Hawaii neighbors use tractor to rescue 98-year-old from flood

This story shows how neighbors in Hawaii used a tractor to rescue a 98-year-old woman from floodwaters. For Houston residents, this matters because our city faces frequent flooding from hurricanes, tropical storms, and heavy rains. We know flooding hits our neighborhoods hard - from Harvey in 2017 to recent storms that shut down highways and flooded homes. Our community has amazing examples of neighbors helping neighbors during emergencies. In Houston, we've seen boat rescues during Harvey, food drives after ice storms, and wellness checks on elderly neighbors during heat waves. This story reminds us that we all have skills and resources to help. Maybe you have a truck for evacuations, know CPR, or can check on older neighbors. Our city's emergency preparedness depends on regular people stepping up. Start by connecting with your neighborhood association, joining your local CERT team (Community Emergency Response Team), or volunteering with the Red Cross. During the next emergency, we want every Houston resident to know their neighbors and feel confident helping. Sign up for Alert Houston to get emergency updates. Talk to neighbors about emergency plans. Our community grows stronger when we prepare together and look out for each other, especially our most vulnerable residents.

When Hawaii faced its worst flooding in 20 years, community members showed what real neighbors can do. In the Mokuleia neighborhood on Oahu, a group of local men came together to rescue a 98-year-old woman from her flooding home using a front-loading tractor. Mark Talaei was walking through the flooded neighborhood looking for people who needed help. He found a family trying to evacuate their 98-year-old neighbor from her home as brown muddy water rose around her porch. The flooding reached up to people's knees in many areas. First responders and local volunteers in wetsuits tried to carry the woman to safety. But the community had a better idea. A group of neighbors arrived with a front-loading tractor, with four men riding in the bucket. They carefully helped the woman, still in her wheelchair, into the tractor bucket with her legs wrapped in a trash bag to stay dry. The rescue video has inspired thousands of people online. "This is what happens when people move with heart," one viewer wrote. The woman's granddaughter thanked the community for coming together during the crisis. The flooding has caused over $1 billion in damages across Hawaii, but stories like this show how we support each other when disaster strikes.