They gathered at a warehouse on Tidewater Avenue in Oakland.
[Ads /]
A lot had to happen before the actual deployment could take place.
First the bags had to be loaded onto the truck. After that everyone stood in line for a health screening.
Moving these specialized teams requires lots of equipment, tools, and time.
The deployment is for 14 to 21 days.
Oakland Fire Department Battalion Chief Robert Lipp said, "We expect we'll see a fair amount of flooding depending on the storm itself there may be wind damage also that will cause search to be more complicated."
Sacramento Fire Department Battalion Chief Pat Costamagna said, "We also have a swift water rescue component so each team is bringing inflatable rescue boats so we can perform rescues in the moving waters."
[Ads /]
For many, the hardest part of the deployment will be missing home.
Firefighter Henry Cordova is missing his daughter's fifth birthday party on Sunday.
Lt. Tanisha Tucker said, "It's always hard to be gone from family but we're going there for a duty and we're obligated to help those in need."
The teams are taking an overnight flight to Charlotte.
They'll get a few hours of rest before heading out into the field.