Jason Weinmann is using a military transport vehicle he bought at a government auction to whisk away New Bern, North Carolina, residents stranded by Tropical Storm Florence.
Weinmann, a 47-year-old retired Marine, bought the vehicle 10 years ago and used it to reach people who asked to be rescued Friday.
“That’s why I got this thing, to use in times like this,” he said.
Weinmann pulled 10 people out of flooded neighborhoods and delivered them to a shelter.
Jennifer Morales, 20, was one of those evacuated from her home with her husband and son, who turns 2 next month. The family had 3 feet of water in their home, so they called for help, and it took 12 hours for rescuers to get to them.
“It was pretty bad. We didn’t know where to go,” she said.
In all, hundreds of people have been rescued in New Bern, according to Gov. Roy Cooper.