Local FEMA groups are headed to Houston Monday morning, including Renton firefighters who are trained to dive for people in distress.
Two years ago, 15 firefighters in Renton trained in a rescue swimmer program in addition to the department's regional dive team. Those firefighters with the skills and equipment needed to get to stranded Tropical Storm Harvey victims have been deployed as part of FEMA’s Pierce County-based Washington Task Force, WA-TF1. On Sunday night, 17 Pierce County first responders loaded up five vehicles and several trailers to make the 35-hour drive to Houston.