Texas Task Force 1 deployed for flooding in Texas

COLLEGE STATION – Water
Rescue Squads from Texas Task Force 1 (TX-TF1), sponsored by the Texas A&M Engineering
Extension Service (TEEX), were activated and deployed overnight in response to significant
heavy rain and historic river flooding over much of Central and North Texas.

At the request of the Texas
Division of Emergency Management, TX-TF1 has activated and deployed nine Water Rescue
Squads and two Water Group Supervisors to support historic flooding in Central Texas, to
include the Junction, Mason, and Kingsland, Texas communities along
the Llano River and the Highland Lakes.

Additionally, eight TX-TF1
Helicopter Search & Rescue Technicians (HSART) have been activated and will operate
from response partner Texas Military Department Blackhawk and Lakota helicopters, and
provide hoist-rescue capability to those affected areas.

TX-TF1 Water Rescue Squads
are moving into locations that have experienced or are forecast to experience heavy rain and
river flooding. They will support impacted communities and local first responders.

Additionally, 80-members of
TX-TF1’s Type-1 US&R Task Force remain deployed as part of FEMA’s response to Hurricane
Michael. The team is conducting Wide Area Searches operations in the Panama City, FL area
in support of local responders in the Florida Pan-handle.

About Texas Task Force 1

TX-TF1 is
sponsored by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service and has
deployed over 100 times since 1997. The team can be activated by the Texas
Division of Emergency Management or as one of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency’s 28 sanctioned urban search and rescue teams.

For more information or to arrange interviews
with TX-TF1 staff, please contact:

 Stephen Bjune
Public Information Officer
[email protected]
(979) 458-4957