As Francine rages, local heroes stand up

When Hurricane Francine moved in, some local heroes stood up.

That's aside from the police officers, firefighters, public works crews and paramedics who stay on duty during tropical weather.

In a Facebook post, Morgan City Mayor Lee Dragna said his son challenged him to do something about flooding in Lakeside Subdivision even as the Dragna home was sustaining damage.

So, Dragna said, they loaded two portable pumps on a trailer and drove to a set-up point.

Along the way, Dragna said, neighborhood residents joined them.. And when they arrived, Police Chief Chad M. Adams sent more help.

During the height of the storm, sometimes with two people holding a third in place against the wind, the pumps began lowering the water level almost immediately, the mayor said.

"The people came together to save houses -- guaranteed they saved most of the homes in Lakeside," Dragna said.

Officials often warn that emergency responders won't be able to answer calls when storm conditions are at their worst. But The Weather Channel, in town to cover the hurricane, praised the Morgan City Fire Department for doing just that.

With Francine near its peak, firefighters answered a call to a Morgan City home that had been knocked off its foundation by a fallen tree, damaging a natural gas line in the process.

Later, the department sent firefighters to another home, and video showed them wading through standing water to carry hoses to the fire.