Charlotte, N.C. — Twenty-two Charlotte firefighters from Task Force 3 stood by at the department Operations Center in Huntersville as Hurricane Isaias remnants pushed flooding risk across western North Carolina.
The team was told to stand by at 8 a.m. Saturday and was ready to deploy by 10 a.m. Officials said it was tentatively scheduled to remain on standby until 7 p.m. Sunday while monitoring whether western counties needed mutual-aid crews.
Capt. Jerry Rodgers said the unit can handle flood rescue if a boat is needed, including static-water work to get people out of flooded homes, plus building collapses, roofs torn off by trees and mudslides. Rescue engineer Dennis White said the truck carries heavy lifting, rigging and concrete-breaking tools for trench and water rescues and collapsed structures, along with swift-water boats and motors.
Members of the Charlotte Fire Department said they were ready to act on a moment notice but remained in standby mode while equipment was checked and supplies packed. White said crews carry extra uniforms and enough food and water to stay self-sufficient because some areas they enter have devastated support systems.
Firefighters also monitor stream, creek and river gauges statewide to spot rising water before deploying. Mooresville and Harrisburg fire departments stood by with similar resources, with Mooresville positioned in Yancey County and Harrisburg near Lenoir, according to local accounts.
The American Red Cross Charlotte-area chapter was helping with sheltering capacity even as some of its resources remained tied to Gulf Coast deployments. Task Force 3 focused on Charlotte-area readiness first while staying available for western flood calls tied to the Isaias remnants.
No deployment order was described in the Sunday updates beyond the standby window, and crews said the quiet stretch meant local emergencies had not yet forced them into the field.
