Central Florida helps with rescue efforts in Panhandle after Michael

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Crews from Central Florida have been deployed to the Panhandle to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael.

Forty firefighters from seven fire departments in Central Florida left for the Panhandle Wednesday night, just hours after the storm made landfall.

The firefighters are part of the Urban Search and Rescue team. They are taking equipment needed to help search for people missing in the aftermath of the hurricane, and extricate and rescue people who are trapped.

"That will include anything from swift water rescue, as you see with our boats out here. We have live-find canine dogs as well, search and rescue dogs,” said task force coordinator Spencer Bashinski. “And then we also have structural specialists, structural engineers who can go in unsafe buildings for us to get inside and search any buildings that have been collapsed."

The Urban Search and Rescue team is expecting to be deployed for the next week, but they're taking enough supplies to be self-sustaining for ten days.

Meanwhile, the Second Harvest Food Bank wasted no time in getting meal boxes ready for victims.

On Wednesday, volunteers with Lake Buena Vista Rotary Club and Florida Hospital worked non-stop in the heat to make sure all 2,000 boxes were good to go.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida provided all the supplies needed.

Cox Media Group