JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With Hurricane Michael approaching Florida’s Panhandle, the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department is gearing up to help ahead of the storm.
It's all part of Jacksonville's mutual aid agreement with other cities across the state.
In a Twitter post, Mayor Lenny Curry announced the city was asked by the State of Florida to send help before the storm made landfall.
With Michael approaching, We’ve been asked by the State of Florida to send our Jax Fire/Rescue Urban Search & Rescue team to Pensacola. We are sending help. 42 folks will meet at 6 am tomorrow morning & depart at 8 am. Pray for them and their families as they go to work.
— Lenny Curry (@lennycurry) October 9, 2018
Forty-two members of JFRD’s Urban Search and Rescue team were scheduled to leave from the training academy around 8 a.m. Tuesday and head to Pensacola, Curry said.
He has asked the city to pray for the firefighters and their families as they spend the next few days working in the Panhandle,where Hurricane Michael is expected to strike Wednesday.
Forecasters project the storm to reach Category 3 strength before making landfall during the day in the Panhandle or Big Bend area.