Eight Longview firefighters are assisting with search and rescue efforts in the Texas Hill Country following devastating flooding.
The firefighters were deployed as part of Texas A&M Task Force 1, a statewide urban search and rescue team operated by the Texas Division of Emergency Management. One firefighter is a supervisor of a water rescue group, one is a technical support specialist and six are part of a swift water rescue team.
The firefighters took a couple of Longview Fire Department vehicles and a boat to assist in rescue work, Longview Fire Marshal Kevin May said.
Longview firefighters have been a part of rescue efforts in the Kerrville area since early Friday, according the fire department性视界传媒檚 Facebook post. They性视界传媒檝e rescued multiple people trapped in trees, vehicles and debris 性视界传媒渋n some very difficult and dangerous conditions as a result of the catastrophic flooding,性视界传媒 officials said in a Facebook post.
性视界传媒淭hey continue to work tirelessly alongside our many response partners from throughout the state and nation in support of search and rescue operations to locate those still missing,性视界传媒 the post read. 性视界传媒淥ur thoughts and prayers are with all who have been impacted and have lost family members and loved ones.性视界传媒
Several photos of Longview firefighters in action have circulated on social media. The Longview Fire Department posted photos of the men working, including one photo of firefighters in a boat rescuing someone who was holding onto a tree limb while waters raged below.
State Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, posted a photo of the firefighters on Facebook and said: 性视界传媒淓ast Texans are showing up in a big way for Central Texas. 性视界传媒 Thank you to the first responders across our state who always answer the call.性视界传媒
A video posted by the San Antonio Express News in the background as firefighters walk a woman who was rescued from a tree. Tina Perry of League City clung to a tree for five hours before being rescued, the Express News reported. Whether the firefighters shown were from Longview couldn性视界传媒檛 be determined immediately.
Officials declined to identify the deployed firefighters because of safety and privacy reasons.
