Three members of a California search and rescue team were injured in a vehicle accident Sunday morning while driving cross-country to support Hurricane Helen relief efforts in North Carolina.
The three injured were members of the San Diego Fire and Rescue Department's (SDFD) 48-member Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 8.
The cause of the accident is under investigation, according to a press release from the City of San Diego.
The three firefighters were traveling from San Diego on Friday and were together in the F-350 truck when the accident occurred at 2:45 a.m. CST. The members were on East Highway 20 near the Texas-Louisiana border at the time. The three injured members were flown by helicopter to Louisiana State University Hospital in Shreveport, Louisiana, according to a press release.
Assistant Fire Chief Jim Gaboury told local reporters that the three firefighters were in “conditions ranging from moderate to critical,” according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. reported. Local news outlets said the names of the injured have not been released, but they have been identified as a battalion commander and two captains.
“The news of this crash is shocking. We are doing everything we can to provide support to our department and to the team members and their families who participated in this deployment,” Gaboury said. said in a press release.
The remaining task force members were sent to Waskom, Texas, and told to await further instructions regarding the mission, according to a press release.
The White House said FEMA Administrator DeAnne Criswell and Homeland Security Adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall were responsible for the ongoing investigation, including a “tragic motor vehicle accident” involving three firefighters. We briefed President Biden on recovery efforts.
The White House Press Office said in a statement: “The President would like to express his gratitude to all first responders, including the brave teams who traveled across the country to support emergency response efforts, and wish them a full recovery.” I'm praying,” he said.
“Our prayers go out to the three brave firefighters and their families and loved ones who are being treated in Louisiana,” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said in a press release.
“We witnessed the devastation caused by Hurricane Helen and know how important water rescue professionals are when responding to disasters like this. They risk their lives every day when called upon across the country. They exemplify the courage, bravery and service that are the hallmarks of the San Diego Fire Department,” Gloria continued.
