Members of City of Miami Fire Rescue were prepared for deployment to the Northeast Tuesday morning to work in Sandy's aftermath.
Crews were loading equipment at the Urban Search and Rescue warehouse at 1100 NW South River Drive in Miami. The vehicles were stocked with generators, tents, equipment, food and clothes, Lt. Iggy Carroll Jr. said. He told NBC 6 South Florida that the crew was expecting the unexpected.
Post-Cyclone Sandy Moves Across Southern Pennsylvania Tuesday
“Well, we’re dealing with a severe magnitude because we’re dealing with several states, a lot of flooding, and really the unknown along with the cold weather,” Carroll said.
Miami Fire Rescue is no stranger to dealing with hurricanes.
“[Northern states] deal with a lot of snow and cold weather up there, whereas down here, we’ve dealt with hurricanes, so we’re going to bring a lot of knowledge and a lot of experience up there as well,” Carroll said.
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The team, waiting for the green light from the federal government, is prepared to assist authorities as far away as Pennsylvania.
“That’s what we do for the comradery with fire and police officers,” Carroll said. “We’re there to provide assistance.”
Meantime, South Florida Red Cross volunteers Heidi O’Mara and Joanne Westpoint are headed to New Jersey, where they expect to feed thousands of people.
“That’s the focus, making sure everyone has a nourished meal so they can think and move forward past this horrific storm,” Westpoint said.
Said O’Mara, “I expect to find a lot of distraught people. They don’t know when they’re going to be able to go back to their homes because they’re all flooded, and we’re going to make it better for them.”
