Sarasota Fire Department's New Hurricane Rescue Gear

0:00It's April 15th. I'm Cory with the story. This is Tampa Bay News. Today, driven by AI, Sarasota County Fire Department just rode out new gear for next year's hurricane season. They got two high water rescue trucks, two John boats, all two inflatable zodiac boats on trailers and fresh protective equipment. These upgrades let crews push through deeper floods without waiting on backup. Last year, storms like Debbie, Helene and Milton slammed the area with historic flooding. Hundreds got trapped in homes. Embarier islands were cut off by up to 45 inches of water on bridges. The department handled rescues but leaned hard on the National Guard and other agencies. Officials know Florida storms hit hard and often. Assistant Chief Tim Dorsey stressed, it's not if, but when the next big one comes. The new setup means faster response times, cutting delays that plague last season. These trucks handle 55 inches of water, double what regular vehicles manage. A grant from the West Coast inland navigational district covered half the

1:04boat costs around $130,000 total. Each truck ran about $350,000 from the county budget. Crews train yearly to stay sharp with plans to add two more full sets as stations countywide. Florida stays ready when the skies turn mean.