LAREDO, Tx. — Florida first responders deployed to Texas to help with flood response efforts are continuing their mission while also preparing for the possibility of another round of severe weather.
Members of the Tallahassee Fire Department deployed with Florida Task Force 7 have been supporting flood response operations across southern Texas. According to the Tallahassee Fire Department, the team was staged in Rio Bravo on Tuesday, ready to respond to water rescues while becoming familiar with the Rio Grande area. After their operational period ended, crews returned to Laredo for the night.
Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, described the damage in Uvalde as extensive. “Driving around in Uvalde, the damage looks far worse on the ground than it does in the air. The fact of the matter is, Uvalde was hit very, very hard. But the community and the people of this community are strong and resilient,” Abbott said.
As of Wednesday, the team began moving north toward San Antonio, continuing area assessments while working as part of an all-hazards group alongside Alabama Task Force One, an ambulance strike team and a structural strike team.
The team’s next move could depend on the weather. Chief Travis Walker with the Tallahassee Fire Department said the team is assessing conditions and evaluating the potential impacts of Tropical Storm Bertha. Crews are expected to decide Wednesday night whether to move farther north ahead of the storm or remain in their current location.
Walker said a final decision on the team’s next assignment is expected Thursday.