A local group who calls itself Special Response Team is lending a hand in the Keys.

  • Special Response Team helping Keys victims
  • Area suffered severe damage from Hurricane Irma
  • Group members say they'll stay as long as necessary

SRT team members arrived Wednesday to help with Hurricane Irma relief.

"It was definitely tough to look at," Ryan Carey said. "You could just think about all those families that lost their homes and all their possessions, and it gets kind of tough looking at that for a few days."

Carey said it was tough to get access, too. He said when they got there, the islands were closed to everyone and they had to sneak in supplies on their boats.

"For a minute we were discouraged," Carey said. "We are here to help. We are willing to do anything we can."

They were eventually able to get the necessary paperwork to travel around and got right to work helping deliver supplies. They joined forces with other groups there to help, growing to about a dozen people who now call themselves "We Can Disaster Relief."

"After this experience, I kind of think this is my calling," Carey said. "It's one of those things, you see the outpouring of support from the community and it really ... it really touches you."

Some of the group is still in the Keys and Carey is heading back this week. They said they are prepared to stay there for as long as necessary. They have also been getting calls for help from St. Maarten.