Local Crews Rescue Boy Trapped by Tornado Damage

THE WOODLANDS, TX - On Sunday, the office of County Judge Mark Keough was out continuing to do aerial surveys of the storm damage in the Cut and Shoot area from Saturday’s tornado. While on this project, a call came in of a 13-year-old who swam from the east to the west side of the San Jacinto River and was now unable to get to safety.

Montgomery County Sheriff's Department and fire crews responded to the east side and determined it to be safer to evacuate the child from the west side. Access to the west side location was difficult and the team responded with a drone to the west side. From the west side they were able to use the drone to assist Caney Creek and Needham Fire Departments with navigating thick woods and marshy terrain in order to get to the child, who was then evacuated from the river shore. Afterwards, fire and EMS crews evaluated the child, and he was released to his parents.

Special thanks to the Montgomery County Sheriffs Department, Caney Creek Fire Department, and Needham Fire Department for their quick response and reuniting the child with his parents.

(Primary photo by David Schliepp on Scopio; drone footage photo by Mark Keough)