Crime & Safety

LA Firefighters To Help Rescue Hurricane Dorian Victims

The LA firefighters heading to the storm are part of California Task Force 1, a team of highly-trained urban search and rescue specialists.

Volunteers walk under the wind and rain from Hurricane Dorian through a flooded road as they work to rescue families near the Causarina bridge in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas, Tuesday. The storm’s punishing winds and muddy brown floodwater.
Volunteers walk under the wind and rain from Hurricane Dorian through a flooded road as they work to rescue families near the Causarina bridge in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas, Tuesday. The storm’s punishing winds and muddy brown floodwater. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

LOS ANGELES, CA — Fifty-seven crew members from the Los Angeles city and county fire departments were being deployed to the Southeast Tuesday to help with the response to Hurricane Dorian as the storm neared the U.S. mainland.

The city firefighters are part of California Task Force 1, a team of highly-trained urban search and rescue specialists requested by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The unit includes dogs and medical personnel, according to Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The team, led by LAFD Assistant Chief Tim Ernst, is expected to arrive in the southeast on Wednesday.

Find out what's happening in Northridge-Chatsworthfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

A 16-member team from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, part of California Task Force 2, is also being deployed to the area at the request of FEMA. California Task Force 2 also consists of urban search and rescue specialists.

Dorian was off the coast of Florida on Tuesday after striking the Bahamas.

Find out what's happening in Northridge-Chatsworthfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

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