CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A group of Charlotte firefighters were deployed to southeastern Kentucky to assist in flood rescue and emergency response efforts Sunday morning.
The deployment was initiated through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), which allows states to request aid in times of disaster.
According to Division Chief Matt Westover, Charlotte Fire’s Special Operations Division was contacted at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday with a preliminary notice of a possible deployment. Early Sunday morning, members of Task Force Three were placed on alert. By 7 a.m., the team departed from the Charlotte Fire Center for All Hazards Resource and Operations, bringing specialized rescue boats, UTVs for off-road search efforts, and technical equipment to assist in water rescues and emergency operations.
Twenty-one firefighters, part of North Carolina Task Force Three, joined other NC response units responding to Middlesboro, Kentucky, a region dealing with historic flooding due to heavy rain and dangerous winter weather conditions.
Led by veteran Captain Jerry Rogers, crews dealt with rising waters submerging homes and freezing temperatures as they helped stranded residents.
“This is what Charlotte firefighters do—we answer the call no matter where it comes from,” said Charlotte Fire Chief Reginald Johnson. “These men and women are highly trained and prepared for these types of emergencies, and I have no doubt they will make a difference for the people of Kentucky during this crisis.”
