Kentucky is sending more help to Florida to aid in Hurricane Irma relief efforts.
Kentucky Emergency Management said an ambulance strike team left early Monday morning for a seven-day deployment. It consists of 30 members, six ambulances and a six-wheel ATV ambulance and is made up of members from Independence, Somerset, Boyd County, Lyon County, Livingston County., Shelby County., the Kentucky Fire Commission and the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services.
“As first responders, our first and foremost goal is to save lives,” said KBEMS Director Michael Poynter. “We are very proud to bring together this strike team and assist with Hurricane Irma operations during Florida’s time of need.”
Kentucky Emergency Management received a request from Florida asking for assistance with ambulance services. The requests are coordinated through a mutual aid agreement between states and territories in the United States, allowing the sharing of resources during natural and man-made disasters. Under the agreements the requesting state reimburses all associated costs incurred by the provider state.
“We continue to work diligently to deploy emergency services first responder teams to our sister states in need, following Hurricane Harvey and now Hurricane Irma,” said Michael E. Dossett, the director of Kentucky Emergency Management. “Thanks to our KBEMS partners for their deployment to Florida where the need is immediate for life safety medical response teams.”
The storm will still be affecting Florida, Georgia and Alabama for a few more days, which will impact all major corridors: I-10, I-75 and I-95. Florida Emergency Management reminds residents to use caution and check road status before returning home.
(Photo courtesy of The Associated Press)
