Members of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue's Urban Search and Rescue team are traveling to portions of southwest Florida Thursday to help victims impacted by Hurricane Ian.
The team's Florida Task Force One deployed from the county's Emergency Operations Center in Doral to portions of the state struck Wednesday by the storm that was tied for the fifth strongest of all time.
"What you see here is a miracle. This group goes all over the world," Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said when the truck left Thursday. "They’re going to bring rescue, hope and love. It’s very moving for me to see this operation getting started."
The team, with 96 people and rescue dogs as part of the group, specializes in 12 areas including technicians, doctors, engineers along with search and rescue. The group has enough food and materials to last for 14 days so they do not burden the local community.
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"We're getting a lot of reports of people trapped and people in need of our assistance," said Capt. Anthony Trem, the task force leader.
MDFR isn't the only agency helping out. Members of the Florida Highway Patrol from South Florida will also be traveling to Lee and Charlotte counties to provide assistance.
"Our troopers will be along with Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission will conduct many different types of tasks from traffic control to search and rescue to security of different neighborhoods," said FHP Major Rojer Reyes.
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