Hurricane Helene devastated several southern states. A team of local first responders went to North Carolina to assist in the rescue operations. The team consisted of firefighters from South Bend, Mishawaka, and Goshen, and conservation officers from the Department of Natural Resources. Mishawaka Assistant Fire Chief Josh Jester said the team faced many challenges upon their arrival.
“The team faced long work hours,” Jester said. “All the cell phone connections were down, so lack of communication was a major challenge. The infrastructure was wiped and there were downed trees everywhere. The team had to have someone walking in front of the trucks with a chainsaw to cut things out of the road. Getting from place to place was extremely difficult because of so much debris, mudslides, and water.”
Despite the challenges, the team made a huge impact on the communities they were assisting.
“They rescued a ton of people,” Jester said. “If they had been required to stay, they were willing to, because they knew how much of a difference they were making.”
The team returned home on Wednesday with something more than job satisfaction.
“The team was rewarded with the reminder of how fragile life can be,” Jester said. “Seeing where areas were washed away, allowed them to appreciate what we have back here at home.”
Local training was integral in the team’s success.
“It’s just a testament to the training we do together in this area,” Jester said. “Everybody’s training together. Everybody’s working together, so when big things like this happen, the logo on our t-shirt gets pushed aside. We work together for the betterment of people.”
