Border Patrol agents rescue family in flood-stricken Houston neighborhood

ABC-7 has obtained footage of a Border Patrol crew rescuing a family from a flooded area in Houston Tuesday.

A federal official told ABC-7 the “water rescue-trained agents” are with the Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue (BORSTAR) team. The agents were assisted by an Air and Marine Operations (AMO) UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew.

There are currently five Border Patrol helicopters from ‘El Paso Air and Marine’ in the region devastated by the hurricane and ensuing tropical storm, the federal official said. The official could not confirm if the agents involved in the rescue seen in the video are from El Paso.

Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña says his agency has responded to more than 1,000 calls for service – including 400 water rescues – since Harvey inundated much of the city.

Peña says some fire department crews have been working for three days straight, without a break, and he has implemented procedures to ensure firefighters get the nourishment and rest they need.

Peña says it has been difficult to get in fresh crews to replace firefighters at some locations because in many areas, “we can’t get in and out of the fire stations” due to flooding. “We can’t deploy them to where we need them with their equipment.”

Peña says the fire department is managing the resources it has on hand and will rotate in fresh firefighter crews as it is able to do so.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ARTICLE