Smithfield Fire Lieutenant Activated For Hurricane Relief

SMITHFIELD, RI — A Smithfield firefighter has been activated as part of the Massachusetts Task Force-1 headed to Louisiana as part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's hurricane response.

Smithfield Lt. Joe Dougherty will assist in efforts on the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Laura made landfall with 150 mile-per-hour winds and caused a path of destruction thorough parts of Texas and Louisiana early Thursday morning.

Hurricane Laura, weakened from its powerful Category 4 status when it made landfall, left catastrophic damage and thousands without power after hitting the U.S. Gulf Coast overnight, then made its way inland Thursday and moved north over western and central Louisiana along the Texas state line. With wind speeds of 75 miles per hour, the storm was just maintaining Category 1 status as of Thursday afternoon.