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Valley Border Patrol Agents Continue Providing Aid to Puerto Rico Victims

6 years 5 months 1 week ago Monday, October 16 2017 Oct 16, 2017 October 16, 2017 10:00 PM October 16, 2017 in News

WESLACO – One month after Hurricane Maria pummeled the island of Puerto Rico, the devastation and need is still high.

Rio Grande Valley border patrol agents have been on the grounds since days after the storm hit.

They’ve been helping victims, like their colleague, Jeff Quinones, who is station in Puerto Rico.

Quinones weathered several storms growing up on the island. Hurricane Maria was his fourth and the worst he said.

“As an employee, you're part of the situation, because you don't have any electricity at home. You don't have any water at home. When you leave work, you want to somehow have water and food to take to your family," said Quinones.

Nearly 30 BORSTAR and BORTAC agents from the Valley were deployed to the affected area.

Agents like Jesus Rodriguez brought aid to a local nursing home. Rodriguez, along with Rich Ramirez, has been conducting well fare checks in areas of most need.

Ramirez said the destruction Hurricane Maria left behind was vast.

“It was total devastation. I mean there was no electricity, no water, almost every tree that I've seen out here is snapped like if it was a toothpick and you snapped it in half," said Ramirez.

The agents are focused on getting aid to people who haven't seen first responders since the storm hit nearly three weeks ago.

They said communication will improve with time and the island will slowly return to normalcy.

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