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Phoenix Fire Sends Help To East Coast

The National Weather Service is now calling Hurricane Florence a tropical storm, but it’s still creating life-threatening conditions for people in eastern parts of North and South Carolina.

Arizona Task Force One was sent to the southeastern U.S. on Tuesday at the direction of FEMA. Crew members are now in Washington, North Carolina, supporting local public safety agencies.

Phoenix Fire Captain Jake Van Hook said they could be helping with a variety of tasks.

“Typically the work is consistent with other USAR or Urban Search and Rescue work, which often includes like locating victims, rescuing, transporting and even providing some initial care,” Van Hook said.

Van Hook said there are 45 crew members and 17 vehicles from Arizona aiding in search and rescue efforts.

Senior field correspondent Bridget Dowd has a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.