Columbia firefighters, other agencies heading to help amid Hurricane Florence flooding

First responders from around the state, including in Columbia, are packing up and heading to help the Pee Dee area of South Carolina as it deals with flooding from Hurricane Florence. 

The Columbia-Richland Fire Department sent 15 personnel and a contingent of specialized vehicles and equipment to Pawleys Island to assist with potential water search or rescues, the department said in a release Monday. 

“In 2015 we went through a smaller version of this type of flooding with Hurricane Joaquin and if it were not for departments across the state we would have really struggled to provide the most effective support to our community,” said Assistant Chief Jamie Helms of the Columbia-Richland Fire Department. “We have been on standby to repay this dept for a period of time and now it is our time to act. We are always cautious when we send people away, but are always willing to help out our counterparts across the state of South Carolina.” 

Other agencies around the state are sending manpower and resources to help the areas of South Carolina that are already ravaged by flood waters and are bracing for more flooding.  

The Charleston Police Department is sending a hurricane relief team to Horry County, the agency said in a release Monday, and the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office is sending 20 deputies to the coast to help with law enforcement operations, emergency services and other tasks, WJBF reported Monday.