SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Members of Virginia Task Force 2 who responded to rescue efforts after Hurricane Helene are making their way back home to Hampton Roads after helping communities slowly get back on their feet.
For multiple weeks, people from all over deployed to assist disaster relief efforts in multiple states to help people who have been affected by two hurricanes. Despite the hard work, members from Suffolk Fire & Rescue say it has been rewarding.
“Their over joy of us being here just for the support, being able to help provide so that they can communicate or be able to assist the residents in the area has been extremely helpful,” said Capt. Braxton Sweat with Suffolk Fire and Rescue.
The team from Suffolk has nine members coming back Tuesday after working in Black Mountain, North Carolina for two weeks.
“I’ll be honest with you, we are exhausted. It’s been busy,” said Battalion Chief Steven Johnson with Suffolk Fire & Rescue.
The crew has been setting up shelters and restoring communication to people who have lost power.
“It’s when we do see somebody in need of anything, however minuscule it might be to us, it’s there, maybe not an emergency, but it’s something of a burden that can take off of their shoulder,” Sweat said.
After 14 days of working non-stop, the Suffolk crew will be relieved and a new crew will be coming in to continue to help people in North Carolina.
Other crews are making their way back home to their families. More than 80 members of the Virginia Beach-based Urban Search and Rescue team came back after they were in Savannah, Georgia.
(Photos – Steven Johnson/Suffolk Fire & Rescue)
Seven Chesapeake Fire Department members returned home after a three-week deployment to support rescue efforts after Hurricane Helene.
Seventeen people in the Mission Ready Package Water (MRPW) crew from Virginia Beach returned home from Florida on Tuesday around 3:30 p.m.