MIAMI – Miami firefighters are gearing up on Wednesday to deploy ahead of an impending Category 5 hurricane, preparing to bring life-saving measures both locally and to areas hardest hit by the storm.
Miami Fire Rescue Lt. Pete Sanchez, who leads Florida Task Force 2, told Local 10 News his team is ready for action as Hurricane Milton barrels toward landfall.
The 100-member task force, made up of engineers, doctors and hazardous materials specialists, is preparing to respond to the areas most severely impacted by the storm.
“No hurricane is the same, and no deployment is the same,” Sanchez said. “It’s been raining for a few days, so the ground is saturated. It can flood quickly.”
The task force has a fleet of six high-water vehicles prepared to assist residents who may become trapped in homes surrounded by several feet of water. The team is also equipped with boats, trucks and search-and-rescue dogs, ready for any situation they might encounter.
The team anticipates a variety of challenges, particularly from storm surges, which Task Force 2 leader Christopher Díaz said could “completely wipe structures and landmarks off the face of the Earth.”
With the ability to be self-sufficient for up to 14 days, Task Force 2 is prepared to conduct rapid searches and rescue missions, hoping to save those who remained behind or were caught in the storm’s path.
“We’re doing hasty searches,” Díaz added. “We’re going to try to find victims that stayed behind, people caught up in the storm, and get them out of harm’s way as soon as possible.”
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