When Hurricane Isaias battered the Florida Panhandle last week, the state’s own emergency volunteers answered the call. Members of Florida Urban Search & Rescue Task Force 4 – a coalition of Orlando Fire Department, Orange County Fire Rescue and Seminole County Fire – traveled north to help assess damage and support local responders.
Task Force 4’s composition and mission
“Task Force 4 is an urban search and rescue team based out of Central Florida,” explained Firefighter Ed Haynes of the Orlando Fire Department. “It’s made up of Orange County Fire Rescue, Seminole County Fire, and the City of Orlando Fire Department, and we each bring in members of our department to build that team out, one of the eight teams in the state of Florida.”
Haynes noted that the team’s first major deployment in two decades was after Hurricane Harvey, and each subsequent activation has refined their readiness for future emergencies.
Cooperation across agencies
Battalion Chief Matt Jaynes of the Seminole County Fire Department highlighted the collaborative spirit of the task force. “One of the best things we have on our team is we come together from all our individual agencies but we work together to support the other agencies that we’re there to help,” he said. “In turn, we bring those skills and experiences back to the local agencies that we respond to daily.”
On‑the‑ground assessment in Milton
Lt. Brandon Allen of Orange County Fire Rescue led a swift‑water‑trained squad that was pre‑deployed to Milton, a community with a history of flooding during hurricanes. “Once the storm passed, we got out in the field, started assessing the damage,” Allen reported. “While there wasn’t really any flooding, the wind damage was very extensive – the worst I’ve ever seen.”
He described torn roofs, a ripped‑off apartment complex roof, a displaced high‑school scoreboard and trees split in half. “We basically assisted the local fire department with damage assessments and helped clear roads where needed,” Allen added.
Why the response matters
The rapid deployment of Task Force 4 underscores the importance of regional cooperation in disaster relief. By pooling resources from multiple fire departments, the state can deliver skilled personnel and equipment to affected areas faster than any single agency could manage alone.
Local officials in the Panhandle praised the assistance, noting that the extra manpower allowed for quicker safety checks and helped restore normalcy for residents whose homes and schools suffered severe wind damage.
Looking ahead
Task Force 4 remains on standby as recovery continues. The team’s experience in Milton will inform future training and preparedness efforts, ensuring that Central Florida’s finest are ready to support any community in need, whether the threat comes from hurricanes, floods or other emergencies.
Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.
