MEANWHILE FOLKS FROM OHIO HAVE BEEN LENDING A HAND IN HELPING THE PEOPLE OF PUERTO RICO. A SPECIAL FEMA TASK FORCE WITH MEMBERS FROM OHIO MADE THE TRECK TO ONE PUERTO RICO VILLAGE CUT OFF BY THE HURRICANE.
BRYNN GINGRAS WAS THERE WITH THEM.
NATSOT:
MYRIAM: THE WIND IT SOUNDED LIKE A MONSTER.
BRYNN: MYRIAM ROSARIO CRUZ RODE OUT THE STORM FROM INSIDE THIS BEDROOM.
THE STORM'S EYE WALL TRAVELED RIGHT THROUGH MOUNTAINOUS UTUADO - A CITY ABOUT 90 MINUTES FROM SAN JUAN.
THE RIVER THAT RUNS THROUGH THIS AREA ROSE MORE THAN TWENTY FEET.
BRYNN: WHAT WAS YOUR THOUGHT SEEING THIS RIVER GO UP?
MYRIAM: TERRIBLE, I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO COME IN HERE, BUT IT DIDN'T THANK GOD.
BRYNN: BUT THE FLOODING CAUSED LANDSLIDES AND KNOCKED OUT THIS BRIDGE, THE ONLY WAY FOR CRUZ'S COMMUNITY TO GET OUT.
MYRIAM: WE WERE AFRAID THAT WE'D BE LEFT ALONE.
BRYNN: BUT THEY WEREN'T.
RIGHT NOW WERE CROSSING A RIVER WITH A PULLEY SYSTEM CONSTRUCTED BY A TASK FORCE THAT'S UNDER THE DIRECTION OF FEMA, AND REALLY ACROSS THE RIVER ABOUT 40 FAMILIES THAT HAVEN'T SEEN RELIEF UP UNTIL TODAY, UP UNTIL TODAY, UP UNTIL THIS WHOLE SYSTEM WAS CONSTRUCTED.
THIS GROUP OF SPECIALIZED OFFICERS, FIREMEN AND EMS COME FROM NEW YORK, INDIANA AND OHIO.
IN THE PAST WEEK THEIR TEAMS ACROSS PUERTO RICO HAVE SAVED MORE THAN 800 PEOPLE.
THIS TASK FORCE TOOK US TO CRUZ'S NEIGHBORHOOD
LT. MIKE MCGUINNESS: WHILE WE ARE CONDUCTING THOSE ASSESSMENTS, THAT'S HOW WE RECEIVE INFORMATION FROM THE LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS, 'HEY, IN THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET THERE YET, WE HAVE NO COMMUNICATION WITH THEM, CAN YOU HELP US? AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE ARE HERE TO DO.
BRYNN: NOW RESIDENTS ARE RATIONING THIS NEW SHIPMENT OF SUPPLIES AND THEY'RE GRATEFUL.
MARILYN: WHEN I SAW THEM COME THE FIRST TIME, I SAW HEAVEN…SO FINALLY THEY KNEW ABOUT OUR SITUATION.
BRYNN: BUT WITH A BROKEN BRIDGE, FOOD AND SUPPLIES WILL BE NEEDED AGAIN AND COMMUNICATIONS ARE STILL OUT.
THIS MAN CAN'T GET IN TOUCH WITH HIS DAUGHTER, BRINGING HIM TO TEARS.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY TO YOUR DAUGHTER IN TEXAS?
STRANDED RESIDENT: TELL HER I'M SAFE WERE SAFE. YOU'RE SURVIVING? WE APPRECIATE YOUR HELP.
BRYNN: EVEN WITHOUT THE HELP, WE FOUND THIS COMMUNITY DOING ALL THEY CAN TO STAY ALIVE.
MYRIAM: YOU SEE THAT LINING THERE. THAT'S HOW WE GOT THE WATER. YOU DID THAT YOURSELF? NO, YEA THE PEOPLE HERE, NOT ME, THE MEN. SO IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE THAT? WE HAVE NO WATER.
BRYNN: AS FOR THE TASK FORCE, THIS ASSIGNMENT IS OVER
AND THEY'RE ON TO THE NEXT MISSION, CONTINUING TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF PUERTO RICO.
Find Out More
Website: Ohio Task Force 1 | Learn more about the Ohio urban search and rescue team
Website Article: Sky Above Us, How to Join a Search and Rescue Team | What does it take to be part of this kind of team
Website: American Red Cross | Find out what to do for disaster victims