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Watch: 'Cajun Navy' Pulls Off Heroic Rescue in the Midst of Hurricane Florence

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The “Cajun Navy” is on the ground in North Carolina and pulling off many rescues in hazardous conditions as Hurricane Florence continues to dump torrential rains.

Cajun Navy founder Todd Terrell told ABC News that volunteers from the group came to the aid of 160 people who had been trapped by rising flood waters early Friday morning in New Bern.

“The tide came up really strong — five to eight feet, they’re saying — and a lot of the people did not get out … got stuck in conditions on the roads,” Terrell said. “So a lot of people we were rescuing from the tops of their vehicles.”

“The current is way stronger in this one and the water came up like in minutes,” he added. “Two to three feet of water came up within minutes.”

Terrell also related that the winds were so powerful at times their boats were flipping, so they used air mattresses to float some people out.

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The Cajun Navy first came together in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast, and it played a major role in rescue efforts during Hurricane Harvey last year.

Many of its members are from Louisiana and Texas; however, Terrell told Fox News, there are 310 volunteers from nine states helping in their current relief efforts, and he expected the number of rescuers to double by the end of Friday.

The Louisiana Cajun Navy’s website says the group’s mission is to: “Rescue, Relieve, Rebuild.”

Do you appreciate the Cajun Navy?

“We don’t wait for the help, We are the help! We the people of Louisiana refuse to stand by and wait for help in the wake of disasters in our state and the country. We rise up to unite and help rescue our neighbors! Our mission is to help the people who can’t get help, not only in the wake of disaster, but in everyday life,” the site reads.

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The group advises those in danger to reach out to 911 first, but the Cajun Navy is there to assist in the rescue efforts.

Cajun Navy’s Jordy Bloodsworth, 26, told The Washington Post that he drove 11 hours from Baton Rouge to play his part.

“I wasn’t gonna come, but my boss actually gave me a few paid vacation days and said, ‘Go do your thing,'” said Bloodsworth, who arrived with his 18-foot custom boat that sports a gator tail.

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“I figure if I could save even one person it’s worth it,” Bloodsworth said.

His family lost everything during Katrina when 14 feet of water rushed into their home.

Taylor Fontenot, with America’s Cajun Navy, came to New Bern from Sugar Land, Texas.

“Nothing like the adrenaline of saving lives,” he said. “Best drug in the world. It’s what we do.”

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Randy DeSoto has written more than 2,000 articles for The Western Journal since he joined the company in 2015. He is a graduate of West Point and Regent University School of Law. He is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths" and screenwriter of the political documentary "I Want Your Money."
Randy DeSoto is the senior staff writer for The Western Journal. He wrote and was the assistant producer of the documentary film "I Want Your Money" about the perils of Big Government, comparing the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Randy is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths," which addresses how leaders have appealed to beliefs found in the Declaration of Independence at defining moments in our nation's history. He has been published in several political sites and newspapers.

Randy graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a BS in political science and Regent University School of Law with a juris doctorate.
Birthplace
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated dean's list from West Point
Education
United States Military Academy at West Point, Regent University School of Law
Books Written
We Hold These Truths
Professional Memberships
Virginia and Pennsylvania state bars
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Entertainment, Faith




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