SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane Fire Department and other local agencies deployed a swift-water rescue team to Western Washington on Wednesday after the State of Washington requested emergency assistance amid widespread flooding and continued heavy rainfall.
Mayor Lisa Brown authorized the response, allowing Water Rescue Team firefighters from Spokane, along with members of the Spokane Valley Fire Department and a rescue boat, to mobilize.
The six-member team, led by Spokane Fire Department Station 2 Capt. Jared Contabile, is expected to arrive in Snohomish County on Wednesday evening for an operational briefing.
“I am thankful for the quick authorization from Mayor Brown and the coordination with our local fire agencies that allowed us to rapidly deploy our needed resources to our overwhelmed partners on the other side of the state,” Fire Chief Tom Williams said in a statement.
It remains unclear how long the team will remain deployed.
Many areas across the Puget Sound region are expected to remain under a severe flood risk through Saturday.
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