MIAMI --
South Florida is preparing to lend a helping hand to those who may be affected by Hurricane Gustav.
A search and rescue team will travel to the Gulf Coast on Saturday to provide quick assistance in the event that Hurricane Gustav makes landfall.
The team, consisting of 34 members and four search canines, specializes in 12 areas including: command and control; technical search; structural assessment and stabilization; planning/technical information; advanced medical care, including physicians and medical specialists; hazardous materials mitigation; tactical communications; logistics support; and safety and rescue specialists.
In addition to the members that will be deployed, a second 80-member team will stay behind as a stand by for the residents of Miami-Dade County. This secondary team has 19 specialties and can deploy for up to 14 days, if needed.
In the past the team has been deployed nationally and internationally for multiple disasters, like the Oklahoma City bombing, the World Trade Center collapse, Hurricane Katrina and earthquake responses in Colombia and Turkey.
