Preparing for Hurricane Florence

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- People in the coastal Carolinas and along the beaches in Virginia are evacuating this evening ahead of Hurricane Florence.

As residents and tourists head away from danger, a group of Columbus firefighters are driving toward the storm.

Hurricane Florence means rough surf and flood waters, and the Columbus fire and rescue team will be in the middle of the action.

Each team member is trained in swift water rescue and prepared to help in any and all areas.

“The team members will actually be leaving the city of Columbus and will be linking up with other team members from the state of Mississippi and other states somewhere in a location outside of the city of Atlanta, Georgia. From there they’ll proceed up to an unknown location in the state of Virginia where they’ll stage and await their missions as far as swift water rescue,” said Assistant Fire Chief, Duane Hughes. 

The team left late this afternoon for Atlanta where they will get further instruction.