SANTA ANA, Calif. — Orange County firefighters were among members of a team of California emergency responders headed to Florida to assist in relief efforts amid Hurricane Milton’s aftermath.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday announced that 70 California-based firefighters would assist in search-and-rescue efforts prompted by the deadly storm. The announcement follows the deployment of 144 California search-and-rescue personnel earlier this week, who were sent to the Sunshine State before Milton made landfall.
The Orange County Fire Authority has sent 33 personnel, members of the agency’s Type 1 team — a highly specialized group trained to respond to structural collapse and swift-water flood environments.
This weeks deployment marked the first time an Orange County Type 1 team has been deployed in 16 years.
“All of our personnel in Orange County Fire and the agencies that we work with will be laser-focused on life safety and making sure that we can get into the areas that have access challenges,” said OCFA Division Chief Kevin Fetterman.
Milton barreled into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday after plowing across Florida, where it knocked out power to more than 3 million customers and whipped up 150 tornadoes. The storm caused at least four deaths and compounded the misery wrought by Helene while sparing Tampa a direct hit.
Monster storm wreaks havoc with damaging winds, life-threatening surge and flooding across state
The system tracked to the south in the final hours and made landfall late Wednesday as a Category 3 storm in Siesta Key, about 70 miles south of Tampa. Damage was widespread, and water levels may continue to rise for days, but Gov. Ron DeSantis said it was not “the worst-case scenario.”
The deadly storm surge feared for Tampa never materialized, though the storm dumped up to 18 inches of rain in some parts of the area, the governor said. The worst storm surge appeared to be in Sarasota County, where it was 8 to 10 feet (2.5 to 3 meters) – lower than in the worst place during Helene.
“We will better understand the extent of the damage as the day progresses,” DeSantis said. “We’ve got more to do, but we will absolutely get through this.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
