BALTIMORE — Maryland Taskforce One has been activated to aid Floridians in Hurricane Ian damaged areas.
The Montgomery County Taskforce departed Maryland last Friday with a mission to search and rescue people stranded in floodwaters or damaged buildings.
Chase Fabrizio, a member of Maryland Taskforce One, has responded to disaster relief many times before.
“We don’t know how long we are going to be here,” Fabrizio said. “When we go out here, we planned for a 14-day deployment.”
Fabrizio is among a team of Montgomery County Fire and Rescue members who answered the call to help stranded Floridians.
“We’re seeing a lot of structures that are damaged and people that have been displaced,” Fabrizio said. “They are without power. They are without water.”
Images shared show the destruction Hurricane Ian left behind.
More than 100 people have died in the storm in Florida alone.
“We’ll be here until the job is done, when the citizens of Florida and the local jurisdiction say they are good,” Fabrizio said.
Despite the uncertainty, Fabrizio said the community’s sense of goodwill is overwhelming.
“This area of Florida, they have a long road ahead of them,” Fabrizio said. “They are very resilient and they have a great attitude.”
