A swift water team from Delaware is assisting response and recovery efforts in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene.
The Swift Water Rescue Team was deployed by the Delaware Emergency Management Agency and Delaware State Fire School on Saturday.
They are supporting efforts in North Carolina following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, which made landfall as a category 4 storm in Florida last week, causing widespread destruction and killing more than 100 people in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, South Carolina and North Carolina.
Millions have lost power from the hurricane with many being stranded by floodwaters, and more than 1,000 people are believed to be missing.
A.J. Schall is the Director of DEMA, and he explains what the Delaware team is doing down in North Carolina.
"They've been sent out on specific search and rescue missions to look for specific individuals or to go out and check neighborhoods, almost go house-to-house or door-to-door making sure people are either accounted for, they evacuated, you know, there's no hazards left that area stuff like that,” said Schall. “So, it's been very meaningful work, very tough work, long days for them, but they're up to the challenge."
Schall notes the 13-member crew is in Linville, North Carolina which is in the northwest part of the state near the Tennessee border.
He adds they’re well equipped to handle the challenging situation.
"So they brought, I think, probably about 5 or 6 different trucks. They brought seven boats, a combination of inflatables or hard bottom boats, a trailer with supplies and everything from batteries for flashlights, extra sleeping bags, dry suits," said Schall.
Schall notes there are 13-members on this crew, and this is a 10-day mission in North Carolina.
He adds the mission could be extended, or cut short if more help as expected arrives in the next few days.
