BROOKHAVEN, Miss. — Tornadoes hit southern Mississippi Wednesday, damaging hundreds of homes and leaving thousands without power.
Cajun Navy 2016 Volunteers were there within hours, officials with the grassroots volunteer rescue and relief organization tell us.
“These are our neighbors just miles from the Louisiana state line, and when communities are hurting, we show up,” said Jon Bridgers, Founder and CEO of Cajun Navy 2016. “Disasters do not wait for the weather to clear, and neither do our volunteers. Our teams arrived while conditions were still dangerous because people needed help. We are proud to stand alongside these communities during some of their hardest moments.”
Bridgers, who was one of the first from Cajun Navy 2016 to respond last night, said teams immediately began supporting local response efforts by helping search damaged areas, clearing debris, and opening blocked roadways to help emergency crews move through the impacted communities.
The tornadoes caused widespread destruction across parts of South Mississippi, injuring numerous individuals, and leaving hundreds of homes damaged, trees and power lines down, with roads impassable in several areas.
Volunteers continue working with local officials and residents to assist with cleanup and recovery operations.
Video and updates from Cajun Navy 2016’s response efforts in Brookhaven, including debris removal and roadway clearing operations, can be viewed on the organization’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/cajunnavy2016.org [facebook.com]
Here's how the organization describes itself: Cajun Navy 2016 is a nationwide, nonprofit, volunteer-led rescue and relief organization founded in Louisiana after the historic 2016 floods in the southeastern part of the state. While many individuals and groups use the “Cajun Navy” name to describe volunteer disaster response efforts, Cajun Navy 2016 was among the earliest organizations to formally establish a nonprofit under that name, The general term “Cajun Navy” first gained widespread use in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina, when volunteer boaters from Louisiana mobilized to rescue stranded residents—reflecting a long-standing tradition of neighbors helping neighbors in times of crisis.
