07/10/2022
We are so proud of the men and women of Alachua County Fire/Rescue and Emergency Management and the City of High Springs Fire Department who have responded to those in need in South Florida. Here is some of what the response has entailed:
MARC3
This unit is a mutual aid radio communication (MARC) vehicle with a trailer that houses a portable antenna in areas where communications were destroyed. MARC3 left on Friday, September 30, to stage in Orlando and then deployed to Ft Meyers Beach, where they are preparing to move to Pine Island once a road is established. They will be part of a MARC team establishing communications for the response in that area.
UAV1
The UAV team has our drone units that deployed to Naples Thursday, September 29. They were responsible for surveying the damage and creating a hazard assessment map that the Incident Management Team will use to determine what resources will respond to which locations. They are being used in Naples, Ft Meyers Beach, and San Carlos Island.
MSU24
Our Medical Support Unit (MSU) responded on September 29 to Ft Meyers with two members of ACFR and three members of Bradford County Fire Rescue to assist with any evacuations. Their unit can transport up to 20 patients at a time and has helped move patients to Miami, Boca Raton, and Boynton Beach over the last week. Today we are transferring patients from hospital to hospital or hospital to rehab centers.
Engine Strike Team 1301
This Engine Strike Team (EST) has five fire engines staffed with four fire/EMS personnel and one EST Leader. The engines are from Alachua, Marion, Clay, and Putnam counties and the City of High Springs. The Team Leader is the High Springs Fire Chief/ Assistant City Manager. This team conducted grid searches in Hardee County after deploying on September 9 and then were reassigned to North Ft Meyers on October 1, where they ran calls out of Stations 1, 2, and 3 until they were relieved today. They have run over 250 calls for service..
