Disaster-relief teams from NY area helping Florence victims

NEW YORK (FOX5NY.COM) - Flood victims of Hurricane Florence are receiving help from the New York area. Various organizations and municipalities have been offering support to communities in the South.

Members of New York Task Force 1 have been in North Carolina since last week. They rescued people in River Bend on Friday. Then Monday, the team patrolled Pollocksville, N.C., to conduct evacuations and welfare checks. The team includes NYPD, FDNY, and EMS personnel.

Additional members of New Jersey Task Force 1 were deployed late Sunday night to join a team of 85 members in the Carolinas. New Jersey is also sending six rescue boats and five vehicles to assist the rescue efforts.

A Pave Hawk helicopter from the 106th Rescue Wing out in Westhampton arrived in Virginia to support hurricane relief operations.

And there is a need for more help, which is why a team of 15 gathered on the West Side on Monday for a Red Cross deployment.

More than 17,000 have sought refuge in 240 Red Cross and community shelters. They're seeking relief from the wrath of Hurricane Florence. The Red Cross team is heading to Durham to do its part.

"We're going down there to do bulk distribution, which is gather supplies, tarps, and water, and other critical-needs items and bring them to folks in the areas that are hit," said Doug Bainton, the president of the FDNY's Disaster Assistance Response Team, a 30-year partnership with the Red Cross made up of active and retired New York City firefighters.

"These are firefighters from New York who have raised their hands to go out in these dangerous situations and help Americans in their darkest moments," said Josh Lockwood, the CEO of the American Red Cross of Greater New York.

Wilmington has been cut off from the rest of North Carolina. So emergency officials say they plan to airlift food and water to the city of nearly 120,000 people.

The Red Cross depends on financial donations to provide disaster relief immediately. You can help by visiting RedCross.org or texting the word 'Florence' to 90999 to make a $10 donation.