14 to be honored for Ike rescues
GALVESTON, Texas (AP) - Several police officers and city employees are being honored for braving dangerous floodwaters in dump trucks and boats to rescue 23 people as Hurricane Ike was bearing down on Texas.
Three public works employees and 11 police officers will be honored Thursday by the Galveston City Council for their efforts.
Ike struck Galveston on Sept. 13, but in the hours before landfall the 14 city employees slogged through floodwaters in 90-mph winds and guided vehicles to get to a public housing complex. The rescues took place despite city administration orders to abandon the efforts.
Sgt. Pete Contenta says the water was so high against a truck that the officers could not open the doors, so windows were rolled down to reach four children.
"Our guys were not going to let those kids drown," Contenta said. "We were afraid that we wouldn't make it back, but we were not going to leave them out there."
Contenta says the officers used the rooftops of flooded vehicles to guide them to a shelter and safety.
"I don't know how we kept that Ford 350 truck running in that water," Contenta said.
Police Chief Charles Wiley paid tribute to the employees Tuesday.
"They had an opportunity to secure themselves, their vehicles and their property at the height of the storm, and they elected to do otherwise," said Wiley. "And as a result 23 people were rescued and moved to safety."
The public works employees are Luis Polanco, Paul Booth and Gene Williamson.
Police honorees are: Officers Josh Allred, Joe Atchley, George Simpson, Javier Rosas, Robert Sanderson and Jeremi Smart; Contenta, plus fellow Sgts. Tim Buck, Renaye Ochoa and Ronny Phillips; and Capt. Walter Braun.
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Information from Galveston County Daily News & Houston Chronicle:
www.galvnews.com & www.chron.com
