Howard County Executive Calvin Ball this week announced the deployment of first responders to assist in the preparation and recovery from Hurricane Dorian. Two Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services personnel, Firefighter Dain Yakich and Firefighter Barry Griffin, and Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits (DILP) Director Bob Frances, are in Florida as part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Urban Search & Rescue team, Maryland Task Force 1.
“Hurricane Dorian has already caused significant devastation, with the potential for further impact to millions on the East Coast. To help our neighbors during their time of need, three brave Howard County personnel will assist in Florida’s emergency response,” Ball said.
Maryland Task Force One, based in Montgomery County, is one of sixteen teams activated by FEMA to aid in the response to Dorian. In addition to the Howard County first responders, the team includes members from several Maryland counties, including Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Baltimore County.
The Task Force incorporates disasters managers, strategic planners, search specialists (electronic and canine), rescue specialists, physicians, paramedics, communications specialists, structural engineers, logisticians, heavy rigging specialists (crane and heavy equipment), and hazardous material specialists.
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