Pa. Task Force prepares for Hurricane Irma

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - The Pa. Task Force is gearing up to help with any destruction Hurricane Irma may bring. In a Philadelphia lot two busses stood idling as their bellies were jammed with bags and gear all headed south to meet the fury of Irma.

Firefighter Olivia Myers has battled flames in Philly for 14 years but this is her first hurricane.

'I'm prepared to help out everybody down there. All I want to do is make everybody safe. If you need to evacuate--evacuate."

Myers is part of the 41 member Pennsylvania Urban Search and Rescue Task Force, 19 from the Philadelphia Fire Department who are going to Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. That's where they'll link with another 39 members already in Houston and await orders from FEMA to respond to where-ever and whatever Irma brings.

"It's entirely possible they'll be doing both urban search and rescue, structural rescue and water rescue. We really don't know at this point. This a monster storm," Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel said.

Their equipment--including boats--already being trucked south, members were briefed Wednesday on what they'd likely face and given meals-ready-to-eat, water, sunscreen and flashlights in blue bags along with orange safety vests.

"There is going to be flooding. Whatever damage is caused by the storm-- just going to go down there and help everybody out," Bruce Canada said.