Governor Tom Wolf announced that one member of Pennsylvania Task Force 1 (PA-TF1) Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) has deployed to Kentucky to assist in response and recovery efforts after historic flooding that devastated parts of that state, with more rain on the way.

“It will take years for survivors to recover from the destruction of entire communities, and those who lost their lives will never be forgotten,” Gov. Wolf said. “Pennsylvania stands ready to assist now in the immediate aftermath, and in the weeks and months to come by providing whatever support we can.”

The deployed member will serve as a deputy planner with a federal Incident Support Team, and could remain deployed in Kentucky for up to two weeks. 

PA-TF 1 is one of 28 teams that are part of the National Urban Search and Rescue Response System and is a federal resource that can quickly be mobilized to deploy to incidents anywhere in the country. The team is sponsored by the Philadelphia Fire Department.

Gov. Wolf said the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency is also monitoring the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) system for requests for assistance. EMAC is a formal agreement that allows states to share resources, such as personnel or equipment, during disasters. All costs associated with an EMAC deployment are paid by the requesting state.