Local firefighter, military heads to Texas for Harvey relief

A local firefighter-paramedic has joined a group of medical professionals who have deployed to Texas to assist in the emergency response to Hurricane Harvey.

Mark Widlund, who works at Camas-Washougal Fire Department, deployed Saturday as part of the National Disaster Medical System. He is joining a team of 65 nurses, physicians and other medical professionals to help with disaster relief.

The team was given orders to assemble at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport where they will be deployed in the field to assist with disaster relief efforts.

Coast Guard personnel from the region, including a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, have also deployed to Texas to help with those affected by the flooding.

The Coast Guard has 20 helicopters in the area to conduct rescue operations and the agency has helped rescue more than 1,450 people as a result of the hurricane’s impact.

About 15 Oregon Air National Guardsmen are expected to depart Portland today to assist with humanitarian support. These personnel are assisting with two missions — one to restore airfields so that supplies and rescue efforts can be flown to them and another that involves use of boats and Humvees to assist in rescue operations.