Here’s another example of Louisianians helping their neighbors that we have seen this weekend. Louisiana is called the “Sportsman’s Paradise” because we love our hunting and fishing here.
Many of us have flat-bottom boats which are perfect for shallow bayous. They’re also good for flooded streets.
When a major flood hits the state, this “Cajun Navy” assembles to rescue their neighbors who are trapped in flooded homes and rooftops.
From The Times-Picayune:
As thousands were stranded inside their homes as Louisiana floodwaters rose this weekend, social media users shared photos and thanks for the “Cajun Navy.” The term was affectionately applied to the many fishermen, hunters and leisure boaters who arrived to provide back up to official first responders backed up with emergency calls for stranded residents.
The “Cajun Navy” faced no less strenuous work, according to one such volunteer. Chris Macaluso, a Baton Rouge resident, used his own boat to help get neighbors to dry ground from his own subdivision.
“I had access to a boat I could use but, man, they got a lot of (people) in duck hunting boats riding around these neighborhoods who have no idea where they’re going, but they’re just here to help,” Macaluso said. “This is not easy work.”
Riding a boat around in flooded streets is not easy work. There is often a strong current whipping around flooded cars and houses. There are also many obstacles that can damage boats.
RELATED: No, We Don’t Need The Louisiana Legislature To Regulate The Cajun Navy
But people across Louisiana are proud of the “Cajun Navy.”
#CajunNavy is shown deploying in this pic by Troy @gulfsails #BatonRougeFlood pic.twitter.com/P9yI0QRQoM
— walter michot (@WalterMichot) August 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/sagestone_/status/765285628204322816
https://twitter.com/AshleyMDoan/status/765253811409563648
Shout out to the #CajunNavy , a group of citizens armed w/ only their personally owned boats, who have been rescuing folks from #BRflood .
— Scott Gaudin (@financierofquan) August 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/MarvinC1945/status/765252189556133892
https://twitter.com/FooOswald/status/765248411775987713
https://twitter.com/dtonguis/status/765230524226994176
https://twitter.com/Editilla/status/765178821087666182
This is #LouisianaStrong. Regular ppl helping others. #CajunNavy #BatonRougeFlood #laflood #LaFlooding https://t.co/qPXpgFZUNQ
— laurie (@AlwaysLake) August 15, 2016
#CajunNavy unbreaking my heart a little piece at a time. https://t.co/8VUwUI6DZU
— Mea Arnold (@MeaArnold) August 14, 2016
Proud of the people of my state. #cajunnavy https://t.co/wiMAgE2sAB
— Heather Elise Fox (@MakeupbyHeath3r) August 14, 2016
https://twitter.com/CriminalSanders/status/764926839856898049
This flood was not the first time the Cajun Navy was deployed. It was deployed after Hurricane Katrina nearly 11 years ago.
https://twitter.com/BoneyMac/status/639072810426609664
Louisianians don’t sit around and wait for the government to come save us. We know from first hand experience we have to save ourselves.
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