MIAMI – First responders in South Florida are gearing up to help Florida residents ahead of Hurricane Idalia, which is expected to become a Category 3 hurricane by Wednesday.
In anticipation of the impending threat posed by Idalia, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue is stepping up its support efforts by dispatching its Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams to the west coast and the central part of the state.
“We’re prepared for anything the storm is gonna bring our way,” said Maggie Castro, of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. “We have K-9s, doctors, water assets and 90 people heading up to north Florida, ready to take on any task. We’re gonna be self-sufficient for the next 14 days and bring everything with us that we need to sustain ourselves so that we’re not a burden to a community suffering from a hurricane.”
Each task force member was issued two bags each so that they could live out of them for three days if there is no access to shelter.
“There have been times where we had to sleep on the floor because we don’t always have access to our cots and tents, but we’re ready for any scenario,” said Castro.
The City of Miami Fire Rescue task force will also be on hand and consist of multiple agency members. Their unit has 80 people heading to the Orlando area for at least two weeks to assist hurricane victims.
“We’re going to strategically place ourselves behind the storm so we can get boots on the ground as quick as possible,” said Capt. Ignatius Carroll Jr., a spokesman for City of Miami Fire Rescue.
According to Carroll, these teams are ready to assist in state operations and specialize in 19 different areas, such as medical care and hazardous materials.
Authorities said at least 170 firefighters are heading over from Miami on Tuesday.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue K-9 specialist Carlo Galluccio told Local 10 News that he is grateful for the support and says having Saturn, a K-9 that assisted in the search and rescue efforts after the Surfside condo collapse along with Hurricane Ian, will help tremendously.
“We’re looking for people who are still alive -- even if they can’t call out, (are) unconscious and just breathing, she will be able to find them,” said Galluccio, when discussing how K-9s will assist in the search.
Search and rescue teams said they are ready to go and are prepared for whatever happens.
“We’re all going to be ready to go. People need us and we will be there,” said Galluccio.