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COLLEGE PARK, Ga. - Georgia Lainhart spent Monday evening packing up supplies and getting his airboat ready to head to Texas to help the people of Hurricane Harvey. Lainhart said many times airboats are more efficient than other boats when it comes to reaching people who are trapped or stranded by flood waters.
Lainhart is a member of the Florida Airport Search and Rescue team. He is also a patrolman with College Park Police. Deputy Chief Ferman Williford and Officer Greg Feldman will be joining him on the rescue mission.
Lainhart has experience with this type of rescue. He was in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. He said he helped rescue more than 800 people.
"In New Orleans, we were going over cars and roads, anything we needed to do to get to people," said Lainhart.
Lainhart said he and other members of the team are being called up because airboats can get into tighter spots, handle swift water, and can carry up to 11 people.
"Airboats, as we learned in Katrina, can do a lot more stuff. When we got there all the other boats were disabled because of the debris in the water. Airboats aren't affected by that, plus we can carry a lot bigger load," said Lainhart.
Lainhart does not know exactly what he will find when he gets to Texas, but he is eager to get there to help.
"I love to help people, that's why I became a police officer and that's why I started doing search and rescue." said Lainhart.