Aug 29, 2008 8:49 pm US/Pacific
Bay Area Rescue Team Travels To Gustav's Path
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) ―
A 34-member Urban Search and Rescue Team that includes personnel from the Bay Area will travel to Houston on Friday and this weekend to provide potential search and rescue relief for Hurricane Gustav, fire officials said.
The team, called California Task Force 4, is one of five strike teams deployed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to stage in Houston, Alameda County fire spokeswoman Aisha Knowles said.
Fire personnel from agencies including the Alameda County Fire Department, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, Santa Rosa Fire Department and Oakland Fire Department will be sent to Houston, according to Oakland fire Lt. David Brue.
Half of the team was scheduled to leave Friday for the 27-hour drive to Houston, which is expected to have them arrive Sunday, Knowles said.
The second half of the team will depart from the Oakland International Airport late Saturday or early Sunday, Brue said.
The team will be designated for search and rescue and canine search and rescue on an as-needed basis, according to Brue.
The fire personnel are assembling in Houston in order to be close to potential disaster zones, Brue said.
As of Friday afternoon Hurricane Gustav was raging near Cuba and headed north toward Louisiana, according to the National Hurricane Center.
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