CAPE MAY, N.J. — Two Cape May County firefighters have joined New Jersey Task Force 1 (NJTF1) in the ongoing search and rescue efforts in Asheville, N.C., following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. Lt. Szemcsak of the Cape May Fire Department and Firefighter Matt Long from the Ocean City Firefighters Association have been deployed to the region for the past two weeks.
The two firefighters are part of a larger contingent of NJTF1 members and other FEMA teams working in the surrounding Asheville area. The teams are conducting search and rescue operations in communities heavily impacted by the storm, which left a trail of destruction and displaced residents across the region.
The deployment is part of a coordinated response involving multiple agencies and emergency personnel. NJTF1, an urban search and rescue team based in New Jersey, is trained to handle large-scale emergencies and natural disasters.
Cape May Firefighters posted about the deployment on social media, expressing support for the personnel involved. “We continue to wish the members of NJTF1 a safe deployment and return to New Jersey,” the post read.
Hurricane Helene made landfall two weeks ago, causing widespread flooding and damage across parts of North Carolina, with recovery efforts still underway.
