Firefighters from Marion County and Gainesville are poised to render assistance as Hurricane Dorian threatens the Florida coastline.
At the same time, a special detachment of four Marion County firefighters have joined an air rescue team in Miami.
Florida Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 8 is on standby in Ocala and getting some last-minute training ahead of possible deployment in Florida, according to MCFR officials. The 29 firefighters — from the Gainesville, Ocala and Marion County fire departments — did boat training and GPS location training on Monday.
On Tuesday, they had in-water training at the Frank DeLuca YMCA Family Center. After Hurricane Michael last year, task force members were deployed to the Panhandle. They bring equipment, including rapelling gear, chainsaws, ropes, inflatable boats and gear for tackling structural collapse.