Edison Firefighters Head To Florida To Aid In Rescue Efforts

EDISON, NJ - Four members of the Edison Fire Department are on their way to Florida to assist with the building collapse in Miami, FL, according to Edison Firefighters IAFF Local 1197.

The firefighters are part of 80 members of the New Jersey Task Force 1 deployed to Miami Thursday morning to assist with rescue and recovery efforts resulting from the Champlain Tower Collapse. They are expected to reach Friday.

"Members from the Edison FD are on their way to Florida with TF1 to assist with the building collapse in Surfside, FL," IAFF Local 1197 posted on Facebook.

On Wednesday, Gov Phil Murphy announced on Facebook that the New Jersey Task Force 1 will be deployed to Florida. "The incredibly brave New Jersey Task Force 1 will deploy to Miami tomorrow morning to assist with rescue and recovery efforts resulting from the Champlain Tower Collapse. New Jersey stands with Florida," Murphy said.

The IAFF Local 1197 is following the group's progress and posting regular updates on Facebook. You can follow them here.

A 12-story condo collapsed in Surfside last Thursday, killing at least 18 people with 145 people remaining unaccounted for.

Read More Here: FL Condo Collapse: Work Halted At Surfside, 18 Dead, 145 Missing

A state of emergency has been declared in Florida and President Joe Biden has authorized FEMA assistance for both the recovery efforts at the site and to support those affected by the building's collapse.

On Thursday, July 1, search-and-rescue efforts at the site came to a halt due to structural and safety concerns.

"We were forced to halt operations on the collapse in the early hours of the morning due to structural concerns about the standing structure," Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said at a Wednesday morning news conference. "We're doing everything we can to ensure the safety of our first responders is paramount and to continue search and rescue (efforts)."

Thank you for reading. Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com

Get breaking news alerts on your phone with our app. Download here. Sign up to get Patch emails so you don't miss out on local and statewide news.