Water rescue volunteers in Kingwood also needed rescuing

Although the water is receding, the chaos continues in the Houston area. More than 800 people rescued along the San Jacinto River in Kingwood by volunteers but now many of the volunteers are the ones who need to be rescued.

The concern is that they are opening the dam along the San Jacinto River Wednesday night. That means water will cover the West Lake Houston Bridge and surrounding neighborhoods will feel the surge again.

Hundreds of people along the San Jacinto River in Kingwood rescued by volunteers the past three days. On Wednesday FOX 7 witnessed some of those same volunteers needing to be rescued themselves.
"What went on back there?" asks Ashley Paredez, FOX 7 reporter.

"Over-corrected in the current...starting pushing us back and we lost it," says Michael Smith, volunteer rescued.

It's making it hard for smaller boats to launch and make it through flooded neighborhoods. Another group of three volunteers were rescued after their boat flipped over. Now that waters are receding, volunteers says they're coming out here to find people who have run out of food and water. Irene Carroll was trying to reach her mother who is 100 years old.

"So I can get her the supplies she need just on a daily basis, some medications. These gentleman were just great. They helped me get them," says Irene Carroll, Kingwood resident. 

FOX 7 went along for some of those essential rides in a jet boat. The San Jacinto River is 20 to 25 feet above normal. Boats normally pass under the bridge as a channel to Lake Houston. It's something that isn't going to happen anytime soon.

"How crazy has it been out here today?" asks Ashley Paredez, FOX 7 reporter.

"It's been unbelievable, the water is dropping out. Since the water is dropping out, it's making the current a lot worse and we are trying to get to a bunch of people back up in there and it's just getting so shallow I can't even get my jet boat on path," says Matt Kasner, volunteer.

Nearby in Humble, they are dealing with the same. They are still handling water rescues as they come in.