Coast Guard shallow-water response teams from Marine Safety Unit Baton Rouge conduct rescue operations near Beaumont, Texas, Sept. 19, 2019. U.S. Coast Guard photo.
HOUSTON — Coast Guard crews continue to respond to flooding near Beaumont, Texas, and surrounding areas, due to rainfall from Tropical Depression Imelda.
Shallow-water response teams from Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Baton Rouge have rescued 21 people and five pets in the Orange County, Texas, area.
Coast Guard aircrews from Coast Guard Air Station Houston and Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans have medevaced or rescued nine people and transferred them to awaiting emergency medical services personnel.
Coast Guard members are also staged in the emergency operations centers in Jefferson County, Harris County, Orange County, Liberty County, Chambers County and the cities of Houston, Beaumont and Austin.
“Ahead of the storm we began prepositioning our response crews in the Beaumont area,” said Capt. Kevin Oditt, Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston commanding officer. “And we continue to coordinate with state, county and city emergency operations center and local first responders to assist where needed.”
People in distress should use 911 to request assistance. Social media should not be used to report life-threatening distress due to limited resources to monitor the dozens of social media platforms during a large-scale rescue event.
City of Beaumont Emergency Operations Center: 409-880-3838
Jefferson County Emergency Operations Center: 409-835-8759 or 409-983-8333
Chambers County Emergency Operations Center: 409-267-8295 or 281-924-7293
Orange County Emergency Operations Center: 409-882-7895 or 409-745-9717
