Illinois, Alabama Rescue Teams Deploy to Texas Deadly Flood Zones

A team of 39 first responders from Illinois, including members from fire departments across the state and part of the Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 1 under the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, has been deployed to Central Texas to assist with search and recovery efforts following catastrophic flooding that has caused at least 129 deaths and left 166 people missing. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security activated the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a mutual aid agreement allowing states to share resources during emergencies, under the direction of Governor JB Pritzker. The Illinois team will be in Texas for up to 14 days, focusing on wide-area search and rescue and debris pile clearance. Nearly two dozen states have sent teams to help with the disaster response, with thousands, including active duty and former Navy SEALs, participating in the ongoing search operations. Central Texas faces more rain, complicating the recovery efforts. Similarly, a 40-person emergency crew from Alabama, called Alabama Task Force One, has also arrived in Texas to support the flood recovery mission.