SAN DIEGO — Three members of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department's Urban Search & Rescue California Task Force 8 were injured during a vehicle crash early Sunday morning.
The vehicle crash happened on East Highway 20 near the border of Texas and Louisiana. They are part of a 48-person team that was headed to North Carolina to assist in relief efforts after Hurricane Helene.
The 3 San Diego team members were traveling together in a truck when the crash occurred at 2:45 a.m. CT (12:45 a.m. PT). They were flown by ambulance to a nearby hospital in Shreveport, Louisiana.
SDFD Fire Chief Robert Logan and Deputy Chief Steve Lozano left San Diego early Sunday morning for Louisiana.
A briefing was held in San Diego on Sunday morning that included San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and other Fire officials.
“The news of this crash is devastating. We are doing everything we can to offer support to our department and those team members and their families who were part of this deployment,” said SDFD Assistant Chief James Gaboury.
“Our prayers are with these three brave firefighters, their families and loved ones, as they are being treated in Louisiana,” Mayor Gloria said. “We’ve seen the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene, and we know how critical it is to have water-rescue specialists responding to disasters like this one. These first responders put their own lives on the line every day, here at home and around the country when called. They embody the courage, bravery and service that defines our San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.”
The team left San Diego on Friday, Sept 27 with a total of 48 people from several agencies. It included 32 team members from SDFD, others from Carlsbad, Chula Vista, El Cajon, La Mesa, Rancho Santa Fe, San Marcos and Santee fire departments, an emergency room doctor, two firefighters from Riverside Fire Department, one civilian structural engineer and one City of San Diego Fleet Services mechanic.
The rest of the task force team members were sent to Waskom, Texas, where they will wait for further instructions.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
