Retired Peninsula Firefighter Sent to Help Hurricane Matthew Victims

SAN MATEO, CA – A retired San Mateo firefighter responded Thursday to the area affected by Hurricane Matthew to bring relief to residents in the hurricane's path, Menlo Park Fire Protection District Chief Harold Schapelhouman said.

Carl Kustin flew out of San Francisco International Airport at 3 p.m. after being deployed by the Menlo Park Fire Protection District as part of a Federal Emergency Management Agency incident support team.

The team supports federal rescue teams and county first responders.

Kustin is part of California Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 3, which is sponsored by the Menlo Park Fire Protection District and has responded to other disasters such as Hurricane Wilma in 2005.

Kustin is a division group supervisor who has stayed active with Task Force 3, which he helped found 25 years ago.

"I've worked closely with Carl at the Oklahoma City Bombing, World Trade Center Collapse, Hurricane Katrina and numerous trainings and other events," Schapelhouman said in a statement.

"He's one of the best special operators we have and he will be a significant asset to local responders as part of this support team," Schapelhouman said.

Bay Area PG&E crews were asked before the storm to help restore power in the affected areas in Florida, but those crews have been asked to stand down because the affects of the storm were not as great as expected, PG&E spokeswoman Abby Figueroa said.

Figueroa said PG&E officials are relieved that the affects of the storm were not as great as feared and crews were happy to prepare to respond.

As of 8 a.m. Friday, about 475,000 Florida Power & Light Company customers were without power because of Hurricane Matthew.

– By Bay City News Service / Graphic courtesy of NOAA