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Michigan Water Rescue Team Responds to Historic Flooding Threat in South Carolina
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:??? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? August 6, 2024
LANSING, MICH. The Michigan State Police (MSP) Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division (EMHSD) has deployed Michigan Task Force 1?s (MI-TF1) Type I Swiftwater Team through the Michigan Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MI-MABAS) to help with potential search and rescue operations in South Carolina caused by Tropical Storm Debby. The deployment is in response to a request made by South Carolina for out-of-state support through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC).
Tropical storm warnings, flood warnings, and storm surge warnings are in effect across the South Carolina coast. Historic flooding is expected to last for several days after Hurricane Debby came ashore in Florida as a Category 1 storm.
The 18-member team from Michigan is comprised of responders from 10 different local fire departments and will join rescuers from South Carolina and six other states.
?We are proud to answer the call for help from South Carolina,? said Capt. Kevin Sweeney, deputy state director of Emergency Management and commander of the MSP/EMHSD. ?These are dangerous conditions, but we are confident in the abilities of Michigan Task Force 1. We wish them a safe and successful mission.?
?Our members train year-round for these types of events and are honored to represent the State of Michigan with the support of their families, local fire departments, MSP/EMHSD and Governor Whitmer,? said MI-TF1 Program Manager, Dave McIntyre.
The swift water rescue team will conduct missions including water rescues and flood response operations to reports of trapped residents and motorists. It also has the capability to rescue small animals and pets. The team is expected to be on the ground in South Carolina through August 15.
This is the third time in just more than a year that Michigan has deployed MI-TF1 through EMAC requests. The team conducted life-saving rescues during historic flooding in Texas (May 2024) and Vermont (July 2023.)
Through EMAC, a disaster-impacted state can request and receive assistance from other member states quickly and efficiently. All costs associated with deploying resources under EMAC are paid for by the requesting state. Members of EMAC include all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
For more information on how to prepare before, during and after an emergency or disaster, visit www.michigan.gov/miready or follow MSP/EMHSD on Twitter at @MichEMHS.?
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The Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division is responsible for coordinating state and federal resources to assist local government in response and relief activities in the event of an emergency or disaster, as well as coordinating homeland security initiatives and various federal grants.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Lauren Thompson-Phillips
MSP/EMHSD Public Information Officer
517-216-0103
[email protected]
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