In the Path of the Storm: Priority SAR’s Hurricane Laura Deployment

The Destruction on the road to Lake Charles.

Texas & Louisiana – August 2020

In August 2020, Hurricane Laura made landfall along the Gulf Coast as a deadly Category 4 storm — bringing with it winds over 150 mph, widespread destruction, and power outages that crippled entire cities.

As news of the devastation unfolded, Priority Search and Rescue mobilized — preparing for a multi-day response mission to support those in the path of the storm.

🧭 Staging in Texas, Ready for the Worst

Before Laura even made landfall, our team coordinated with local fire departments in Texas to stage near the projected impact zone. We spent those early hours monitoring storm conditions, preparing gear, and staying in constant contact with agencies across the region.

When the storm cleared enough to begin moving, we joined the flow of response traffic and made our way east — crossing into Louisiana with a small but determined team equipped with basic gear, personal protective equipment, medical kits, water, and fuel.

🚨 On the Ground in Louisiana

We arrived in the Lake Charles region to find a scene of unimaginable destruction. Entire neighborhoods were torn apart. Trees blocked nearly every road. The power grid was down. Communications were limited. Families were stranded in the heat — afraid, isolated, and desperate for help.

Over the course of several days, Priority SAR responders operated nonstop, assisting where the need was greatest:

• ✅ Welfare checks on residents cut off from services

• ✅ Door-to-door wellness patrols in damaged communities

• ✅ Supply runs for food, water, and batteries

• ✅ Scene support and staging help for local responders

• ✅ Clearing debris to help gain access to affected homes

We partnered with both local agencies and fellow volunteers, finding ourselves shoulder-to-shoulder with exhausted fire crews, military units, and grassroots groups giving everything they had.

🔥 Resilient in the Face of Crisis

We didn’t have the fanciest gear — no off-road vehicles or trailers. What we had was heart, teamwork, and a mission. We slept in trucks. We rationed what we brought. And when the sun rose, we kept moving.

One of our responders described it best: "We weren’t the biggest team out there — but we showed up when it counted.”

💛 The Legacy of Laura

This deployment tested our endurance, strengthened our partnerships, and reminded us that even a small, well-trained team with basic tools can make a powerful impact when guided by purpose.

The people we met — the tears we saw — the relief when someone finally arrived — those moments will stay with us forever.

Hurricane Laura was more than just a deployment. It was a defining moment in our journey as a team and a reminder of why we do what we do.