NYC Task Force Heads To Louisiana For Hurricane Ida Recovery

NEW YORK CITY — Dozens of New York City's police and firefighters are heading to Louisiana to help with Hurricane Ida relief.

The 83-member New York Task Force 1 departed on Sunday for Baton Rouge after it was deployed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The team and six canines left with four rescue boats and motors, along with items to support rescues from collapsed structures and confined spaces and hazardous materials response equipment, the New York City Office of Emergency Management said in a news release.

The task force specializes in urban search and rescue, disaster recovery and emergency triage and medicine, the news release said. Members are expected to arrive in Baton Rouge on Monday evening, where they will pre-stage ahead of potential assignments.

The New York City Emergency Management Department manages the team, which is made up of specially trained personnel from the city's fire and police departments. It is one of 28 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue teams located throughout the United States that can be deployed within six hours of activation, the news release said.

Mayor Bill de Blasio touched on the personnel sent down to Baton Rouge during his Monday briefing.

"We always want to help those in need, we always want to help cities that have been through a lot, like we have been through," de Blasio said.

New York Task Force 1 has previously deployed to Hurricanes Ike and Gustav in 2008, the Haiti earthquake and Hurricane Earl in 2010, and Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria in 2017, among others. Earlier this year, it assisted in rescue and recovery efforts at the Surfside condo collapse, the news release said.

"New York City is happy to answer the call beyond the five boroughs. This team has faced a range of disasters and is now prepared to help people who are threatened by Hurricane Ida," NYC Emergency Management Commissioner John Scrivani said in a statement. "We wish the New York Task Force 1 team a safe journey and successful response and recovery operation."