'Redneck Rescue Unit': Brevard Co volunteers rescue stranded neighbors in lifted UTVs
Redneck Rescue Unit saves flood victims in Brevard County
Cody Kisner is just one of the member of the Redneck Rescue Unit, a band of people with UTVs that helped rescue residents who were struck by Monday's flooding. Sheriff Wayne Ivey commended the group for their hard work.
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - When torrential weather left Brevard County neighborhoods submerged, traditional emergency vehicles couldn’t respond to calls for help in some spots, so a group of volunteers stepped in to help.
The crew of friends took to the hardest-hit areas in lifted side-by-side and utility task vehicles (UTVs), pulling trapped residents out of rising water.
Cody Kisner said it was an eventful few days, but he’s proud of their hard work. Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey has officially dubbed the group the "Redneck Rescue Unit."
Dodging wildlife and rising water
What they're saying:
Navigating the deep floodwaters came with hazards beyond vehicle clearance, said Kisner.
"You don't know exactly what you're about to walk into," Kisner said. "You don't know if there's going to be some snakes up there at the door or some alligators or what."
Kisner recalled one rescue that stuck out.
"We actually had a lady last night that had a dog and a cat and sheriff's officer that I had with me," Kisner said. "He rode in the back, and I was kinda hanging out of here with the woman's dog laying right here and her with her cat up in the front. And it was definitely an adventure."
Sheriff Ivey publicly praised Kisner and the other volunteers for jumping into action without hesitation.
"We call them the Redneck Rescue Unit," Sheriff Ivey said. "We made a couple phone calls… Cody and John and Dougie… they responded, they didn’t ask for anything… they are true heroes."
What we don't know:
County officials have not yet released an overall estimate of structural damage or total property loss caused by the storm.
The exact total number of residents and animals evacuated throughout Brevard County during the entire storm event has not been finalized, however Sheriff Ivey says over 2,000 calls for service came in across the county.
Ready for the next call
For Kisner, the emotional weight of seeing his community devastated was tough to process, but not responding was never an option.
"Seeing everybody going through some stuff that honestly, I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy in all honesty. It's rough," Kisner said.
While the cleanup process begins across Brevard County, the group remains on standby for the next emergency – whenever that may be.
"It could be tomorrow, could be a month from now, who knows? I'm always ready," said Kisner. "That's just how I am. When I wake up, I'm ready to go."
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey and volunteer rescuer Cody Kisner.