his presence reminds us all why we can’t give up on the victims that are still missing and why We Must Live United….. Thank you DJ for stopping by and spending time with us at United Cajun Navy and Asking Questions understanding what we do and why we do it….. “ Because We Are Americans and these are our Neighbors “ 🙌

Integrity Loyalty Dedication Passion Determination I trust these people with my life God - We are yours to use SEND US TO THOSE THAT NEED TO BE BROUGHT HOME

I have had some of the most surreal and emotional experiences over the past 17 days. The excitement that overcomes me seeing a dog “hit” a spot. Could it be one of the last few people we need to “bring home”? I’ve seen people at their finest hour.. selfless heroes that i call my TEAM but more importantly my FRIENDS . I’ve had someone be a complete narcissistic bitch (big time and get ready for the karma bus) toward me. No worries though. I got a plan for you and its going to hurt. Your biggest fears will come true…. I’ve been in the bottom of hell - climbing my way out. The sights, smells and cries of grown men… I’ve seen Gods beauty everyday in the destruction and devestation. The sunrises and sunsets frame my days. My body is a spent shell of what it was pre-deployment. My mind is littered with the sights of a catastrophic disaster. My skin is torn. Everyday God uses me because i make myself available to do his will. At daylight we ride.. The cowboys of the SAR world. We have an unbeliveable reputation…people know us, people want us to work. We are doing what we are made to do. John Brasser Incident command

Can you believe it…… So here we are a month has passed since the floods that began July 4th, which brought Central Texas to its knees with Pain and heartache. They are still feeling the weight, but we want to a minute to thank everyone we met. ————————————————— 🟠 To the organizations who called us. ————————————————— 🟠 To the those we worked alongside of. ————————————————— 🟠 To the restaurants/organizations, volunteers who Fed us every day. ————————————————— 🟠 To the kind strangers who opened their homes for us to rest and shower. ————————————————— 🟠 To our families who held down the fort at home while we were away. ————————————————— 🟠 To those who gave their support, has been felt in ways words can’t fully express. ————————————————— To the 8 K-9 volunteers who deployed to the Texas Hill Country since July 4th your dedication is Noble. You’ve shown what it truly means to serve with heart, strength, and selflessness. We also want to Thank United Cajun Navy and Everyone with the Organization and Task Force 18 and Task Force Ky you will forever be hero’s you stepped up! First let me tell you about the Heroes of both theses Task Force Teams, They were made up of San Antonio fire department members just Everyday citizens all ages, men, women, young old, some pitchforks, somewhat rakes and shovels. These folks walked 7+ miles along the Guadalupe river on mostly River rock steep Hill sides, slipping and sliding they did it, K9 Stryker You showed them the way. When we got down we left to go search another area. When we said goodbye to all our new friends We all knew we would meet again. I for ONE WAS PROUD OF THEM ALL….YOU ALL ARE THE REAL SAR COWBOYS…….. Thank you 🙌

One month post-flood, United Cajun Navy remains a presence in Hill Country recovery efforts The Louisiana-based nonprofit helped rescue, recover people from the Guadalupe River on July 4 KERR COUNTY, Texas – United Cajun Navy regional commander Kevin LaFond is from Gulf Shores, Alabama, but his mission takes him wherever disaster strikes. The United Cajun Navy is a group of volunteers that formed during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It became an actual nonprofit organization approximately a decade ago. “And now, we’ve got a 200,000-square foot warehouse in Baton Rouge (Louisiana) that we have relief supplies in to respond to any kind of disaster anywhere around the country, with chapters in three different countries around the world,” said LaFond. A specialized team of United Cajun Navy volunteers responded to the Texas Hill Country on the Fourth of July when the Guadalupe River flooded. “Divers, dogs, boats, fast water people, people with tracking skills, people with regular search and rescue and recovery skills,” LaFond said. “Those are the people that we needed to deploy right away.” First responder skills are not mandatory in the United Cajun Navy, but those are the type of volunteers that rushed to the Guadalupe River: former military, firefighters and peace officers. On July 4, the volunteers rescued around a dozen people and also assisted first responders. “We always report back up through the chain of command through the police and sheriff’s office,” LaFond said. “When there is a recovery to be done, we identify and then guard, and we bring in the sheriff or the local authority.” After the rescues, the volunteers shifted to the difficult task of recovery. “The recovery efforts, they take their toll on people, and it’s a lot of looking for what you really don’t want to find but need to find,” said LaFond. “Dogs are just huge assets to it. And then our drone team’s flying over top with specialized equipment.” LaFond said that he thinks about the families waiting for closure when carrying out recovery missions. “That’s what we want to give them: closure,” LaFond said. “If we can do anything in that process, just to bring even an article of clothing back, if that’s all it is, something for them to hold onto.” The majority of the volunteers are not from the Lone Star State. However, they will continue to remain in Hill Country rental properties that residents have offered for free. The volunteers are now spending their time teaching residents the logistical side of recovery. “Our main job now is to help work with homeowners to connect the dots between all the equipment and volunteers that are out there that still want to help,” said LaFond. “We can hand our playbook to them and say, ‘Here you go. Now, you can do it on your own. You’ve worked with us. You know how to do it, and we’re on call if you ever have any questions.’” LaFond said he and his team will leave the Hill Country, likely towards another disaster, once residents feel regain their confidence. Nonetheless, they’ll always be available to the community. “We’re only a phone call away,” LaFond said. Anyone can visit their website or Facebook page to donate or learn about how to become one of their volunteers. The United Cajun Navy also has an Amazon list to assist with the July 4 floods.

We at Sarasotacountyusar.org Were Gifted this Type 1 Ambulance for Search and Rescue and Recovery Operations. We picked her up Friday and if I may say she gets better gas Mileage then my Ram truck….🤦🏻‍♂️ We Thank Frank for his kind Donation that will Help us help Others…… Thank you 🙏