East Lansing Fire Department Lt. Troy Brya said he is happy to be home after spending 10 days handing out supplies and restoring order in New Orleans.

As a witness to the massive devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, Brya said helping out was a positive experience despite all the loss around him, and he was happy to arrive home.

"Everywhere you look down there is a mess," he said. "Every neighborhood seems to have flood lines on the buildings. Our job was to go around neighborhoods and make sure people had the supplies they needed."

Brya, Fire Marshal Bob Pratt, Capt. Tim Hull and firefighter-paramedic Dawn Carson flew to Atlanta on Sept. 7 and were deployed to where help was needed.

Carson and Pratt flew back to East Lansing Saturday.

Because there was no electricity or phone lines, many people didn't know how to obtain food, water and other essential items, Brya said.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, and volunteers helped people obtain these items.

"We took care of their immediate needs and made sure they knew how to go get the proper help they needed," he said. "The rescue stuff was done prior to us getting there."

Brya's wife, Lori, and his two children said they are grateful he was able to help assist those who were in need in the South.

"A lot of people want to help, but aren't always able to," Lori Brya said. "I'm very glad to have him home - it's been a long time. We're all happy."

The Brya family said they plan to spend the evening at home so they can catch up and be together.

"I really missed my family," Troy Brya said. "They assigned us down there for 30 days."

While visiting New Orleans, Troy Brya said he was given the opportunity to view the area and see where some of the most devastating destruction occurred.

"We did do a little bit of touring," he said. "We were in an area where one of the levees broke. That was pretty awesome - it just washed the houses away."

Although many of the people he encountered had either lost their homes, possessions or both, they remained in good spirits, he said.

"The people down there are unbelievable," he said. "They're still really nice people even though they are standing in front of their house that has been destroyed."

East Lansing City Councilmember Bill Sharp said he is glad the Fire Department was able to help with the relief efforts.

"I was all for it," he said. "I thought that whatever we could do, we should do it. I don't think there was one of them that wasn't ready to go the minute they heard about it."