Our man Taylor is still in Houston, affecting water rescues and treating refugees. After taking time to recover from a snake bite, JWT reports what we suspected: Texas and other local volunteers have saved — and continue to save — the day for residents trapped in The Bayou City’s floodwaters.

“There are thousands of private boats here,” JWT reported. “And yes it’s a clusterf*ck. But there are so many boats it doesn’t matter. Volunteers are getting it done.”

And they’re armed. Jon tells me that every single official and unofficial “member” the so-called Cajun Navy — the volunteers destroying their boats’ hulls to rescue stranded Texans — has a pistol. “This isn’t New Jersey,” Jon pointed out. He also said he talked to some water-borne rescuers who were ambushed at gunpoint. Someone called in a fake rescue, then stole their boat.

Otherwise, Jon says he hasn’t seen any looting, and doesn’t expect very much in the worst hit residential areas. “The houses are completely underwater. Anything left is going to be really soggy.”

That said, the Houston Chronicle reported yesterday 40 arrested in Harris County for looting. “Officials warned residents to beware of scammers, as well, offering services door-to-door with fake stories of being police officers or contractors hoping to help.” Human nature, good and bad. And so it goes.

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42 COMMENTS

  1. Snake bite? Cr_p!

    JWT have a place to / desire to receive aid donations personally?

    How are cell towers holding up?

    • Jon says to donate to the usual suspects. I’m trying like Hell to fulfil Jon’s request to get a drug company to get inhalers to the GRB center STAT, but having no joy. If anyone has industry contacts ping me on 401 835 5054.

      • ‘I called Catalent, they said “the need is for ‘inhalers’ – ok, but what medicine in them?” And i derp’d

        • The most common inhalers are for asthma, aka Albuterol. Just a guess, but statistically the most likely.

      • No one around here has any respect for the Red Cross. They throw away food and supplies. “The charity’s own documents suggest it put the appearance of serving victims ahead of actually helping them.” – Red Cross Misstates How Donors’ Dollars Are Spent

  4. The National Guard is also patrolling various neighborhoods to discourage looters. I had a small arsenal in the truck as I evacuated folks, with at least one on my person at all times, and saw several others doing the same.

    The caliber of people, the values that area of the country holds, and the immense teamwork on display are all impressive. I met one boat crew that had bought their boat that very morning from a sporting goods store and were using it just hours later to rescue folks. I love this state.

    • Ya know, that would be a *very* interesting statistic to look up in a few months.

      I suppose the real question is, how many displaced Houston folks were displaced by Katrina down in ‘Nawlins years back by Katrina.

      I understand quite a few were relocated to Houston, and crime spiked…

    • If the area votes blue; and Democrats are still present in the area, then there will be looting and crime… Because thats what Democrats do….

  7. Quite the contrast to Katrina where city officials ordered the NG and local law enforcement to disarm citizens. And there you have it folks, this is how conservatives behave as opposed to the animals in NOLA.

    • I second that statement. If LA were in the same situation there would be a 10th of volunteers helping and a 1000% more looting, shooting and hooting.

      Houston has been the butt of many jokes, and now what can be joked about? That is how real America steps up, not the Liberal America that we see on the left and right coast.

  8. Awesome work Mr. Taylor!

    As for criminal scumbags out there to rob people and steal boats, that is why I said it could be very handy to have a rifle available in your boat.

    Where did the snake bite you? What kind of snake bit you? Venomous? Non-venomous?

    • “As for criminal scumbags out there to rob people and steal boats, that is why I said it could be very handy to have a rifle available in your boat.”

      Weird, I coulda sworn I mentioned that a day or so back and RF asked for a citation where I heard it.

      Great minds think alike. 🙂

      Waders that go up to the chest are still a good idea…

    • “What kind of snake?”

      The kind that usually votes Democrat, unfortunately.

      Are water moccasins a thing in the bayous of south Texas?

      • Yep, some bad MFs in SE TX. I lived in NW Houston for 6 years. My neighborhood converted a retention pond into a walking trail. It was common knowledge to stay away from the shrubs near the water because the snakes were monstrous.

    • Not sure. Probably a water moccasin as there were a ton of those around. But it barely got me. Just a bunch of chills, and a crazy amount of vomiting.

  10. Tiny quibble: I think the word you want is ‘effecting’, rather than ‘affecting’. Effect as a verb means to bring about. It’s a more active word than affect. And JWT is most certainly active!

    I’m looking for where to donate, too.

    • +1. Hopefully Antifa is not going after the grammar Nazis, but here’s what the Oxford dictionary has to say on the subject:

      Affect and effect are different in meaning, though frequently confused. Affect is chiefly used as a verb and its main meaning is ‘to influence or make a difference to’, as in the following example sentences:

      The pay increase will greatly affect their lifestyle.

      The dampness began to affect my health.

      The weather will affect my plans for the weekend.

      Effect, on the other hand, is used both as a noun and a verb, although is more commonly used as a noun. As a noun it means ‘a result or an influence’, as in:

      Move the cursor until you get the effect you want.

      The beneficial effects of exercise are well documented.

      Over time the effect of loud music can damage your hearing.

      When used as a verb effect means ‘to bring something about as a result’. It’s most often used in a formal context as oppose to everyday English:

      Growth in the economy can only be effected by stringent economic controls.

      The new policies did little to effect change.

      The prime minister effected many policy changes.

  12. Why do you need to be armed?

    So I’ll still have a boat to get people out with. What, you want them to die?

    • “Why do you need to be armed?”

      JWT personally confirmed the rumor that some folks asking for rescue were robbing the *rescuers* at gunpoint, stealing boats…

  13. I’m amazed that people would actually pull handguns on rescuers arriving in duck hunting boats. Setting aside the obvious point that they’re rescuers, you have to ask yourself what did you think they hunt the ducks with?

  14. I live down here, near Beaumont. I have personally met (and fed in a shelter) sportsmen from Missouri, Maryland, and Michigan. These guys are THE GREATEST! They brought their boats and their gas to assist others without any hope of remuneration.

    Someone described them as the American militia.

    • Indeed, they are the same people that Obama talked about, clinging to their guns and their Bibles, the same people Hillary referred to as “deplorable.”

  16. Shout out to JW. I an working a shelter in Irving for people displaced from the coast. Always the REMF.

  17. I wonder just how many people will or have lost a gun over the side of a rescue boat???
    That floating AR7 Henry survival rifle looks pretty good right now, if it’s dropped into the flood waters by mistake. You can recover it quickly.

    Also because of its mostly aluminium and ABS plastic construction, it won’t rust, at least not very soon.

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