Chicago's Anti-Cruelty Society take in dogs from shelters impacted by Helene
CHICAGO (CBS) — The death toll from Hurricane Helene keeps growing, becoming the second-deadliest to hit the American mainland in the past 50 years behind Katrina.
So far, 162 people have been confirmed dead. President Joe Biden will be on the ground as the cleanup continues.
People in Chicago are stepping up to help those impacted by Helene. As the death toll rises, local agencies are stepping in to help out.
Two dozen suburban firefighters are on the ground in North Carolina, helping with the search and rescue operation. The swift water rescue teams are part of the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System."
These first responders came from 17 fire departments across Cook and DuPage counties and were deployed by Gov. JB Pritzker.
The teams from Illinois are helping to evacuate hundreds of flood victims. Their efforts are focused in the mountains of western North Carolina, which was especially hit hard by the storm.
Also on Wednesday, the Anti-Cruelty Society will take in 25 dogs displaced by the storm. They will be flown in from Pasco County, Florida.
They will be set up in the Chicago shelter system, but the organization says these new arrivals will strain the shelter's capacity. They're asking fosters to open their homes to the arriving dogs.
The dogs are set to arrive on Wednesday.