Hurricane Harvey Prompts NYC Emergency Team To Head To Texas

NEW YORK CITY, NY – The city is sending 120 emergency responders to Texas to help the state deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the move on Sunday.

"After Superstorm Sandy, so many cities stepped up to help our people. We'll do all we can to help those affected by this storm," he tweeted.

De Blasio explained that the FDNY's Incident Management Team and the city's Urban Search and Rescue Rapid Response Team "will assist authorities on the ground." The FDNY described the rapid response team as a joint firefighter-NYPD effort and said the unit will head to San Antonio.

The announcement came as Houston and other parts of Texas struggled with heavy rain in the aftermath of the hurricane. Authorities used helicopters and boats to rescue stranded residents in scenes reminiscent of Hurricane Katrina, according to news reports.

"We're going to await orders depending on the severity of the damage. We are set up for all types of rescues, including swiftwater rescues," FDNY Battalion Chief Jack Flatley said on Facebook.

"We have a compilation of tools that include boats, motors, dry suits, rescue equipment for collapsed structures, rope equipment for confined spaces, and a large compilation of Haz-Mat equipment and tools."

Five deaths had been reported as a result of the hurricane by Monday, and the National Weather Service predicted five more days of punishing rains.

On Saturday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo deployed more than 100 airmen from the New York Air National Guard to help the hurricane response in Texas and Louisiana.

The deployment included rescue teams, maintenance and support staff, three rescue helicopters, one rescue plane and several boats and watercraft, according to the governor's office.

"New York knows first-hand the dangers of Mother Nature's anger," Cuomo said in a statement. "We have felt the damage that extreme weather can cause time and time again, and we stand shoulder to shoulder with Louisiana and Texas as they prepare for Hurricane Harvey."

Lead image courtesy FDNY.