Florida search teams head to Texas to aid in flood recovery efforts

Florida search teams head to Texas to aid in flood recovery efforts
First responders from Central Florida are joining a growing national response to deadly flooding in Texas, where more than 160 people remain missing, according to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
ORLANDO, Fla. - First responders from Central Florida are joining a growing national response to deadly flooding in Texas, where more than 160 people remain missing, according to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
What we know:
Central Florida's Urban Search & Rescue Task Force 4, made up of 35 firefighters from Orlando, Orange County, and Seminole County, is en route to Texas to assist in search and recovery efforts following catastrophic flooding.
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The team is headed to Kerr County — one of the hardest-hit areas — where more than 160 people are still unaccounted for. The unit is equipped with rescue boats, structural search tools, and trained K9 units capable of detecting human scent even under deep water.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not confirmed the cause or full scope of the flooding disaster, nor how many of the 160+ missing individuals are presumed trapped or deceased. It remains unclear how long Central Florida’s task force will remain deployed or which specific areas within Kerr County they will be assigned to.
The backstory:
Texas has been grappling with devastating flash floods that have overwhelmed local resources. As water levels rose, homes and structures were destroyed or heavily damaged, prompting a nationwide call for assistance. Florida’s Task Force 4 is part of a broader federal and interstate response involving agencies from across the U.S. and even Mexico.
Big picture view:
This disaster highlights both the scale of extreme weather events and the importance of interstate cooperation in emergency response. For Central Florida, sending aid reflects a longstanding commitment to national disaster relief efforts. As Florida is itself prone to hurricanes and flooding, local teams bring critical experience to the Texas mission.
What they're saying:
Firefighters from Orlando, Orange County and Seminole County are en route as part of Florida Urban Search & Rescue Task Force 4.
"All of our technicians are trained to put boats in the water, put swimmers in the water, and rescue people out of swift-moving waters," said Task Force Leader Tod Zellers. "That is absolutely a huge number of people to be missing... we’re going in to assist the first responders there in Texas."
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The Florida task force is equipped with specialized tools to search through collapsed structures and debris, alongside K9 units trained to detect human scent — even under extreme conditions.
"The dogs can key in on human scent. It’s amazing—they can smell somebody under 50 feet of water," Zellers added.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by Florida Urban Search & Rescue Task Force 4.