Gwinnett Fire Rescue Team to Assist at Tornado Site

Local firefighters are on their way to assist in the wake of Wednesday evening's tragic tornadoes in Northwest Georgia. Members of the 's Technical Rescue Team (TRT) left from their base at Fire Station  No. 24 across from the Mall of Georgia in Buford at about 11 a.m. Thursday for Ringgold in Catoosa County. The seven TRT members are specifically trained in the disciplines of cave-in rescue, collapse rescue, confined space rescue, high-angle rope rescue, and trench rescue.

The Georgia Emergency Management Agency requested the help of the TRT. The team does not yet know what their duties will be once they arrive in Ringgold, where seven people have been confirmed dead and more than a dozen buildings destroyed. They may be used to relieve crews already on the scene or dispatched to other areas.

The team loaded necessary gear and equipment into a Squad Unit and a Command vehicle to make the trip. The team is expected to be deployed for up to twelve hours if needed. 

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people in Alabama and in Northwest Georgia who have experienced the devastation and tremendous loss. We want to do what we can to help support the rescue and recovery efforts of emergency responders and to assist people from the storm-ravaged communities,” said Gwinnett Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge in a press release announcing deployment of TRT members.

Members of the TRT also make up the GSAR-2 (Georgia Search And Rescue). They've previously assisted with the Atlanta Tornado and the tornado in Buford earlier this year.