© 2025 All Rights reserved WUSF
WUSF
Morning Edition
WUSF
Morning Edition
Next Up: 9:00 AM BBC Newshour
0:00
0:00
Morning Edition
WUSF
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Thanks to you, WUSF is here — delivering fact-based news and stories that reflect our community.⁠ Your support powers everything we do.

Florida Emergency Responders Deploy To North Carolina

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue
Hillsborough Fire Rescue Trainer Prudy Vallejo loads up.

While people in the Mid-Atlantic states make their last-minute preparations for Hurricane Florence, emergency responders from the Tampa Bay region are there in North Carolina, helping with medical evacuations. 

The Florida Division of Emergency Management sent rescue teams from Pasco County, Temple Terrace and Hillsborough County to Raleigh, North Carolina.  Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Trainer Prudy Vallejo said they're doing what needs to be done to keep the medically-needy safe. 

“Our goal is to get as many people out of the immediate threatened area to an area that these patients may need to get a better high level of care, where they're not going to be able to get it there, in case of a power failure or something of that nature,” Vallejo said.

The teams from Florida will also be helping with rescue and recovery after Florence moves through.The Florida Department of Emergency Management asked the rescue teams to deploy to North Carolina. They're expected to be there for at least eight days.

I love telling stories about my home state. And I hope they will help you in some way and maybe even lift your spirits.
Our daily newsletter, delivered first thing weekdays, keeps you connected to your community with news, culture, national NPR headlines, and more.