PHOTOS: Chesterfield firefighters head to Florida, braced for Hurricane Milton’s impact

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Chesterfield County firefighters headed down to Florida on Tuesday in preparation for the impact of Hurricane Milton.

On Tuesday, Oct. 8, members of the Virginia Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team (VAHART) were deployed to Tallahassee, Florida in one of VAHART’s Blackhawk helicopters in anticipation of the arrival of Hurricane Milton, which is expected to make landfall between Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

The crew consists of three firefighters with Chesterfield County Fire & EMS — pictured above — and four soldiers from the Virginia National Guard.

VAHART is one of multiple specialized teams that include Chesterfield firefighters. This particular team uses Blackhawk helicopters to execute search and rescue missions.

They have hoist capabilities, making them an asset when looking for victims stuck in flooded areas or among difficult terrain.

Both VAHART and the Virginia Task Force 8 Urban Search & Rescue (VA-TF8) teams were previously deployed to aid communities when Helene hit. These crews were sent out in anticipation of the storms and were involved in several rescue efforts throughout affected areas in western Virginia .

For VAHART members, Helene — and now Milton — are the first times since training began in 2011 that they have participated in real-world rescue missions, according to fire officials.

The crew left from Sandston Monday morning after speaking with Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who visited to learn more about VAHART and wish them luck.

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