Eureka, Wildwood Firefighters Head to Superstorm Sandy

Four Eureka Fire Protection District and three Metro West Fire Protection District firefighters who specialize in water rescue head to the East Coast Tuesday (today) to assist with issues caused by Superstorm Sandy.

They are being deployed as part of Missouri Task Force 1, which comprises 80 personnel and more than 100,000 pounds of equipment. They also are authorized to add additional water rescue components, according to a news release issued by Gale blomenkamp, burea director of Boone County Fire Protection District, which serves as the headquarters for Missouri Task Force 1.

Task force members are headed to Herndon, VA, to stage and await their mission assignment, stated the release. They hope to get into position by 5 p.m. today.

The last time Missouri Task Force 1 was deployed to the East Coast was on 9-11.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has the following task forces on alert:  Arizona Task Force 1, Washington Task Force 1, California Task Force 6, Florida Task Force 2, Colorado Task Force 1 and California Task Force 2.

For an hour-by-hour account of initial phases of storm, see Eureka-Wildwood Patch article published Monday evening:  Sub-Tropical Storm Sandy: Hour by Hour Accounting