(Mike Osborne) — Tennessee Emergency Management has pre-positioned disaster response teams in Florida in anticipation of Hurricane Ian making landfall this week.
Forecasters said Tuesday morning that the storm will most likely come ashore somewhere between Tampa and Ft. Myers on Florida's west coast. By the time Ian makes landfall it could be a Category 4 storm with sustained winds as strong as 156 miles per hour.
TEMA says it's sending three teams totaling 39 volunteer first responders. The mid-state's contribution includes volunteers provided by Davidson, Maury, Sumner, Rutherford and Williamson counties. They will remain in Florida for two weeks.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has told Florida Gov. Ron Desantis that Tennessee will also make 1200 National Guard Troops available should they be needed.
Tennessee has long been a member of an intra-state compact that shares response equipment and personnel whenever a member state requests aid.