A Baton Rouge, Louisiana area sheriff rescued a family — including an infant — from their home during the widespread flooding across the state while officials are now saying over 20,000 residents have been rescued in the crisis.
East Baton Rouge (EBR) Sheriff Sid Gautreaux saved the family of two men, a woman and their baby from rising flood waters at their home on Comite Drive in the area.
Captured video footage of the rescue shows Gautreaux and the woman keeping the baby warm with a blanket as they stand in inches-deep muddy water.
A woman on Facebook claiming to be the mother of one of the men rescued praised Gautreaux and the EBR Sheriff’s Dept. for their rescue missions in the area.
“FATHER I ask you for a special blessing for SHERIFF SID GAUTREAUX and his AWESOME RESCUE TEAM for all that they did today for my family and other family’s that they help this day and everyday. THANK YOU AGAIN. GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU,” the woman wrote on Facebook.
The family are just four of the now over 20,000 residents who have been rescued from their homes and through search parties during the catastrophic flooding across the south of the state, according to officials.
Of the 20,000 residents rescued, nearly 10,000 have spent nights in shelters in designated dry areas across the region.
Flooding has mainly been focused around Baton Rouge and the surrounding parishes, such as Tangipahoa where at least two bodies were discovered in the flood water, according to WBRZ.
Search and rescue crews also found the body of a Baton Rouge woman who was discovered in her vehicle which was completely submerged in flood waters, putting the death toll for the historic flooding now at six.
Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) said President Obama called him, saying “the people of south Louisiana are in the thoughts and prayers and the federal government will be a solid partner.”
Obama has already signed a disaster declaration in order for federal dollars to supplement the State’s local recovery efforts.
Federal aid will now be readily available for residents impacted by the ongoing flooding in East Baton Rouge, Livingston, St. Helena and Tangipahoa Parishes.
John Binder is a contributor for Breitbart Texas. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder.
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