Hurricane Ida was a catastrophic Category 4 storm and became the second-most damaging hurricane in Louisiana history after Katrina in 2005. Countless homes and businesses were either damaged or destroyed by Ida's relentless wind and rain.
“I have a friend of mine who is a TSA supervisor from Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR) who lives in Louisiana. I’m always offering my home to her and her family whenever they need to evacuate,” said TSA officer Lorraine Golding. “She told me that the hurricane was bad and people were running out of food and people didn’t have water.”
Days after the storm passed through Louisiana, TSA officers Golding and Lucian Cummings of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in Texas packed up food and water and hit the road to BTR to support fellow officers affected by Hurricane Ida.
“People are in need, and they need stuff and if I can make that happen, that’s what I’ll do,” said Golding.
DFW TSA supervisor Charles Daniels and Golding partnered with a local church, Grace Temple Seventh Day Adventist Church in Fort Worth, to pack up food, water and other essential items to help officers at BTR.
“Daniels, who is also a pastor and has done mission trips, and I partnered to see what to take and what items can be utilized,” said Golding. “I wanted to make sure they had enough water and canned goods that could last.”
On their day off, Golding rented a car and drove seven hours with Cummings to Louisiana and delivered the donations to BTR, where they teamed up with BTR TSA supervisor Felicia Jackson. On the same night, they drove more than 435 miles back to DFW because there was no lodging available in the Baton Rouge area.
“We have gone through the furlough together. Those are my federal coworkers out there,” said Golding. “If they need something, why not come from the same team and support them.”
Jackson added, “The humanitarian dedication that these officers exhibited for others is the fabric that holds TSA together. It’s an example that reflects what it means to be an officer and the human spirit that makes us one.”