Photo provided by Indian River County Fire Rescue
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Firefighters are in the Florida Panhandle delivering military style meals to residents in need and battling home fires. The first responders were deployed last week to assist with Hurricane Michael relief efforts.
Hurricane Michael swept through the panhandle Wednesday, leaving a trail of damaged homes and flooding in its path. Up to 18 people have died from the storm; that number could rise as recovery efforts continue, according to meteorologists from the National Weather Service in Melbourne.
“It was a strong hurricane (because) of its intensity, size and strength,” NWS Meteorologist Tim Sedlock said.
An Indian River County Fire Rescue engine with four personnel traveled to the northwestern part of the state Friday, Battalion Chief Kyle Kofke said. The firemen met up with engine crews from surrounding departments, which make up the engine strike teams.
The four personnel include Captain Steve Graul, Firemedics Mikal Cooper and Cody Sparkman, and Engineer Jay Chesnutt.
Fire crews are delivering pre-packaged meals to residents. The meals are vacuum sealed and do not need to be refrigerated, Kofke said.
Firefighters are also helping with emergency responses that follow after powerful storms like Hurricane Michael.
Kofke said powerful storms can lead to electrical issues in the home, some of which spark fires. Once power is restored, the electrical issues occur.
Different scenarios, such as a power line falling on the residence, or a tree falling on the power line and then hitting the home, can lead to electrical problems that can ignite flames, Kofke said.
The road to recovery for residents in the panhandle will be a long journey. It’s unclear when local fire crews will return to Indian River County.
The Storm
Hurricane Micheal whirled through the Gulf of Mexico and landed on shore last Wednesday as a category 4 hurricane near the panhandle, Sedlock said. Category 4 hurricanes have 130 to 156 mph winds.
The storm caused short term flooding in the northwest part of the state with storm surges between 10 and 15 feet.
The hurricane grew weaker as it moved across to southern Georgia, Sedlock said. Hurricane Michael eventually downgraded to a tropical storm when it reached the Carolinas, and then whirled back out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Photos provided by Indian River County Fire Rescue
