BROOKHAVEN, Miss. — Within hours of devastating tornadoes tearing across South
Mississippi on May 6, volunteers with Cajun Navy 2016, a nationwide grassroots volunteer
rescue and relief organization, were on the ground in Brookhaven assisting with rescue and
relief efforts while strong storms were still impacting the area.
“These are our neighbors just miles from the Louisiana state line, and when communities
are hurting, we show up,” said Jon Bridgers, Founder and CEO of Cajun Navy 2016.
“Disasters do not wait for the weather to clear, and neither do our volunteers. Our teams
arrived while conditions were still dangerous because people needed help. We are proud to
stand alongside these communities during some of their hardest moments.”
Bridgers, who was one of the first from Cajun Navy 2016 to respond last night, said teams
immediately began supporting local response eƯorts by helping search damaged areas,
clearing debris, and opening blocked roadways to help emergency crews move through the
impacted communities.
The tornadoes caused widespread destruction across parts of South Mississippi, injuring
numerous individuals, and leaving hundreds of homes damaged, trees and power lines
down, with roads impassable in several areas.
Volunteers continue working with local officials and residents to assist with cleanup and
recovery operations.
Video and updates from Cajun Navy 2016’s response efforts in Brookhaven, including
debris removal and roadway clearing operations, can be viewed on the organization’s
Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/cajunnavy2016.org
About Cajun Navy 2016
Cajun Navy 2016 is a nationwide, nonprofit, volunteer-led rescue and relief organization
founded in Louisiana after the historic 2016 floods in the southeastern part of the state.
While many individuals and groups use the “Cajun Navy” name to describe volunteer
disaster response eƯorts, Cajun Navy 2016 was among the earliest organizations to
formally establish a nonprofit under that name, The general term “Cajun Navy” first gained
widespread use in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina, when volunteer boaters from Louisiana
mobilized to rescue stranded residents—reflecting a long-standing tradition of neighbors
helping neighbors in times of crisis.