how we help
This is where Cajun Navy 2016 began – the Great Flood in Louisiana.
In August 2016, prolonged rainfall resulted in catastrophic flooding in the state of Louisiana; thousands of houses and businesses were submerged.
Louisiana’s governor, John Bel Edwards, called the disaster a “historic, unprecedented flooding event” and declared a state of emergency.
Many rivers and waterways, particularly the Amite and Comite rivers, reached record levels, and rainfall exceeded 20 inches in multiple parishes.
Responding to floods is where logistics plays a vital role.
We (as always) reach out to officials in the areas affected to see where we are needed and what is the best way to get there.
Sometimes direct access is not possible due to road closures, so we have to find a different route.
This is where technology is critical.
Our dispatchers work to find open routes to the areas that need rescues and pass along that information through Zello and our MIMS software (mapping system).
They are also taking in calls, messages from our FB page, and tracking our boater’s locations.
The safety of our volunteers is of utmost importance, which is why we use technology to track their location and make sure everyone is safe.