Milw. Marine involved in rescue after Sandy swiped East Coast

MILWAUKEE -- While millions hunkered down trying to stay safe from Hurricane Sandy's fury, a number of first responders and military risked their own lives to save others. One of them was a Marine who calls Milwaukee home.

Sergeant Jorge Negron talked with FOX6 News on Friday, November 2nd via Skype. He says during the height of the storm, he and his fellow Marines were called on to rescue police, firefighters and residents.

"Some of their vehicles got flooded and they were standing on their vehicles waiting to be picked up," said Negron.

A transformer blew in Queens triggering a house fire. It quickly spread from the whipping winds, trapping residents and first responders. The crew got the okay to use seven-ton trucks to go in and help.

"We loaded up. Policeman brought a raft. Medical personnel threw all of their supplies in the seven ton we rolled out to the area where the fire was," said Negron.

But rising floodwaters created hazards that weren't so apparent.

"It reached to the top of our seven ton to the hood, just to give it perspective there were you couldn`t even see because they were underwater. There were SUVs we just barely saw the top of, we were swerving just to get out to the way it was very bad," said Negron.

The Marines helped rescued 14 trapped people.