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“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...
