“When I got out of the hospital after about four days, I went to the local church where people were serving food to the volunteers who were helping with the searches and clean up. I wanted to thank them for their work, and when I introduced myself as Jonathan McComb, they would say, ‘You’re the one who survived!’ I knew that God allowed me to survive for a reason. Expressing my gratitude to the volunteers and support to...
Amy Shoe has been an active member of TEXSAR for nine years, ever since attending her first two divisional meetings after a friend suggested she look into the organization. Since joining, she has been active in just about everything that TEXSAR does and is now the Assistant Division Leader – Central Texas Division. The secret sauce to her interest and her ongoing commitment is simple. “A friend told me about TEXSAR. I have volunteered for organizations all...
Justen Noakes’ career that kept him primarily behind a computer where he blended his education in social science and industrial engineering had him often asking if/then questions related to emergency management. If such and such happens, then this is the response. Over and over the scenarios are examined. A firm believer in continual learning and training, he attended an emergency management course in Houston and learned about TEXSAR from Greg Pyles, CEO of TEXSAR at that time.. The...
“I am just a country boy. I love the outdoors. I’ve worked hard all my life. I began working at 8 and began paying taxes at 10,” said Shawn Hohnstreiter, one of the most influential and long-standing influences in the 20-year history of TEXSAR. He is a builder of many things. Shawn is quick to not take credit for what has been the result of many people’s efforts to create, expand and develop TEXSAR to what it is today, but that...
Patrick is a retired homicide detective with 38 years of law-enforcement experience. He has worked investigations for two different central Texas law enforcement agencies, the state of Texas and as a civilian investigator for the US Army in Afghanistan. Patrick has extensive experience in homicide investigations; and has been featured on the Discovery Channel for his work on a cold case homicide that resulted in five lengthy prison sentences. He was a member of the SWAT team...
For Hector Padilla, a lot of dominoes lined up perfectly that led to career and volunteer decisions that have formed the pattern of his life. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin (UT) in 1998 with a degree in physical geography. A few months later, the Honduran native was monitoring aid and relief efforts in the news after Category 5 Hurricane Mitch had torn through Central America. “I realized then that I knew what I...
Years Active: 2013 – Present “If ordinary people like me can learn skills and become helpful, anyone can,” said TEXSAR volunteer and Division Lead for North Texas, Meg Hinkley. It helps to have a heart to serve, which she says she sees in her fellow TEXSAR volunteers. Meg joined TEXSAR in 2014 and became Division Lead in January 2024. Her leadership was integral to TEXSAR’s response to the Panhandle Wildfires in March 2024. It has been quite a...
Years Active: 2014-Current “I’ve always been one to volunteer. Following my family’s example of community service, I had volunteered with church, scouts, and other local activities. My son, Brandon, was one of the founding members of TEXSAR and often told me of their service to Texas,” said long-time volunteer Penny Goering. Her son was involved in the well-publicized search and rescue of Cathy Frye in Big Bend State Park in 2013. “Though we were visiting family, Brandon...
Years Active: 2014-2022 “I believe God made us to be servants, not consumers. Our service with TEXSAR is part of that,” said Laura Norman as she discussed the involvement that she and her husband, Edward, had with TEXSAR from 2014 to 2022. As a fireman/paramedic in 2014, Edward worked for Fort Bend County Emergency Management and knew about TEXSAR. He believed it was a match to Laura’s desire to serve others. TEXSAR also met his goals...
“Volunteering with TEXSAR illuminated my feelings about wanting to help others, to do as much as I can for as many as I can,” said long-time volunteer Ken Jamilosa, “and that has affected my career choices and involvement as a volunteer for various organizations.” Ken joined TEXSAR as a member of Central Division about three weeks before the disastrous Memorial Day Wimberley Floods of 2015. “I went on one missing persons mission and shortly after the first...
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