Looking at news stories from around the country paints a picture of a very large deployment of firefighters staging in anticipation of landfall by Hurricane Gustav. They are part of urban search and rescue teams, swift water rescue teams and medical teams. Besides the departments we have previously mentioned from the Washington, DC area, here are just some of the others that have sent equipment and staffing (we have added links to articles about the deployments):
Baltimore City, Miami-Dade, Orange County (CA), Alameda County (CA), Sacramento, Los Angeles, Massachusetts, Knoxville;
There are also six firefighters from Merseyside in the UK enroute to Houston.
Here is news from Louisiana firefighters:
From The Times-Picayune at 1:50 AM
The New Orleans Fire Department has evacuated Engine 31 on Alba Road because the Venetian Isles water protection gates have been closed, a city spokesman said.
At the same time, the spokesman, James Ross, said the Fire Department had activated its Urban Search and Rescue Team shortly after midnight.
Meanwhile, New Orleans Emergency Medical Services reported just 26 calls for service all day, in stark contrast to high volume during the lead up to Hurricane Katrina’s landfall three years ago.
All off-duty Shreveport Firefighters are to call back for information on reporting for duty during Hurricane Gustav. By Order of Fire Chief Brian Crawford all Fire Department members are instructed to call 673-6766 beginning at 1200 hrs today, August 31, 2008, to receive call back information. This is a mandatory call back of all personnel.
From The Times-Picayune on Sunday:
Jefferson Parish fire departments preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Gustav sent half their fleet north Saturday night, according to officials.
The trucks headed to an area near Baton Rouge, according to Jody Sanderson, spokesman for the Third District Volunteer Fire Department.
“Every department in the parish does that,” said Jefferson Parish emergency planner Deano Bonano.
Sanderson said the departments evacuated a portion of the fleets three years ago for Hurricane Katrina and avoided some of the vehicle losses experience by the New Orleans Fire Department.
The move won’t leave Jefferson Parish residents unprotected, Sanderson said. There will be enough vehicles and staff staying behind to handle any fire emergencies.
From HoumaToday.com on Saturday:
As Hurricane Gustav approaches the Gulf of Mexico, local fire chiefs said they have been largely left out of emergency planning by the Terrebonne Office of Emergency Preparedness.
“We are completely in the dark,” said Chief Spencer Rhodes, who heads the Montegut–Pointe-aux-Chenes Volunteer Fire Department.
Rhodes said his department is seeking help from the parish to meet fuel and communication needs. Department officials were also left on their own, he said, to secure a place to station fire trucks in the event the storm threatens the low-lying department.
“Basically they put us on our own,” he said. “Parish government needs to know that we are being left out in the cold.”
Terrebonne Public Works Director Al Levron, who has been designated as the public-information officer for the parish’s Emergency Operations Center, said he would look into the allegation.
“Quite frankly this is the first I’ve heard of this particular issue,” Levron said. “I’m certain a fire-service liaison has been invited to participate. I’m not sure who is here representing them.”
Levron said the parish does have fuel available for emergency responders at Public Works headquarters and has fuel trucks stationed “out of harm’s way” in the event the storm swamps Terrebonne.
“The volunteers are a very important component to our entire emergency response plan,” he added. “If there has been a breakdown in communication, we will strive to remedy that in the future.”
However, several volunteer fire chiefs said they learn about emergency plans at the same time as the general public and have not had any hand in discussions with parish officials.
“If something happens, who are they going to be looking for? The firemen,” said Bayou Blue Volunteer Fire Chief Harvey Parks Jr.
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