More Bay Area first responders leave for Florida in advance of Irma
MENLO PARK, Calif. (KGO) -- Members of California's Urban Search and Rescue Team from Menlo Park departed the Bay Area early Saturday to join a convoy of vehicles and equipment headed to the hurricane zone in Florida.
Fifty-one members left Saturday after 30 members left on Friday. Both groups will first rendezvous in Georgia where they will wait to see where they are most needed.
RELATED: Shelter animals from Florida arrive in Bay Area ahead of Irma
Members of San Francisco's chapter of the Salvation Army are expecting their deployment orders at any time.
"Here on the West Coast, we have teams preparing to deploy to help but at this point we don't want to put anyone directly in the hurricane's path," said The Salvation Army's John McKnight.
PHOTOS: Florida preps for Hurricane Irma
Many here in the Bay Area have been glued to TV coverage of hurricane Irma. It's given people a reason to put an emergency kit together in the event of earthquake.
There was a big turn out for the Alameda County community preparedness event in Castro Valley.
"watching what's happening in Florida has really gotten me to think to be prepared if we get hit with something," said Castro Valley resident Maria Musson.
Click here for more stories, photos, and video on Hurricane Irma.
