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.
More related coverage of the Hill Country floods on KSAT: