Montgomery County Rescue Crew Heads To Virgin Islands

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — Crews from the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service are traveling to the U.S. Virgin Islands to help with hurricane recovery, according to reports.

A 17-person team made up of mental health professionals and emergency responders will travel throughout St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas for about three weeks, CBS Baltimore says.

The team is trained in managing stress and will focus on helping the local first responders who have worked diligently since the Category 5 Hurricane Irma touched down in September.

Along with Montgomery County personnel, the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems and the Maryland Emergency Management Agency officials will make up the team.

The New York Times reports that about 92 percent of customers now have power in the Virgin Islands.

In this Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017, photo, damage is left after Hurricane Irma hit Barbuda. Hurricane Irma battered the Turks and Caicos Islands early Friday as the fearsome Category 5 storm continued a rampage through the Caribbean that has killed a number of people, with Florida in its sights. (Anika E. Kentish/Associated Press)