CLEARWATER, Florida (WFLA) — Over 500 people were rescued Thursday from an apartment complex in Clearwater following Hurricane Milton, thanks to the Clearwater police and fire departments.

Calls from The Standard rang in early Thursday morning as water levels began to rise and the apartment building began to flood.

First responders found neck-deep and chest-deep water and fully submerged vehicles while they rescued trapped residents.

“When it got to the front and we seen it rising, we couldn’t do nothing but grab what we could out of there, swimming up to our necks just to get down to the stairs from the second floor is not good. So, it’s just overwhelming,” said resident, Ricsardo Scott.

Scott and his family used to live at the apartment complex for five years until he lost everything.

“Luckily, we’ve got a little bit of family that’s around the area in Clearwater that we can go try to lay our heads down, but to wrap our head around it, we have nowhere to go,” he said. “We have to go to work, we have kids, and they got to go to school, and we have no clothes, but we’re going to get what we can.”

Due to the magnitude of the rescue, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Bay County Sheriff’s Office and Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene to aid in rescue efforts.

“It was an amazing collaboration,” Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector said. “I can’t tell you how much the entire city and Tampa Bay appreciates first responders and the way they operated that night.”

Using high-water vehicles, crews rescued 449 adults and 116 juveniles from the apartments. Many were taken to local shelters. No significant injuries were reported.

Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy said water levels were so high, that dive teams were sent in to attempt to retrieve keys to avoid forced entry into units on the first floor.

“They were unsuccessful in their first couple of attempts and we had to force entry to check on the welfare on anyone who might be trapped in those units,” Chief Gandy said. “In doing so, we found ourselves consistently rescuing folks from the second floor as well. We made a decision to make it a mandatory evac for even those folks.”

Gandy added that in his 32 years in Clearwater, it was the most significant water rescue he has seen.

Police are working with the property management company to secure the facility until a series of inspections demonstrate that the building is safe. Hundreds of vehicles damaged beyond repair will be towed from the property.

Police escorted the residents into their units on Saturday, so they could get any belongings they had left.

“I hope everyone makes it through this disaster, you know with their heads up high. Pray to Lord Jesus that we don’t have to do this again, and go over it again, and do not take anything for granted,” Scott said.

Several community organizations are available to help residents recover from the damage.

The Hispanic Outreach Center and Calvary Church at the corner of McMullen Booth and Drew Street are helping.

“We want the community to know that these folks have opportunities for them, and we have many organizations trying to assist them,” Mayor Rector said. “If they have any needs at all, please reach out to our city staff.”

Meanwhile in Tampa, Bally Sports reporter Ryan Bass aided in rescuing a small kitten found in the rubble left behind by Hurricane Milton.

The cat was originally nicknamed “Milton” by Bass, before finding out the cat was female. Bass reports that a Tampa family who owns a business destroyed by the storm are looking after the cat.