BOSTON (WPRI) – Massachusetts will send twelve people down to Florida to help with response and recovery efforts for Hurricane Irma.
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency made the announcement Sunday afternoon after Governor Charlie Baker authorized the deployment.
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A three-person Emergency Operations Center team and a nine-person nursing team will head down after a request for help was made through the national emergency management mutual aid network. The EOC team will leave Massachusetts Sunday night and the nursing unit, staffed by Beth Israel Deaconess employees, will leave Monday.
Both teams will be in Florida for about two weeks.
“Massachusetts is ready to provide whatever assistance we can to help Florida and neighboring states deal with the immediate and long-term impacts of Hurricane Irma,” Baker said.
State officials also reiterated that the best way for people to help is to make monetary donations to the American Red Cross or Salvation Army.