ARLINGTON COUNTY, Va. — Two northern Virginia counties have teamed up to help Vermont after historic and deadly flooding hit the state last week.
The Arlington County Fire Department announced Sunday that they had teamed up with the City of Fairfax Fire Department to deploy swift water rescuers to Vermont to assist the state.
The team left Saturday around midnight and drove through the night. They arrived in Eden, Vermont around 10 a.m. on Sunday, and got straight to work.
"We got dispatched to the eastern part of Vermont, about 50 minutes away for multiple swift water incidents that were occurring at the same time," says City of Fairfax Fire Department Captain John Jeniec.
The 8-person crew includes:
- Captain John Jeniec – Team Leader CFFD
- Captain Josh Milfeit – Operations/Logistic ACFD
- Mike Wertman – Boat Operator and Swiftwater Technician ACFD
- Brent Beasock – Boat Operator and Swiftwater Technician ACFD
- Scott Trottman – Boat Operator and Swiftwater Technician CFFD
- Chris Cubbage – Boat Operator and Swiftwater Technician CFFD
- Greg Karel – Swiftwater Technician ACFD
- Derek Slusher – Swiftwater Technician CFFD
The team has gone through extensive training that includes everything from swift water rescue training and to how to conduct a rescue involving animals.
"Not only are you evacuating people but people want to take their pets with them, so dealing with those animals how to get them out, get them on boats and remove them safely," said Captain Jeniec.
President Joe Biden on Friday approved Gov. Phil Scott’s request for a major disaster declaration to provide federal support. At the time, the storms had been blamed for two deaths, including a woman in New York state and a 63-year-old man in Barre, Vermont, who drowned in his home.
“The loss of a Vermonter is always painful, but it is particularly so this week," Vermont U.S. Sen. Peter Welch said in a statement.
Scott also said late Friday he has requested the U.S. Department of Agriculture issue a disaster designation for the state due to damage to crops.
The teams from Virginia join search and rescue crews from across the country, who the Vermont Urban Search & Rescue team who say more than 200 rescues have been made.
Monday night, the teams from Virginia moved from Eden, VT to Lyndonville, VT, where more rain was expected, bringing with it the possibility of more flooding. The team says they're glad to be there to help.
"We're here to make a difference and this is really what our job is as public safety employees. This is what we live day in and day out to do and we're here to help this community and help these public safety employees any way we can," said Captain Jeniec.
To help with the needs of Vermont, the two local fire departments will be on a 7-10 day mission, which will allow them to perform search and rescue operations in flooded areas and swift moving water.
Vermont and New York State are not the only locations in the Northeast that have experienced heavy rain and storms -- Pennsylvania has also been hit hard. Torrential rains on Saturday evening resulted in the deaths of at least five people and two children, a 9-month-old boy and his 2-year-old sister, remained missing as of Monday morning, authorities said.