BEAUMONT, Texas — Four days have passed since Hurricane Ida made landfall and the Southeast Texas community is continuing to find ways to lend a hand to our neighbors in Louisiana.
From businesses, organizations, and churches, everyone is pitching in. Now, the relief effort is getting set to go airborne, and Beaumont leaders are ready to provide support.
“The general aviation and business aviation world always steps up in times of crisis," said Ryan Waguespack, senior vice president of the National Air Transportation Association.
The help is needed especially after a hurricane when roads can be difficult to navigate.
"Damage caused by hurricanes, the storms, tend to damage the roads, make them impassible," said airport manager Chris Meaux with the Beaumont Municipal Airport.
Meaux knows just how efficient airplanes can be.
"An airplane can get there in 45 minutes," Meaux said.
That's why he's working with NATA and AERObridge to help get supplies to Louisiana.
"So in the next couple of days, the Beaumont Municipal Airport is being used a staging point for relief efforts," Meaux said.
Supplies are coming in from all over the country, but people here in Beaumont can also help.
"If people decide they want to bring supplies, they can bring them here to 455 Keith Road," Meaux said.
Just another way Southeast Texas has been happy to help.
"It's very fulfilling to have that ability to help in whatever way we can."
People can bring donations to Beaumont Municipal Airport through Saturday, Sept. 4. Planes will be making runs back and forth to locations throughout Louisiana.
"That is the purpose, we're collecting these resources and we want to get them there as quickly as possible to those in need," Waguespack said.