MEMPHIS, Tenn. — 44 members of Tennessee Task Force 1, a group consisting of first responders from the Memphis Fire Department and the Shelby County Fire Department, deployed Saturday to Texas to help those in the path of Hurricane Beryl, expected to make landfall between Houston and Corpus Christi, Texas, early Monday morning.
The Memphis Fire Department said the team consists of firefighters, paramedics, doctors, engineers and canine teams, deploying to Texas Saturday to be responsible for urban search and rescue efforts. The department said they will provide regular updates when available, but don't know how long the team will be there.
"Please keep the entire [Tennessee Task Force 1] team, Shelby County Fire Department members, other responding teams, and all those who may be affected by Hurricane Beryl in your thoughts and prayers in the days to come," The Memphis Fire Department said in a statement.
As of 1 p.m. Saturday, Beryl remains a tropical storm with winds at 60 mph as it heads toward the Texas coast, the National Hurricane Center said.
The forecast track from the National Hurricane Center brings Beryl onshore along the middle Texas coast as a hurricane early Monday morning. The cone, however, extends to include parts of Southeast Texas and Matagorda Bay. Even a glancing blow from a strong Cat. 1 hurricane will have impacts on the coast and inland, with a heavy rain threat in play for the Houston area on Monday and Tuesday.
Heavy rain is expected to be the main threat with a band of 5" to 7" or more expected around the center of the storm as it moves inland.
Hurricane and storm surge watches have been issued for portions of the Texas coast from the Rio Grande River and north to High Island.