The Lincoln-based Nebraska Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue Team continues working in Live Oak County, Texas where crews are surveying rivers and creeks throughout the Nueces River Basin for changing conditions and potential new hazards.
Teams are also confirming access routes and keeping swift water rescue resources ready around the clock. Task Force Leader Ashley Engler says lower water levels don’t eliminate the danger. “Water can look calm one hour and turn dangerous the next,” Engler says. “Just because conditions appear to be improving in some areas doesn’t mean our team lets its guard down. We plan for the water we might see tomorrow, not just the water we see today.”
Engler says the team’s mission is to remain prepared for whatever comes next. “We’re here because Texas asked us to be here, and we’ll stay ready for as long as we’re needed. Winding down isn’t in our vocabulary until the risk is actually gone.”
Task Force One is also monitoring weather in the Gulf of Mexico as forecasters watch for additional rainfall that could affect the Nueces River Basin in the days ahead.