From the U.S. Coast Guard to firefighters, San Diegans are stepping up to help the victims of Hurricane Irma.
One of the biggest challenges local officials are facing is fatigue after back-to-back disaster deployments.
Many of the 81 members of the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 8, based in San Diego, had just returned from a 12-day deployment in Texas, helping victims of Hurricane Harvey. The team quickly turned around and traveled to Florida for their next assignment.
The team includes several Chula Vista firefighters. CVFD Battalion Chief Richard Brocchini said the firefighters rotate shifts to make sure everyone is getting enough rest.
Those shifts can last anywhere from 12 to 24 hours.
"Sometimes they work past those hours because the mission just needs to be completed," Brocchini said.
The same goes for the local Coast Guard crew sent to help with the Irma relief efforts.
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A total of 25 are already there. Another 25 are on standby to go. Among them is Lt. Christopher Schleck.
He said these types of disasters are what they train for, and that they, too, are mindful of the fatigue factor.
"Especially with the pilots and the air crew if they've been flying a lot," Schleck said.
