2 Different Colorado Teams To Provide Irma Relief
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - Four years ago, Colorado needed help from around the country as heavy rain unleashed massive flooding on Colorado's Front Range, killing eight people and leaving more than $1 billion worth of damage in its wake.
Now, the tables are turned. The Colorado National Guard and a team of Coloradans from UCHealth are answering the call for help in Florida and other areas affected by Hurricane Irma.
The UCHealth team is already in Florida and the Guard team left Buckley Air Force Base at approximately 6 a.m. Sunday.
The Guard has 50,000 soldiers across the country responding to areas in need.
"The National Guard as a whole and each state is assessing what assets we have that are available to be able to send, depending on the needs of Florida, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands," said Ron Escobar with the Colorado National Guard.
The UCHealth team has equipment that can re-connect local and federal agencies responding to the hurricane if power goes out or cell service is lost.
"We've had teams from around the country assist Colorado before and this is our way as a state of giving back to everybody who has helped us," said Pat Conroy, UCHealth's director of safety.