Wisconsin Red Cross and Coast Guard deployed to Texas, more on their way

Maddie Koss

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Texas has received a catastrophic amount of flooding from Hurricane Harvey, and many of the communities are engulfed in water, leaving people stranded and in need of help.

Wisconsin organizations have pulled together their resources and sent people that way to help with rescues and to aid people affected by the flooding.

Volunteers unload donated items at the George Brown Convention Center, which has been turned into a shelter run by the American Red Cross to house victims of the high water from Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas.

Combined, the Wisconsin Red Cross and Coast Guard stations in Wisconsin have sent about 80 people to Texas, and more are on the way.

The Wisconsin Red Cross sent 59 volunteers to Texas to help give aid to those affected by Hurricane Harvey, and many more are on standby.

Patty Flowers, the regional CEO for the state's Red Cross, is one of those volunteers and expects to head to Texas within the next couple of days.

"I expect to see a lot of devastation," Flowers said. "But we're only going to where it's safe since shelters are being placed where there's not a lot of flooding."

To help with those affected, Flowers said the Red Cross has three locations set up in Texas to help give shelter, food and aid to those in need.

EDITORIAL:How we can respond to Hurricane Harvey

As of now, Flowers said the Red Cross has sent out five emergency response vehicles with many empty containers inside that will eventually hold food, water and cleanup kits.

Flowers said it's extremely difficult to get everything down there from Wisconsin as the travel will not be easy.

"But we have supplies positioned across the country and are taking things right out of our warehouses," Flowers said.

The Wisconsin Red Cross said it will eventually send vehicles out into the community to help those who can't get to a shelter safely.

For those wanting to help at home, the humanitarian organization is asking for monetary donations to help give immediate relief to those affected.

Visit redcross.org, call (800) 733-2767 or text the word HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Along with the Wisconsin Red Cross, the state's Coast Guard stations have deployed more than 20 coast guardsmen to Texas to help with the search and rescue efforts.

Coast guardsmen from the Milwaukee, Sheboygan, Sturgeon Bay and Kenosha stations left the state in waves throughout the weekend.

U.S. Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan, which is stationed in Milwaukee, deployed four coast guardsmen Tuesday morning.

Officer-in-charge Chief Darrell Strickland said the crew headed to Texas this morning with rescue equipment and an inflatable vessel, which is specifically used for ice rescues.

Strickland said this type of vessel is helpful in many cases, not just ice, as the boat is extremely durable and can break through almost anything.

"Where it would go through, it's beneficial," Strickland said. "It helps out the resources out there and it's the next best vessel for the job that we can assist with without affecting boats that are helping here."

A Coast Guard rescue team evacuates people from a neighborhood inundated by floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey on Monday in Houston.

Strickland said the station was put on notice Friday morning and the four members began preparing Monday morning.

"Once they get down there, they will check in with the local command and will assist with urban search and rescue for any victims," Strickland said.

Coast Guard Station Sheboygan has deployed two of its coast guardsmen Monday to help in Texas.

The crew of two got the call asking if anyone would volunteer and jumped right on the opportunity.

Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Blaine Bichsel said they sent a shallow water craft and equipment but are still deciding if they need to send more people to Texas.

"It's kind of fluid right now," Bichsel said. "We're going to help out as much as possible, even if it means closing the station a little earlier."

Coast Guard Station Sturgeon Bay's Petty Officer 2nd Class Wahkene Kitchenmaster said they are also willing to help out as much as possible.

"We've got 16 personnel there right now," Kitchenmaster said. "But technically we're all on standby right now."

According to USA Today, the U.S. Coast Guard deployed 16 helicopters with crew members to help with air rescues.

The Coast Guard told USA Today that is has rescued more than 100 people who were stranded on rooftops and carried out more than 2,000 multiperson rescues as of Sunday.