8/4/2022

Governor DeSantis Deploys Three All-Hazards Incident Management Teams in Bipartisan Show of Support to Aid Victims of Devastating Kentucky Flood

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 4, 2022

Contact: Florida Division of Emergency Management, (850) 815-4940, media@em.myflorida.com 

Governor DeSantis Deploys Three All-Hazards Incident Management Teams in Bipartisan Show of Support to Aid Victims of Devastating Kentucky Flood

TALLAHASSEE, FL.—This week, Florida deployed three All-Hazards Incident Management Teams comprised of individuals from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) as well as seven supporting city and county agencies in support of the flash flooding outbreak in Kentucky. The deployment team consists of 20 individuals including Incident Commanders, Liaison Officers, Operations Section Chiefs, Planning Section Chiefs and Communications Unit Leaders. One team will provide operational support to the Kentucky Emergency Management division in the Kentucky State Emergency Operations Center, while two additional teams deploy to Eastern Kentucky to provide support with telecommunications and local response efforts in the field.

“The State of Florida is a national leader in emergency management, and I am proud to assist other states impacted by disasters,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “These teams are the best of the best, and I am confident in their abilities to aid Kentuckians and help impacted areas begin their recovery efforts.” 

“Many states, including Kentucky, have answered our call for help during Florida’s time of need and it’s only right that we do the same,” said FDEM Director Kevin Guthrie. “I appreciate the Governor’s unwavering support of the Division as we extend our resources to help the citizens of Kentucky as they respond to and recover from the devastating floods.”

 

All-Hazards Incident Management Teams are regional, multi-agency teams comprised of local law enforcement, fire and EMS, public health, emergency management, public works and other public safety partners with standardized training and field experience in Incident Command System positions. These teams provide a coordinated, multi-disciplined approach to the management of minor, major or catastrophic disasters and complex incidents. Florida’s Teams are considered "all-hazards" disciplines, as they may be called to provide on-scene coordination for a wide variety of emergencies or disasters. 

 

FDEM is coordinating the deployment under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). The EMAC is a national mutual aid system that allows states to share resources, protect deployed personnel and allows for reimbursed for mission-related costs.

 

Recent deployments supported by the Division include Louisiana in response to Hurricane Ida, Mississippi in response to Hurricanes Marco and Laura, Hawaii in response to a volcanic eruption, South Carolina in response to flooding, Kentucky in response to tornadoes and Montana in response to flooding.

 

More information about Florida’s All-Hazards Incident Management Teams is available here.

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