Update Sept. 8: Two more firefighters from the Historic Triangle are being deployed to regions impacted by Hurricane Irma.
According to James City County Fire Department Chief Ryan Ashe, the two county firefighters being deployed to San Juan with Task Force 2 are Battalion Chief and Rescue Squad Officer Darin Swedenborg and Captain Brian Heinsman, a rescue specialist.
Williamsburg Fire Chief Pat Dent also stated that Lt. William Lee Ward, who was deployed earlier this week, was being transferred to St. John in the Virgin Islands Friday.
Original story:
First responders from Williamsburg and James City County have deployed to Puerto Rico to assist with search and rescue operations as Hurricane Irma bears down on the island.
While the category five hurricane is expected to slam the Caribbean over the next week, first responders from the Historic Triangle have been preparing for the storm’s landfall with the Virginia Task Force 2 in a National Guard base near San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The task force which specializes as an Urban Search and Rescue Team sent 45 members to Puerto Rico on Monday night to prepare for the storm’s anticipated arrival on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.
The team is made up of first responders from the Virginia Beach Fire Department, as well as firefighters from Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, James City County and Williamsburg, according to the Virginia Beach Fire Department.
Tristan Aiken, the business manager for the James City County Fire Department, and Williamsburg Fire Department lieutenant William Lee Ward deployed with the task force Monday.
“It’s quite a commitment, not only by the organization but by the individual,” Williamsburg Fire Chief Pat Dent said. “We want to support other parts of the country as much as we possibly can…It’s a big decision when you’re sending people out, especially when you consider the situation of where Hurricane Irma is going.”
The team specializes in technical and water rescue, HAZMAT and structural collapse.
The deployment comes about a week after the task force sent 18 members to Texas to help with search and rescue efforts after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston.
