September 3, 2019
Media Contact:
Mark Miller, Administrator, Office of Public Information, 410-313-2022
County Executive Ball Announces Howard County First Responders Deployed In Advance of Hurricane Dorian
COLUMBIA, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball announced today that the County has sent first responders to assist in the preparation and recovery from Hurricane Dorian, as it threatens the southern East Coast. Two Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services personnel, Firefighter Dain Yakich and Firefighter Barry Griffin, and Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits (DILP) Director Bob Frances, have been deployed to Florida as part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Urban Search & Rescue team, Maryland Task Force 1.
“Hurricane Dorian has already caused significant devastation, with the potential for further impact to millions on the East Coast. To help our neighbors during their time of need, three brave Howard County personnel will assist in Florida’s emergency response,” said Ball. “Howard County will always step up in a crisis, and I commend Firefighter Dain Yakich, Firefighter Barry Griffin, and DILP Director Bob Frances for their dedication and service. In addition to their efforts, we will continue to monitor the storm’s trajectory for any impact to the Mid-Atlantic region. Let us keep all affected communities in our thoughts as we pray for the safety of everyone in the path of this storm and take action to come to their aid.”
Currently, FF Yakich and FF Griffin are staging in Orlando and will be assigned specific duties based on the track and impacts of the storm. Both firefighters are out of the Rivers Park Station 10 in Columbia with advanced qualifications in search and rescue. Maryland Task Force 1, based in Montgomery County, is among 16 teams activated by FEMA to aid in the response to Dorian.
The eye of Dorian is currently located east of Southern Florida, moving slowly North-North West. As Dorian picks up its forward momentum, it is expected to curve out off of the Mid-Atlantic coast over the next few days. Minimal Tropical Storm-force winds are expected to be felt in central Maryland. There is currently a 5% chance of Tropical Storm force winds for central Maryland, with the earliest arrival of these winds arriving on Thursday night, lasting into Friday. There is minor flooding possible on the Chesapeake Bay.
There are currently no unmet needs in Maryland. The County will continue to monitor the situation and will activate departments as necessary if that is required. Local residents are still reminded to keep an eye on the track of this storm. You are encouraged to monitor local weather and news reports, as well as social media channels, for updates that impact the Mid-Atlantic.