The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has called on Arizona Task Force 1 (AZ-TF1) to assist in rescue efforts as Hurricane Helene has made landfall in Florida’s “Big Bend.”
AZ-TF1, a Phoenix-based FEMA task force sponsored by the Phoenix Fire Department’s Special Operations Section, is trained and equipped for rapid disaster response. The team has extensive experience, including aiding in relief efforts following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Helene’s winds and heavy rain will cause “life-threatening” conditions as its route of destruction continues North through the Southeast. At least 42 deaths have been reported as a direct result of Hurricane Helene.
Roughly 4 million people have lost power, and the flooding has started to affect the Tennessee Valley and a dam in North Carolina .
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix-based task force deployed to assist in Hurricane Helene rescue efforts