Texas is sending emergency management personnel to Colorado to assist with ongoing wildfire response efforts after multiple fires burned tens of thousands of acres and claimed the lives of three firefighters.<\/p>\n
The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) announced<\/a> the deployment on Wednesday following a request from the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Gov. Greg Abbott directed the deployment through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), which allows states to share personnel and resources during disasters.<\/p>\n \u201cTexas stands ready to support our partners when disaster strikes,\u201d Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd said. \u201cTexans are familiar with the effects of wildfire across our state, and working together to support our fellow Americans is a core value of our commitment to public service.\u201d<\/p>\n Texas Teams To Coordinate Volunteer Response<\/p>\n TDEM said it deployed Voluntary Agency Liaisons to help coordinate response efforts among Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), community organizations, local mass care partners and Colorado emergency management officials.<\/p>\n According to the agency, the personnel will assist with coordinating volunteer activities, identifying available resources, tracking unmet needs, and managing donations for communities affected by the fires.<\/p>\n The deployment is being carried out under EMAC, a nationwide mutual aid system that enables states to request and receive assistance during emergencies while providing legal protections and reimbursement for deployed personnel.<\/p>\n Colorado Fires Continue To Grow<\/p>\n Colorado remains under pressure from multiple active wildfires that have burned<\/a> nearly 95,000 acres statewide and destroyed more than 100 structures.<\/p>\n