- October 10, 2024
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A 10-member team of Flagler County Sheriff's Office staff left for the Big Bend region before dawn on Aug. 31, toting emergency vehicles, chainsaws and rescue tools to help Hurricane Idalia victims.
Hurricane Idalia certainly left its mark on northwest Florida, and we were fortunate to not have any major impacts in Flagler County."
— RICK STALY, Flagler County sheriff
The team's caravan turned out of the FCSO's Operations Center with emergency lights on, then rumbled north with the FCSO’s Mobile Command Center, airboat, high-water rescue vehicle, ERT Bunk House trailer, Emergency Restaurant Team trailer and patrol cars. The team is self-contained, bringing its own food and sleeping quarters, and was activated by the Florida Division of Emergency Management and Florida Sheriff’s Association Task Force, according to an FCSO press release.
“Hurricane Idalia certainly left its mark on Northwest Florida, and we were fortunate to not have any major impacts in Flagler County,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “In prior hurricanes, other Sheriff’s Offices have helped us, so it is our turn to help our brothers and sisters in Suwannee County as much as possible. I thank our ERT members that are deploying and their families, as this adds an additional burden to their families.”
The deputies will have full law enforcement authority in their deployment areas under the Florida Sheriff’s Association Mutual Aid Agreement. They will be joining hundreds of other law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical staff, and search and rescue teams from around the state.
All 10 deployed FCSO staff members are law enforcement officers. They are expected to return on Sept. 7, but their stay could be extended, according to FCSO Senior Public Affairs Officer Ava Hanner.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency or Florida Emergency Management will reimburse all costs because the deployment is a State Emergency Management-authorized mission, according to the news release.
