There was this one female police sergeant.

She knew the city, knew its people and she knew we needed her.

[Another thing he himself did not deal with were the dead.] Yes, there were bodies, ... We saw them, but there was nothing we could do about them because we were looking for the living.

It's a fundamental piece that cannot lag behind the strategy. It's got to be out front.

Well, the water is going down, so it's getting better.

We're doing it at night because there are a lot of businesses on that road, and there are a lot of people who live on that road. We're going to try to be as courteous as we can be.

[So, would he do it again, if asked?] Yes, ... It was the most troubling thing I have ever encountered, but it was an honor to go.

And since our mission was on-the-water rescue of people, tit ended when they told us the mission was now recovery of the bodies.

And we went over cars where the water was at least 12 feet deep.