Roosevelt County crews help out with Ike's effects

Three Roosevelt County emergency medical technicians are scheduled to return soon from aiding in the Hurricane Ike recovery effort.

 Rhonda Gorrell of Dora, Apple Wood of Causey and Wiley Teal of Milnesand have been assisting on an eight-day mission as part of the Emergency Management Assistance Contract, said Jan Elliott, the executive director of Emergency Medical Services Region III.

The three EMTs are expected to return to Roosevelt County on Wednesday, Elliott said.

“I spoke with the EMTs today and they are doing fine,” Elliott, said Monday. “They said that fatigue is beginning to set in, from working in several areas like Port Arthur and Baymont.”

Dora Village Clerk Becky Fraze said Gorrell contacted her Sunday and said that they were in Port Arthur and were aiding in the house-to-house search.

Causey and Milnesand fire departments sent an ambulance to assist the recovery effort.

“Wiley and Apple are always willing to do what they can to help people,” Milnesand Fire Chief John Mohon said.

Fraze said that Dora was not in a position to send an ambulance to Texas.

More than 37,000 people have been left homeless by Ike and are staying at shelters. Even more are on the way as search and rescue teams continue to round up those stranded by the storm’s floodwaters. The strain is beginning to show.

Some shelters are overcrowded, food and water scarce, and there have been isolated reports of fights and arrests.

Hurricane Ike came ashore Saturday morning near Galveston, Texas.

Members of Region III, which is made up of 12 counties including Curry and Roosevelt, deployed Wednesday night from either Clovis or Carlsbad, said Elliott.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry called rescue workers “heroes” who were doing their best to help their neighbors. He urged residents to be patient.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.