Task Force 3 deploys to Surfside to assist in rescue efforts
Local task force heads to Surfside to help in search and rescue
More than 70 local firefighters, paramedics, and doctors are in Surfside to help with the rescue and recovery of the Surfside collapse. Florida Task 3 is made up fire personnel from Tampa, Hillsborough County and St. Pete. FOX 13's Jordan Bowen reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - More than 70 local firefighters, paramedics, and doctors are in Surfside to help with the rescue and recovery after a 12-story condo building collapsed early Thursday morning.
As of Saturday night, more than 100 people are still missing.
Early Saturday morning, more than two dozen trucks packed full of supplies headed to Surfside from Tampa.
"Seeing it in person. It really changes your perspective of the job you are here to do," Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Captain Adam Brown said.
Captain Brown is one the 72 personnel sent from Tampa Bay to help. For the next few days, it'll be 24 hours of non-stop rescue efforts with half the task force working from noon to midnight and the other half working midnight to noon.
"Sometimes we are just bucket brigading and removing debris by hand. Other times we are able to cut away and use concrete saws, jack hammers and breakers to cut away large pieces of concrete and medal," Brown said.
RELATED: Florida condo collapse: Smoldering debris slowing rescue efforts as 156 still missing
Saturday, half the team spent the day settling in and setting up tents for where they'll sleep the next few days. Meanwhile, the other half headed to site to begin relieving teams some of which who have been working for 48 hours straight searching for survivors.
"We're listening for sounds and looking for anything we can find that would indicate there is people to be rescued in the pile. At this point, that's our goal right now," Brown said.
To find people, they use microphones and cameras with speakers attached to long cords they can string to corners of the pile they would otherwise be able to access. There they can listen for any possible sign of survivors.
Captain Brown is hopeful they can find people still alive.
"They are in our thoughts and prayers. We're here for them. We're here to help them and we hope we make them proud and do the best job we can for them," Brown said.
The task force has enough supplies to stay for a week. They could stay longer depending on the need.