Hurricane Florence prompts volunteer group America's Cajun Navy to send more than 1,000 people to help
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A volunteer organization called America’s Cajun Navy says it's sending more than 1,000 people to North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia ahead of Hurricane Florence.
“We are a search and rescue organization,” president John Billiot told Fox News, adding that they also have a K-9 team to “look for your loved ones.”
Billiot says America’s Cajun Navy is sending “maybe 12 or 1300” people to the Carolinas and Virginia and “800, almost 900 boats” which come from across the U.S.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“The count goes up almost every 10, 15 minutes,” he explained.
Billiot said the organization completed 35,000 rescues during Hurricane Harvey.
For Florence, the group is focusing on a different figure.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}HURRICANE FLORENCE'S PATH: TRACK THE STORM HERE
“[The] number we’re worried about: zero,” he said. “We want to see the number zero: zero fatalities, zero injuries. That is our main number.”
Taylor Fontenot, the Texas captain of America’s Cajun Navy, spoke to Fox 26 on Tuesday before heading out.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“First seven days is usually search and rescue,” he explained. “First four or five days is usually human. Last two will be probably focused towards animal.”
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Fontenot added, “It all depends on the storm, and then day seven to day ten goes into body recovery.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But not everyone is hitting the road. Billiot said that “a few hundred” volunteers are staying in Lousiana and Texas in case the storm affects the Gulf Coast.
Billiot says people interested in helping the group can reach out via their Facebook page. Those interested in donating can do so by visiting their website.