Connecticut has sent its Urban Search and Rescue team to Vermont to help with the ongoing catastrophic flooding in the state.
William and Lisa Deddens experienced frightening moments on Monday.
“We left a few things, I don’t think we got everything packed up, but we were in full panic,” Vermont evacuee William Deddens said.
The couple evacuated their vacation cabin near the Ludlow and Chester line in Vermont Monday afternoon. The Deddens' said a small stream near their deck was rising rapidly as heavy rainfalls made their way through the area.
“It looked like a washing machine on full blast, on full blast, although full of mud,” Lisa Deddens said.
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As the couple efforted their way out of the state, they encountered detours, downed branches and flooded roadways.
“It was a little scary, because we are close to the edge of the road, if we would have been washed into the brook, we probably would have died,” William said.
The Deddens’ made it safely to a relative's house in Bristol, Connecticut after more than three hours on the road.
Local
As people evacuated Vermont, the Connecticut Task Force 1, among other neighboring state agencies, raced in to help after catastrophic flooding.
On Tuesday, the eight-member team helped rescue five people and three pets outside of Vermont’s capital.
Part of the challenge was gaining access and being able to launch our boats. Decision was made to actually hand launch, carry boats off the highway,” CT-TF-1 Chris Parker said.
The team will remain in Vermont for the next 10 days.
“They are a dedicated group of people who have spent a lot of time training for this moment,” CT Emergency Management Director Bill Turner said.
