More help continues to pour into the Texas Hill Country where the search for those still missing from the catastrophic July 4th flooding.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A team from right here in Nueces County has joined the front lines of that heartbreaking search in Kerr County.
Two deputies – one from the Constables Precinct 3 office and another from precinct 5 and his K-9 partner – are now part of that grueling effort.
Each image from the search area is serving as a window into the unforgiving power of mother nature
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“Like devastation you know, it’s crazy how mother nature did this in a short period of time,” said Deputy Matt Caffey with Nueces Co. Constables Pct. 3.
Deputy Caffey and Chris Salazar alongside his K-9 partner Thor answered the call to join the intensive search and recovery mission.
“Everybody wants to come and help,” Salazar said. “What they are about to see, and experience is very traumatic. In reality you are not, when you see what we experienced yesterday, it stays with you, as first responders, unfortunately that is what we see a lot of the times.”
“You got to go, part of your calling when we take that oath,” Caffey said.
The search zone is massive with dangerous terrain scattered with debris.
“You have stuff inside trees, you’ve got trees knocked over, pieces of houses in the trees, it’s crazy how everything unfolded,” Caffey said. “If it wasn’t for the heavy machinery we had, we couldn’t have recovered what we recovered yesterday.”
It’s an exhausting effort that feels like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
K-9 Thor is certified in tracking and has already played a vital role.
“Especially in a wide area, there is so much to search, yesterday he came in handy,” Salazar said.
“If it wasn’t for Chris’ dog and other K-9’s out here, those are great assets,” Caffey said. “They’re alerting to an area for us to look and investigate more.”
Salazar also assisted in recovery efforts during the deadly 2015 Wimberley flood.
“It hits a little different when it comes to kids and searching for kids,” Salazar said. “I have kids that age, it hits you harder when you are finding kids under debris, under trees, it stays with you.”
Despite the heartbreak the images also capture a relentless effort to help families find the closure they so desperately need.
“After seeing what we saw yesterday, when it comes to children, cherish your kids your family members, tell them you love them,” Caffey said.
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