45 crew members of Columbia-based Missouri Task Force One (MO-TF1) are at their staging location in Gainesville, Georgia this (Friday) morning, northeast of Atlanta, as Hurricane Helene made landfall last night in Florida.
The Weather Channel reports Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend with category four intensity. The Weather Channel reports record storm surge is possible, along with destructive winds and flooding.
The Boone County Fire Protection District says the 45 members of Missouri Task Force One are stationed at a hotel northeast of Atlanta and will be deployed for an unknown length of time. They’ll be assisting Georgia residents.
Missouri Task Force One left Columbia at noon on Wednesday. They’ve traveled with more than 100,000 pounds of equipment and two live-find K-9 units. The 45 members are prepared for urban search and rescue, water rescues and humanitarian welfare checks.
