08/28/2026
On this day, 15 years ago, the City was devistated by Hurricane Irene. Members spent upwards of 15 hours in the water, most of the time chest high, going door to door assisting residents out and checking homes for anyone still inside and shutting off utilities where they could to prevent further hazard. At one point, a member was transporting a family back on a boat down river drive, when it struck an object underwater and unable to be seen. The boat began to sink and was being dragged away with the current with the member and the family including several small children on board. Members swam out to them, secured the boat to the side of a building while other members brought another boat out to them. Then then swam the boat with the family down stream and up a side street to get them to safety. The River section of the city would see flooding continuously for days to come. Members of Station 3 spent several more hours in the water over those days. Several homes destroyed. Several residents displaced, some permanently. It’s a memory we will never forget, but embrace the fact we gave our all, and no lives were lost.
