Hurricane Katrina ten years on: First responder’s emotional story

Jonathan Rice, one of the first responders after Hurricane Katrina, worked for five straight days. This is his story.

Petty Officer first Class Jonathan Rice, a Coast Guard aviation survival technician, was one of the first responders on the scene. Credit: YouTube/US Coastguard

Ten years on from Hurricane Katrina, and the horrifying events of that week still weigh heavily around those affected.

Katrina killed more than 1,500 people from Louisiana. Many of them drowned inside their homes.

Petty Officer first Class Jonathan Rice, a Coast Guard aviation survival technician, was one of the first responders on the scene.

In a video released by the US Coast Guard, Mr Rice has recounted the events of August 2005, a tragedy which still moves him to tears.

“We actually came in behind the storm,” said Mr Rice, who was on the first helicopter that came back to New Orleans to rescue and assess damage.

“We actually had to fly sideways, behind the storm. Once we got on scene, all our offices were totally destroyed but we had fuel trucks and that was all that was needed.”

“The extent of how long I did rescues was five days and nights straight. that was flying on waivers. We’re only allowed to typically fly for six hours at a time before we’re required to have rest but in this situation that wasn’t going to cut it.

“There is no amount of training that could prepare you for an event like Katrina.

“I went to a two-storey building and there was a women there who was acting frantic and as I was going down on the hook, she threw her infant child at me and I had to reach out and catch the child

“I think responding to Katrina has changed me for the better. This was the biggest search and rescue event in US history and I was a part of that.”

Hurricane Katrina ten years on