Expect the unexpected! That's the new motto I have learned since being on this trip with Texas Task Force 1. The last time I wrote, I mentioned that we would be headed out the next morning to do some search and rescue operations. Little did I know that about an hour after I wrote that the winds would die down just enough to let us get out and help those in desperate need!! So at about 10 p.m. Wednesday we were given five minutes to pack all of our stuff up and get it into the van to head out to our first call. What an adrenaline rush!!  From that point on we were out until late afternoon without stopping, going to different homes helping families, and even a nursing home with more than 45 senior citizens trapped inside with rising waters.

It was great to finally see what it is Texas Task Force 1 does in these situations. Sure, you hear about it all the time, but to see them do it is something else. It was a long hard past couple days for everyone, but this morning they were back at it again as if it were day one.

Today teams are focusing on Cameron County . That region is one of the hardest hit by Dolly. Many people are still without electricity, water, and are living with more than a foot of water in their homes.  Texas Task Force 1 is trying to provide assistance to people out there today and maybe even into tomorrow. So this isn't all over quite yet. The crew here is also keeping a close eye on the levees. That's because as one guy put it to me earlier, "you have rain and then you have drain". The command center here in Weslaco is still buzzing with calls, and missions for these men and women.

On a more light-hearted note, there are no official showers here where we are staying. But that hasn't stopped everyone here from finding a way to create one. There is a janitor closet down one of the hallways that has a hose, drain, and bucket in it to clean things so it has become our homemade shower. It's cold water, but it's nice to have a shower. Texas Task Force 1 brought in some mobile showers last night, so the line for the janitor's closet is slowly shrinking. But this all has been an experience I will never forget.

Video of some of things we've been seeing should finally make it back to the studio tonight. So if you want to see some of the stuff we've been seeing the past four days watch tonight! Up until now with power outages, and no internet, just a phone that has internet--it's made it impossible to send stuff--but today it all came back on, and we're in the process right now of sending it to the station.

Thanks for reading! Can't wait to see you all back in B/CS - Kristen