A group of volunteer deputies and staff from the OCSO was briefed today by Maj. Kevin Kirkpatrick on its upcoming roles in Jefferson and Madison counties, S.O. officials said in a Facebook post.
Helene is forecasted to make landfall tonight in the Big Bend region south of Tallahassee.
About 17 OCSO employees, led by Sheriff Eric Aden, plan to head to Jefferson and Madison counties at 5 a.m. Friday, S.O. spokeswoman Michele Nicholson said.
“They’ll do whatever the sheriffs of those counties ask us to do,” she said.
Previous storm-recovery work by OCSO members included conducting search-and-rescue operations, clearing roads and providing traffic control, Nicholson said.
She said Aden and his team will be equipped and self-sufficient with their own food, water, and generators. They could spend about a week to 10 days in the Big Bend region and then be replaced with a second team of volunteers if needed, Nicholson said.
