By Leila Merrill
FireRescue1
HOUSTON — Houston Fire Department crewmembers rescued three people from rising water after heavy rainstorms soaked the city.
Jerry Cates, one of those rescued from the bayou, told ABC13 he was “very thankful” and “very blessed.”
“It’s been raining all night. It was pretty bad. The water rose very fast,” he said.
The three rescued individuals had been sleeping underneath a downtown bridge.
Since the bayou water was moving swiftly and it was dark, firefighters decided it was too risky to use a boat for the rescue. Instead, they lowered a ladder into the water and the individuals were able to climb to safety.
Houston Fire Department District Chief Hunter Schappaugh said this is not an uncommon occurrence in this area. He said that the water has risen so high in the past that people have been forced to find something to hold on to or sit on rails in order to stay safe.