Four firefighters deployed from Austin to panhandle for wildfire assistance

AUSTIN, Texas — Four Austin Fire Department (AFD) firefighters have been deployed to Lubbock to assist residents in the Texas Panhandle with the increased wildfire risk.

The four members left on Thursday, March 30, to head toward Lubbock. The members will be part of a Texas A&M Forest Service Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) deployment on Strike Team 108. TIFMAS is used any time there is a hurricane, wildfire, flooding or other natural disaster that necessitates the mobilization of local resources. 

The four AFD firefighters are:

The four men are expected to be in Lubbock for at least a week.