Fort Worth PD sends 100 officers to aide Houston PD

One hundred officers from the Fort Worth Police Department loaded up and headed down the road to Houston Wednesday afternoon.

The officers will work in shifts around the clock to relieve storm-weary Houston police officers.

With technology, necessities and tactical gear set to go, 100 Fort Worth officers volunteered to go to Houston. They went not only with supplies and training but also with strong minds.

"If they need to implement us in any kind of tactical operations, I have all the stuff for that,” explained Officer Andrew Smith. “I have a tripod. I'm the designated marksman on my team. We have other central gear as far as rams, shields and stuff like that.”

Unaware of what they will walk into, the officers are bracing themselves for whatever will be thrown their way.

"Everyone here wanted to be there. Like I said, we're excited to go,” Smith said. “We can't wait to get down there and start doing some work."

Before heading out, they prayed for their own safety and help to make a difference.

"I don't think anybody on this deck considers this much of a sacrifice because we want to do this,” said Corp. Scott Banes.

"You just have to go in prepared for what you could see,” said Sgt. Felicia Yates. “I’ve been an officer almost 20 years so I have some experience behind me. But as a person, it’s still hard to see the devastation that we're going into."

Chief Joel Fitzgerald gave his crew some parting words before they hit the road.

"We're not forgetting about you,” he said. “They're going to put you to work, and I know you're up to the task.”

Fitzgerald was once the chief of the Missouri City Police Department. He plans to travel down south himself.

“There's a lot of people down there who I'd like to make sure are doing all right. And I'd like to make sure our officers are doing okay,” he said. “I have command staff down there, but I want to make it my business to get down myself."

They expect to arrive in Houston by Wednesday night.