Texas Task Force 1 deployed for potential flooding in South Texas

COLLEGE STATION — The Texas Division of Emergency Management has deployed Texas Task Force 1 (TX-TF1), which is sponsored by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, to South Texas in preparation for heavy rains and possible flash flooding today and through the weekend. Severe weather is predicted along the Texas coast and into South and South-Central Texas, with lingering heavy rain chances along the Rio Grande Valley through Sunday.
Nine Water Rescue Squads, one High-Profile Vehicle crew, two Water Division and Group Supervisors and Liaison Officers moved into South Texas and the Texas Gulf Coast Region late Thursday in advance of expected severe weather. In addition, the team is working with their response partner, the Texas Military Department. On Saturday, two LUH72 Lakotas with hoist capability will operate out of Austin, with a TX-TF1 rescue swimmer on board. TX-TF1 also has a SAR (Search and Rescue) Overhead Team based in College Station and an Agency Liaison Officer in the State Operations Center in Austin.
This deployment is in addition to TX-TF1 team members who were deployed by FEMA earlier this week to assist with response to Hurricane Florence in North Carolina and Hurricane Olivia in Hawaii. Sixteen TX-TF1 members and water rescue equipment and boats, who deployed to North Carolina as part of a FEMA US&R Water Mission Ready Package, have been actively engaged in water rescue and evacuation operations in New Bern, NC, today. Two additional TX-TF1 members deployed to North Carolina today as part of a FEMA Incident Support Team (IST).
About Texas Task Force 1 
TX-TF1 is sponsored by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), a member of The Texas A&M University System. The Task Force has deployed over 150 times since 1997, including the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy, Sept. 11th World Trade Center attack, and Hurricanes Harvey, Katrina, Rita and Ike. TX-TF1 can be activated by the Texas Division of Emergency Management or as one of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) 28 sanctioned urban search and rescue teams. 
Texas Task Force 1 Website: www.texastaskforce1.org/