One of two special Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) teams deployed to Georgia ahead of Hurricane Helene is setting up shop in Gainesville.
Gov. Brian Kemp, at a noontime news conference Thursday announcing the state’s latest plans for preparing for the storm, said the other Urban Search and Rescue Team (USRT) will use Macon as its home base.
According to the FEMA website, USRTs are “highly trained” and ready to deploy within four hours and have responded to countless disasters since the creation of the system.
“In addition to search and rescue missions…(they) provide emergency medical care for trapped survivors, perform structural engineering evaluations, stabilize damaged buildings, and identify hazardous materials.”
You can read more about their work here: FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces Know the Importance of Practice | FEMA.gov