Technology Connects Volunteer Rescuers With Harvey Flood Victims

Rising above the chaos of Harvey, an army of volunteers are flocking to the coast, with boats to save people stranded in their homes.

Technology is connecting them with people who need help.

Tuesday, Rena Saloman and her crew drove to Alvin where people needed help. They were hit by high waters and eventually had to stop before trying to move forward again.

Driving through 3 feet of water, Saloman prayed for safety –“Pray that it doesn’t get any deeper” — she said on Facebook Live.

She and her crew have rescued several people in the past few days. They are not paid to do it nor are they part of the fire department or a rescue team. Simply put, they’re volunteers who heard the call, listened and leapt to action.

Other volunteers who heard the call like stay-at-home mom Shemeca Harvey answered all the way from Jacksonville, Florida.

“I had an urge and need to give back,” Harvey told CBS11 News via video chat.

Harvey is working off an app called Zello. The push-to-talk app turns your phone into a walkie-talkie, connecting rescuers with boats with people who need help. This map shows the number of people who have been helped and also those who need help. 

Source: CBS Houston

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Taxonomy

• Technology
• Flood Management
• Flood management
• Flood damage
• Mobile Apps