Four firefighters from Southern Pines, Aberdeen and Pinehurst departed Sunday morning to assist departments in McDowell County respond to the devastation left by Tropical Storm Helene, said the Town of Southern Pines.
Search and rescue operations remain underway in communities across Western North Carolina, and supplies are being brought into the region by air following devastating impacts from Helene.
The state of North Carolina issued an Emergency Deployment Order to assist and relieve exhausted crews.
The deployment consists of two firefighters from Southern Pines, one from Pinehurst and one from Aberdeen. The team left with an Aberdeen engine and a Southern Pines pickup truck as a support vehicle.
They will be part of a five-engine task force from around the state. The Emergency Deployment Order runs through Oct. 4.
Several West End firefighters are also deploying, according to West End Fire and Rescue.
“This is a historic and catastrophic storm for Western North Carolina, and I’m grateful to first responders working right now to save lives and evacuate residents,” Gov. Cooper said in a press release on Saturday. “Efforts are also underway to get power and communications restored, and we’re bringing in needed supplies by air.”
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