Baltimore County Firefighters Help With Hurricane Dorian

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — As Hurricane Dorian creeps up the Atlantic, six members of the Baltimore County Fire Department are at the ready in Jacksonville, Florida. They are part of a task force based in Pennsylvania that was deployed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, before the hurricane made landfall over the weekend in the Bahamas.

Pennsylvania Task Force 1, which includes members from Pennsylvania and Maryland and left for the Sunshine State on Friday, is one of 28 urban search and rescue teams across the country assembled by FEMA. A group from Montgomery County also deployed Friday, and said that it was one of 16 FEMA teams sent to assist with Hurricane Dorian.

Six tactical rescue specialists from Baltimore County are part of the Pennsylvania Task Force 1 unit that is now in Florida, officials said:

• Fire Capt. Kelvin Seigle of Parkton Station #60
• Fire Lt. David Gouak of Texas Station #17
• Fire Lt. Brandon Watkins of Texas Station #17
• Fire Lt. Jason Porrovicchio of Texas Station #17
• FADO Shawn Drees of Texas Station #17
• FADO Steve Yealdhall of Texas Station #17

They deployed Friday, Aug.30, the Baltimore County Fire Department reported Tuesday, Sept. 3.

At the time of the announcement, Hurricane Dorian was 105 miles east of Fort Pierce, Florida, and was moving northwest at 5 mph. Tropical storm-force winds had already reached the Treasure Coast of Florida Tuesday morning.

Members of the task force reported they were receiving training led by a structures specialist about how to use GPS during search-and-rescue scenarios.

While the hurricane is projected to hug the Florida and mid-Atlantic coasts until Thursday, Dorian may turn northeast and away from land by Friday, forecasters say.

Maryland may still get heavy rain and strong winds late Thursday and Friday, particularly in the southeastern part of the state.

First responders from the Baltimore County Fire Department helped in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in September 2018 and Tropical Storm Harvey in 2017.

SEE ALSO:

• Maryland Search And Rescue Team Helps FEMA With Hurricane Dorian
• Hurricane Dorian: 'Do Not Focus On The Track Alone'
• 6 Baltimore County Workers Helping With Harvey Disaster Response
• 5 Baltimore County Rescuers Assisting With Florence In Carolinas