Lawton Firefighters Dispatched to Florida In Wake of Hurricane

Last week, parts of Florida and the East Coast were ravaged by Hurricane Helene. And now a second hurricane is expected to make landfall this week. On Monday, Hurricane Milton was upgraded to a CAT 5 hurricane and is expected to blast through the middle of Florida. To assist local rescue teams in Florida, the Lawton Fire Department has deployed its Swift Water Rescue Team to Orlando, Florida.

Monday morning, the City of Lawton issued a press release with details of the Lawton Fire Department's Swift Water Recue Team's mission in Florida. The team left Lawton, Oklahoma, at 5 a.m. Monday and is expected to arrive in Florida early Tuesday morning. Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall in the Tampa Bay region by Wednesday. This area of Florida has not been impacted by a hurricane in more than a century, according to an article from the Associate Press.

As of 3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7, Hurricane Milton was upgraded to a CAT 5 hurricane and evacuations were ordered and Gov. Ron DeSantis urged debris from Hurricane Helene be removed before Hurricane Milton's arrival. According to the Associated Press, Hurricane Milton is expected to bring an 8-to-12-foot storm surge to the Tampa Bay area and widespread flooding with rain from 5 to 10 inches in mainland Florida and the Keys. It's expected for some areas to see as much as 15 inches of rain from Hurricane Milton.

@weatherchannel Meteorologist Caitlin Kaiser has the very latest on this dangerous and evolving situation - here’s what you need to know. #Milton #hurricane #weather #forecast #news #Florida #FLwx #weathertok #fyp #foryou ♬ original sound - The Weather Channel

How will the Lawton Fire Department assist during Hurricane Milton?

The Lawton Fire Department has sent a team of seven firefighters down to Orlando, Florida, as part of its Swift Water Rescue Team. The team is expected to remain in Florida for two weeks and are to provide "critical support to communities impacted by the storm." Lawton's team will also be traveling to Florida with other teams from Guymon and Coalgate, Oklahoma.

In a press release issued by the City of Lawton, Lawton Fire Chief Jared Williams stated that the department's priority "is to ensure the safety and well-being of those in affected areas, and we're prepared to respond swiftly to any emergencies that arise. Our team is trained and equipped to handle the challenges that come with floodwaters, and we're committed to providing the support needed to keep communities safe."