It is difficult to rescue people who don't want to be rescued.

Rescuers, Going Door to Door, Find Stubbornness and Silence
JERE LONGMAN, New York Times Original Article

The boat pulled up to the living room window on Read Boulevard early Sunday afternoon, and a volunteer rescuer, Stanley Patrick, began yelling: "Mr. Robert! Mr. Robert! Can you hear me?" There was no sound in response, only the lapping of water in this reeking New Orleans East neighborhood, where the rooftops of cars were still covered nearly a week after a levee broke and the city was inundated.