Some Treasure Coast first responders were deployed Friday morning to Florida's west coast to help with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Helene made landfall at Perry as a Category 4 storm about 11:30 p.m. Thursday. It is the strongest hurricane on record to slam into Florida’s Big Bend area.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office Rapid Response Team was on their way to Citrus County around 7:30 a.m., when they were rerouted around 8:40 a.m. to Lafayette County in the Big Bend area to assist local law enforcement. They were sent by the Emergency Operations Center because Lafayette County was more impacted, according to Sheriff William Snyder.
"The county is 100% without power, so they're asking us to do patrol through the night because they have no alarms, no traffic lights," Snyder said. "People can't call for help, cell service is very spotty. They're really on their heels."
The Rapid Response Team consists of two teams of 20 people and will be fully equipped with air conditioned tents, generators, food truck and extra tires.
"We're fully self-sufficient, self-contained, so we don't draw from the resources of that agency that needs us," Snyder said. "They just give us a ballfield, we set up, and then we start patrol."
Snyder said the Rapid Response Team has been deployed all over the state over the years, but this is the first time the team has been to Florida's Panhandle area to provide assistance.
The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office is sending 13 deputies, as well as vehicles, equipment and supplies, including an airboat, to Suwannee County. They left at 7 a.m. Friday with a camper and enough food and water to sustain themselves for a week, Sheriff’s Capt. Joe Abollo said.
Suwannee County, the county seat of which is Live Oak, is just west of Lake City and inland of the Big Bend.
“For us, it's just the right thing to do,” Abollo said. “We support all of our brothers and sisters ... along the state of Florida.”
Abollo said the Sheriff’s Office gets help from other agencies whether it’s a crisis or during day-to-day operations.
He noted agencies from St. Lucie and Brevard counties as well as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helped with the search in Indian River County for a 2-year-old boy with autism earlier this week. The body of Shamar Windhom was found in a pond hours after he was reported missing.
“It's just an ongoing thing that we do, that we reciprocate during times of need, regardless of who it is,” Abollo said.
Abollo said the Florida Sheriffs Association notified his agency of a need for help in the Big Bend area, and they coordinated to send resources to Suwannee County.
Initial costs will be borne by the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, but Abollo said later there should be reimbursements available through the federal government.
“That side of the state is under a state declaration of emergency,” he said. “Once the state does that, it opens up the funding for those type of events, which pays for not just resources and supplies, but also the pay for the first responders that are there.”
A second sheriff’s team is preparing to go after the first team returns.
Work for the first team likely will be search-and-rescue efforts, road clearing and ensuring power lines aren’t down.
“That's why wave one is probably one of the most dangerous ones, because they’ve got to go in there and basically try to help restore that community,” Abollo said.
Martin County Fire Rescue sent a Strike Team at 5 a.m. consisting of Lt. Ryan Law and Fire Medics Matthew Curry and Austin Spiegelhalter to mobilize in Orlando before being sent to Perry, according to Fire Rescue officials.
They are assisting first responders and will be on the ground helping storm victims. They brought with them the proper equipment and medicine to provide advanced life support, officials said.
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Olivia Franklin is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Olivia on X @Livvvvv_5 or reach her by phone at 317-627-8048. E-mail her at olivia.franklin@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Treasure Coast first responders assist with aftermath of Hurricane Helene
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