VA Search And Rescue Team Responding To Hurricane Debby

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Virginia Task Force 1, the urban search and rescue team from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, was activated on Sunday evening by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to support the emergency response to Hurricane Debby.

A Type III US&R team is expected to arrive in South Carolina on Monday afternoon to await further instructions from FEMA and state emergency management officials. A Type III US&R team consists of 45 personnel, six boats and two dogs.

Across portions of coastal South Carolina, the National Hurricane Center said 10 to 20 inches of rainfall is forecast, with local amounts to 30 inches possible, through Saturday morning.

"This potentially historic rainfall will likely result in areas of catastrophic flooding," the weather service said.

Hurricane Debby made landfall over Florida's Big Bend region Monday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

"Life-threatening storm surge is possible along portions of Florida's Gulf Coast, where Storm Surge Warnings are in effect," according to NWS. "Widespread thunderstorms are likely to continue across Florida and spread into Georgia and the Southeast Coast."

Related: Hurricane Debby Makes Landfall As Category 1 Storm In FL’s Big Bend

Portions of northern Florida through southern/coastal Georgia and the central coast of South Carolina were at a slight risk for severe thunderstorms with a chance of tornados, the weather service reported.

In the Baltimore-Washington area, Monday will be sunny and hot, with a high near 97, according to the NWS forecast.

Clear skies and high temperatures are expected to continue into Tuesday, with a high near 94 and a heat index of 100, according to the weather service. Expect a chance of showers after 2 p.m. and into the evening.

The NWS forecast calls for wet weather through the rest of the week and into Saturday, with the possibility of showers and/or thunderstorms nearly every day.

Last night, VA-TF1 deployed a 45-person Type III US&R team for Hurricane Debby. The team is expected to arrive in South Carolina this afternoon where they will await further direction from federal and state emergency management officials.@fema @ffxfirerescue #HurricaneDebby pic.twitter.com/Wy9RhgRg0D
— VA-TF1 / USA-1 - Urban Search and Rescue (@VATF1) August 5, 2024