The Asheville Fire Department assembled a team of eight firefighters to join the Buncombe County Task Force 2 Urban Search and Rescue Team (BCTF2 USAR) on a deployment assignment to Kinston, N.C., for standby to assist in emergency support due to probable effects of Tropical Storm Isaias. Isaias is projected to make landfall off the coast of North Carolina as a hurricane later tonight bringing storm surge, high surf, strong winds, heavy rains and flooding.
BCTF2 departed Asheville Saturday morning and headed east with equipment and supplies to support both water rescues and structural damage expected as a result of Isaias. The deployment is planned for 7 days and is subject to change based on the path and damage of Isaias and the need for emergency response support.
The North Carolina Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 2 is made up of personnel from Buncombe County Emergency Management and local fire departments. They specialize in swift water rescue, search and recovery, and structural safety.