PA Task Force 1 Heading South To Help Hurricane Helene Victims
by Alex Lloyd Gross
Hurricane Helene has destroyed property and killed at least 44 people by press time. Many more are trapped in rubble, or in areas not passable due to roads flooded out or fallen trees. Specially trained firefighters from Pennsylvania have been deployed to help.
They are PA Task Force 1, which is located off State Road in Northeast Philadelphia .The convoy left early morning on September 26,2024 and are currently staging in North Carolina or deployed to an area where they are needed.
This unit consists of 12 vehicles which includes three tractor trailers, and box trucks and a boat. Just because someone is a firefighter does not qualify them to be a member of the task force. Fire Commissioner Craig Murphy said that members must pass stringent training requirements to be considered.
Once someone is selected, they are sent an email asking if they can do a 14 day deployment. If they can, they are put on a list and then they are selected by the task force leader. Not every member is a Philadelphia Fire Department Employee.
Commissioner Murphy said if someone from a volunteer company is trained, they can submit an application for consideration to the team. Once they are down there, task force members can look forward to deplorable conditions, long hours and at times days with no shower. They may have to sleep on the ground.
PA task Force 1 will join at least 30,000 electrical trucks from multiple power companies that sent crews to help restore electricity.