Alachua County Fire Rescue (ACFR) crews deployed to the Florida Panhandle to assist with rescue and recovery efforts have been relieved and have returned to the County. A fresh team will continue service in the area.
ACFR crews left Gainesville for the Florida Panhandle on Thursday morning, October 11, 2018, at 4 a.m. A Rescue Strike team composed of 20 Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics in three Advanced Life Support (ALS) Rescues and one Medical Support Unit Bus traveled to Panama City at the request of the State to render aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. For four days the crews were deployed in Panama City, evacuating patients from severely damaged hospitals to more inland locations.
On Sunday, the team was sent to Mexico Beach where they joined Alachua County Fire Rescue’s (ACFR) Mutual Aid Radio Communications (MARC) Team to assist in transporting entrapped victims to area hospitals. The crews also took the role of responding to 911 calls and protecting the area while local first responders recovered from personal losses.
For more information, contact ACFR Deputy Chief Harold Theus at 352-384-3132.