The Maryland Defense Force delivers water and food to people without power.

NW BALTIMORE, Md. - They knocked on doors, moved their boots on the hot pavement, and knocked again.  A few hours went by before volunteers with the Maryland Defense Force found people without power who needed them.

"Here, have some water," said one volunteer to a resident in Northwest Baltimore.    

Harry Smith was happy to see the men and women in uniform show up to his Northwest Baltimore neighborhood on Elsinore Ave. Saturday afternoon.  Water goes a long way when the power has been out for a week and the outside temperature is over 100 degrees.

"You can never get enough.  H2O, that's good for you," said Smith.    

There’s ice water for his 85-year-old mother, who lives with him.  Ms. Ulysses is spending her time on the porch, and the Defense Force is here to make sure she's hydrated and fed.

MRE's or Meals Ready to Eat were handed out.  The heat and power outage drains not only Smith's energy but his wallet.

"It's been like uh day to day, going out to the fast food chains and doing what we possibly could do until the power came on," said Smith.    

A deployment in their backyard is what the Maryland Defense Force has trained for, and one that keeps them going under the hot sun.

"Actually keeps us cool keeping other people cool," said Commanding General Brian Kelm, Maryland Defense Force.    

Click here for a list of cooling centers available on the MEMA website.