Eighty first responders are on standby with Texas Task Force 2, as a tropical system is expected to impact the Gulf of Mexico this weekend, and members are packed and ready to go at a moment’s notice.
At a warehouse in Grand Prairie, 18-wheelers, trailers, flat-bottom and inflatable boats were loaded with supplies. The task force is over-preparing, knowing hurricanes and tropical storms can bring more than water damage.
“We can do water rescue," said David Birdsong, the HAZMAT Team Manager with Texas Task Force 2. "We can do confined space. We can do structural collapse."
Birdsong said first responders are waiting on a phone call. Once they receive the call, all 80 people will be at the warehouse within one to two hours. From there, trucks will head to the destination where help is needed.