Well over a hundred people from Indiana were scrambled to the East Coast in the emergency response. A group from Warsaw just got back from helping the Jersey Shore resident who were devastated by the storm in the Atlantic City area. All four men said that the emotional damage they saw in the faces of victims was worse than the physical damage all around them.
Snapshots captured in seconds... Memories that'll last forever.
"There were houses completely off of their foundation," Multi-Township EMS Critical Care Paramedic Supervisor Gary Hicks said. "An amusement park that sat on the island and boardwalks that were completely destroyed."
Last weekend four Multi-Township EMS personnel out of Warsaw traveled to New Jersey to help flood victims.
"Our adrenaline was really high, we were ready to go," said Advanced EMT Keith Robbins.
What they saw when they got there was devastating.
"Houses that were completely destroyed, other infrastructure that was completely destroyed," said Hicks.
But the pain they saw in the eyes of victims was even worse.
"they had an expression of where's my loved one," Robbins said. "It was anguish, it was anxiety, devastation in the faces in the way they looked. It would be like a parent who's child is not home at a certain time.
These men helped about 2,600 from Barrier Islands find shelter.
"It's one of those questions you don't ask when you're talking to them of what all did you lose, but you could tell without them even asking with a box of a small bag of belongings. It's just a given that they've lost everything," said Paramedic Scott Reese.
The four also took over command of an EMS company north of Atlantic City, answering 911 calls and giving employees who worked there a chance to be with their families.
"We were out there to help our brothers and sisters of EMS to give them the time that they needed, but as we were there all of a sudden they started showing up and they were cooking for us and they were making us feel welcome," said Robbins.
It was a kindness these emergency personnel saw everywhere.
"It was amazing the lack of self and the concern for others even though they had lost a lot themselves and it kind of restores you faith in human kindness I guess," said Advanced EMT Ron Sellers.
