Police officers and rescuers from Miami-Dade were deployed to the Florida Panhandle to support emergency operations in response to the impact of Hurricane Isaias.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office reported this Thursday on Facebook that a group of agents and supervisors departed at 4:00 a.m. heading north in the state.
The deployment is carried out in coordination with the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, which has also been dispatched to support communities that may be affected by the storm.
"When our Floridian colleagues need us, we answer the call," stated the sheriff's office while announcing the mobilization.
The institution explained that, with a state of emergency declared, its personnel is heading to the Panhandle to provide critical support "wherever needed" and to reinforce the response to potential damage caused by Isaias.
“Our commitment to serve and protect extends far beyond Miami-Dade County. In times of uncertainty, we stand united as one Florida,” the agency added.
The operation demonstrates how emergency resources from South Florida are being deployed to areas that may face the greatest impacts from the hurricane, with personnel prepared to engage in rescue, assistance, and immediate response efforts.
The mobilization occurs as the conditions associated with Isaias began to be felt along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
At 2:00 p.m. in Miami, the center of the cyclone was located about 235 kilometers south of Pensacola, and its tropical storm-force winds extended up to 335 kilometers from the center.
Isaias reached category 3 this Friday with maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h, becoming a major hurricane as it moved toward the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
The National Hurricane Center predicts that the cyclone will make landfall this Friday evening in the extreme western part of northwest Florida, with major hurricane strength or close to it.
The main threats include destructive winds, storm surge, heavy rainfall and flooding, as well as the risk of tornadoes in parts of the Panhandle, Alabama, and Georgia.
The NHC maintains a forecasted maximum of between 1.8 and 2.7 meters of flooding from storm surge between the Alabama-Florida border and Grayton Beach if the peak of the surge coincides with high tide.
Authorities have urged to complete preparations and follow evacuation orders in areas under threat, given the potential for severe damage and prolonged power outages during the hurricane's passage.
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