Four members of the Connecticut Interstate Fire Crew have been deployed to help fight wildfires in Texas.
The team left Friday from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection headquarters in Marlborough, according to DEEP.
As of Friday, 10 fires in Texas are being fought, according to the Texas A & M Service.
The mobilized team is made up of two full-time DEEP staff, one seasonal DEEP staff member, one Rhode Island State worker, and a fire engine.
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“Connecticut’s Interstate Fire Crew is once again answering the call to help our fellow states, following a record number of deployments last year,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said. “I am so appreciative of our CIFC members, who take time out of their lives to serve others in challenging, often hazardous conditions. A huge thank you to DEEP’s Forestry staff who coordinate CIFC deployments. I wish them safe travels, a safe and successful deployment, and a safe return.”
The team will report to San Angelo, Texas. They will assist with initial attack, relief of other crews, and pre-positioning to get ahead of potential fires in Texas, according to the DEEP.
The DEEP team will be deployed for the next 16 to 18 days.
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This comes as part of a reciprocal aid program maintained by the U.S. Forest Service. Connecticut’s participation allows trained members from other states are available to help Connecticut with natural disasters or fires in turn, according to DEEP.
