Gov. Abbott sends Texas search & rescue team to Florida ahead of Hurricane Ian
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday afternoon that he directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to deploy the Texas A&M Task Force 1 to Florida. This deployment consists of 45 people and two dogs trained on urban search-and-rescue techniques. They'll also take four boats with them.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Ahead of Hurricane Ian's expected impact to the Florida coast, Texas is sending dozens of people there to help with possible search efforts, including some first responders from Austin.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday afternoon that he directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to deploy the Texas A&M Task Force 1 to Florida. This deployment consists of 45 people and two dogs trained on urban search-and-rescue techniques. They'll also take four boats with them.
"Texas is no stranger to hurricane disaster response efforts, and we recognize the urgency for additional resources in preparation of this Category 3 storm," Abbott said in a statement. "We greatly appreciate the the generosity of Floridians and aid the State of Florida has sent us during times of crisis in our state—and we are honored to do the same."
The governor noted TDEM oversees this team and another that specializes in search efforts. The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service sponsors the Texas A&M Task Force 1, and its headquarters is in College Station.
The Austin Fire Department shared on social media Tuesday that four of its firefighters are included in this deployment to assist with the Hurricane Ian response.
The hurricane made its first landfall in western Cuba early Tuesday morning as a major Category 3 storm packing winds of 125 mph. It's now in the southeastern Gulf where it's gaining strength and packing winds up to 120 mph. Hurricane Ian is the first named tropical storm to make it to the Gulf in more than a year.
The latest update from the National Hurricane Center placed the center of the storm 265 miles south-southwest of Sarasota. It's now moving to the north at 10 mph and slowed since early Tuesday morning.