Fort Bend County ready to face flash flood threat
SUGAR LAND, Texas (KTRK) -- Since Hurricane Harvey, the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office has added to its fleet to tackle flooding.
Tuesday, Sheriff Troy Nehls and his deputies prepped two high water vehicles and two boats as a tropical depression took aim at the Texas Gulf Coast.
RELATED: Flash flood threat increasing through Thursday
We got a view of what it's like behind the wheel of their newest high water vehicle with Dewane Rychlik, the fleet manager.
Before, the county had to use dump trucks to get the job done. Rychlik says when flooding hits, the new vehicle is a welcome sight for those in need.
"The look on everybody's face when you show up in this, in an airboat, in a Humvee, the look on everybody's face, they're exhausted but so appreciative at the same time," Rychlik said.
SEE ALSO: Most likely roads to flood in and around Houston
The vehicle is high up, so to get inside you can use a ladder or a lift.
"We can get through a lot of water with this, but if you're 75 years old and we're trying to rescue you out of your home, how are you going to get into that?" Sheriff Nehls said. "So we have a deck that can lift people on the back and place them in the back of the vehicle."
It's a new tool that Rychlik says can help in numerous ways and something he says is rewarding.
"To be able to help people in their time of need, or even not in their time of need, is always a rewarding experience," Rychlik said. "It's truly one of the things money can't buy you."
