Oh, Deer! Dramatic 4-Legged Rescues During Harvey Flooding

KATY, TX — After a full 22-hour drive and five days spent putting their skills to the test, the Orange County Fire Authority Rescue Task Force 5 is showing their mettle. The team has been split between Katy, Texas, and Houston. According to OCFA Captain Larry Kurtz, they are doing their job and doing it well.

"The team is still hard at work," Kurtz said in interview with Patch Wednesday. "Their spirits are good."

The team members of Task Force 5 are tired. They've logged over 1,000 rescues either indirectly or directly, according to Kurtz.

"Every day they are making a difference," he said. "They are tired, know they are there to do a job. Every shift, they suit up and get out there, eager to help."

Hurricane Harvey - California Task Force 5 rescuers suiting up in safety gear for another shift in Texas. pic.twitter.com/C3ks0zkO3V
— OCFA PIO (@OCFA_PIO) August 30, 2017

On Wednesday, that help came in the form of five separate rescues. Two of them, animals — one domestic and one wild, both in need of assistance to get to dry ground amid the rising flood waters.

Both the cat and a deer were discovered amid Task Force Five's workday, buzzing their rescue boat through flooded streets. The deer's head was covered by a towel, to keep it calm while it was loaded into the boat.

"There was no word on what happened to the deer after it was rescued," Kurtz said. However, several animal shelters have stepped in to assist the wayward critters find something to eat and a dry space to call their own.

The team has over 10 days left in its journey to Houston. Follow Patch for more on the dramatic rescues in Texas by those who live and work in southern California.

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Also See: Harvey Could Be One Of The Most Expensive Storms In US History