Texas Deploys Search-and-Rescue Team to Florida in Anticipation of Hurricane Helene

Governor Greg Abbott of Texas has instructed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to send Texas A&M Task Force 1 to assist Florida as Tropical Storm Helene gathers strength and is likely to become a major hurricane. The storm is expected to make landfall along the Florida Gulf Coast, prompting preparations for possible disaster response operations.

“Texas will always stand with our fellow Americans and lend a helping hand during times of crisis,” stated Governor Abbott. He emphasized the importance of hurricane preparedness and the readiness of resources to ensure a prompt response. Governor Abbott also thanked first responders for their willingness to aid Florida.

Texas A&M Task Force 1 is deploying with a Type 1 urban search-and-rescue team comprised of 80 personnel, over 15 vehicles, 6 boats, and 6 canines. This deployment follows a request from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Task Force is one of the 28 federal teams under FEMA’s National Urban Search and Rescue System.

The team is sponsored by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service and is headquartered in College Station, Texas. It operates under the direction of the TDEM as one of the two statewide search-and-rescue teams in Texas.

As of Tuesday, Tropical Storm Helene was located approximately 170 miles south-southeast of Cuba’s western tip, with sustained winds of 45 mph and moving northwest at 12 mph. The storm is projected to strengthen significantly once it enters the Gulf of Mexico, where warm waters and lack of obstacles could escalate it to a Category 3 hurricane.

The National Hurricane Center has issued a tropical storm warning for Dry Tortugas and areas of the Lower Keys west of the Seven Mile Bridge. Further watches are anticipated along the West Coast of Florida. Meteorologists warn of potential storm surges exceeding 9 feet, especially in regions like Matagorda Bay and Tampa Bay. Rainfall predictions suggest up to 8 inches could fall in the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend area.