JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Seven Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department firefighters left Thursday for San Antonio, Texas, to assist with rescue operations after days of heavy rain pushed rivers across the Hill Country toward record levels, the department said.
The team deployed under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, which allows states to send resources to one another during disasters. The firefighters are members of JFRD’s Urban Search and Rescue Team and Florida Task Force 5 and make up a Type 3 swiftwater rescue unit trained to operate in fast-moving water.
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Rivers in the San Antonio area and Hill Country — including the Guadalupe, Medina, Nueces and Frio — surged after relentless rain, forcing rescues from cars, trees and rooftops, officials said.
The deployment is expected to last seven days. The unit will search for people trapped by floodwaters, extract them, provide emergency medical care if needed and move them to safety. The team is self-sustaining, bringing its own boats, food, water, fuel and equipment so it can operate for days without outside support.
“Our team trains for high-consequence, low-frequency events like this year-round so we’re ready to help neighbors in need, while still fully serving Jacksonville residents,” Fire Chief Percy Golden II said.
The department said it will provide updates as the team arrives and begins operations in Texas.