MIAMI (WSVN) - Two search and rescue teams composed of local firefighters are gearing up to head over to South Carolina to assist in the Hurricane Florence aftermath.
The South Florida Urban Search and Rescue Team, in conjunction with the City of Miami Fire Rescue, received orders to deploy north as major Hurricane Florence barrels toward the central Eastern Seaboard.
An additional team of over 500 Florida Power and Light technicians is also headed to the Carolinas to help restore power after the storm.
“We understand the devastation it causes in people’s lives with the disruption, so it’s something we’re all willing to and ready to do at anytime,” said an FPL employee.
“When these hurricanes and storms hit, they come with full force, and they come with an attitude,” said FPL lineman Abel Hernandez.
Members of the task force gathered at a warehouse in the area of Northwest 12th Avenue and Seventh Street as they packed their gear, Monday evening.
“We have four hours to get our team here, mobilized and out the door,” said Miami Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Scott Dean.
Sixteen first responders from several departments across South Florida make up the task force.
Their primary task at hand is search and rescue efforts in the water after the storm.
“We have boats in the water in case anybody needs rescuing that we can go out and rescue whatever individuals need assistance, that might be trapped in their houses, that can’t get out because of water or potentially trapped inside the water,” said Dean.
Three high-water vehicles will be joining their fleet to better facilitate rescues in disaster zones.
“High-water vehicles for us have been an amazing asset that we’ve utilized,” Dean said, “not only here going to South Carolina now, but we used it last year in Hurricane Harvey, as well as Hurricane Irma.”
Once Florence moves through, the team will be given specific orders to rush in.
“We’re gonna stage just south of it, and as it hits, we’ll get orders as to where to start deploying our resources to go and help whatever citizens might need assistance,” Dean added.
Since 1991, the task force has been serving communities during natural disasters. The team says they’re designed to respond to a variety of disasters, including earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes and floods where people may be hurt.
The team is sponsored by the City of Miami, and FEMA provides the funding. The City assists in providing administrative staffing, warehouse space and other infrastructure needs.
The task force left sometime around midnight on Tuesday and are expected to arrive in South Carolina at around 5 p.m.
The second task force, made up of about eight trucks and 80 crew members, departed around 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday from the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue headquarters in Doral.
“Pretty much everyone that’s behind me has responded to at least one of the three hurricanes we had last year,” said MDFR Lt. Kirsten Miller, “so they are prepared.”
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