DC-area first responders head south to provide Hurricane Debby relief

A caravan of trucks and vans loaded with supplies, including boats, left from Rockville headed for South Carolina on August 4, 2024. It's a blended team, including some partners from Howard County, Frederick County and D.C.(Courtesy Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service)

First responders from the D.C. area are heading south to help provide Hurricane Debby relief as the powerful storm moves east.

Members of Task Force One teams in Maryland and Virginia were deployed Sunday night.

Hurricane Debby made landfall Monday morning as a Category 1 storm near Steinhatchee, a small community of fewer than 1,000 residents on Florida’s Gulf Coast. According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Debby had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph.

The storm could potentially bring record-setting rains, catastrophic flooding and life-threatening storm surge as it moves slowly across the northern part of the state before stalling over the coastal regions of Georgia and South Carolina.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency activated Maryland Task Force One on Sunday. A caravan of trucks and vans loaded with supplies, including boats, left from Rockville headed for South Carolina. It’s a blended team, including some partners from Howard County, Frederick County and D.C.

More Weather News

Recent rainfall in DC area just a drop in the bucket, but Hurricane Debby will help

“There are 28 teams like this across the United States,” said Pete Piringer, Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service spokesman. “They have the same high level of training. They have the same equipment.”

The 45-person team includes search managers, rescue technicians, physicians, hazmat personnel and canines.

“They’re fully equipped to deal with the situation,” Piringer said. “The focus in this particular deployment will be water resources. Water rescue is what they’re anticipating.”

Maryland Task Force 1 (Type 3) preparing for deployment tonight In support of @femaregion4 White IST, tEast IST Cache, & TN-TF1 (NIMS type 3 US&R task force) have been deployed. 5 additional NIMS type 3 US&R Task Forces (VA-TF2, VA-TF1, MD-TF1, OH-TF1, & IN-TF1) assisting pic.twitter.com/SpRwk5l0oG

— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) August 4, 2024

Maryland Task Force One has experience responding to major flooding, particularly down in the Carolinas. The team will be deployed for approximately two weeks.

“We have a couple of days to get set (and) get staged,” Piringer said. “Before (the storm) gets up into Georgia and South Carolina, where they expect a pretty significant water event.”

FEMA activated teams in Fairfax County and Virginia Beach. The Virginia Task Force One is also sending a 45-person team to assist with relief efforts.

Last night, VA-TF1 deployed a 45-person Type III US&R team for Hurricane Debby. The team is expected to arrive in South Carolina this afternoon where they will await further direction from federal and state emergency management officials.@fema @ffxfirerescue #HurricaneDebby pic.twitter.com/Wy9RhgRg0D

— VA-TF1 / USA-1 – Urban Search and Rescue (@VATF1) August 5, 2024

Several days ago, the Maryland Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team was also deployed to Jacksonville, Florida. The team brings together the Maryland National Guard with firefighters from Montgomery, Howard, Harford and Baltimore counties.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.