EMS wins award for flood rescues

Members of the Austin-Travis County EMS Special Operations rescue team, accompanied by Chief Ernesto Rodriguez, traveled to Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, recently to accept the Higgins and Langley Team Award at the 2014 National Association of Search and Rescue conference. The team was given the award for its work during the 2013 Halloween Floods in Austin and Travis County. A night of heavy thunderstorms had unleashed torrential flooding in several parts of the city and the county, destroying property and threatening the lives of hundreds of residents. During the incident, which occurred one year ago today, ATCEMS Special Operations members rescued 22 people by shallow water crossing, 57 by rescue swimmer and 80 to 100 people and numerous pets by boat. The Special Operations team has been the recipient of the Higgins and Langley Team Award three times since 2001.