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Five teams from Erie County and one from Chautauqua County got their instructions and identification cards, and filled out paperwork at the Erie County Fire Academy before deploying on Tuesday.
The Erie County departments sending personnel include Alden, Getzville, Williamsville, Vigilant, East Seneca, Winchester, Lake Erie Beach, Blasdell, and Hamburg. They'll work with their counterparts from Chautauqua County to form the rescue teams working downstate.
Each member should be self-sufficient for three days, said Fire Coordinator James McCullough, who addressed those taking part.
"You should have water, food ... easy food to eat ... convenient food to eat ... sleeping gear ... I don't know where you're going to sleep," McCullough said.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz thanked those involved, saying the places to which they'll be providing assistance provided help in the Buffalo area during the October Surprise storm.
"They came and offered mutual aid assistance about four or five years ago during that storm and we're repaying that assistance," Poloncarz said.
The water-rescue teams are traveling to areas that SuperStorm Sandy impacted with heavy rains and flooding, especially Nassau and Suffolk Counties. The swift water rescue teams are specially equipped to work in areas with high water.
They'll report to the Suffolk County Fire Academy to begin their 72-hour deployment at 8pm Tuesday night.
