Helene reaches hurricane status as it targets Florida with life-threatening storm surge ahead of landfall: Live updates

Miami Fire Rescue’s search and rescue team Task Force 2 has been deployed, as its 80-member team were on standby with equipment and supplies in its warehouse on Wednesday morning.

Task Force 2 which specializes in swift water rescue and disaster response.

Equipped with SUVs, box trucks, tractors and boats loaded with food and medical supplies, the unit will head to Orlando where it will be stationed until the storm passes.

“We are expecting a Category 3 (hurricane) to enter through the Big Bend, not exactly sure where it’s going to enter, but on the west coast and as you see the storm surge is the biggest concern. So we have water specialists who are specially trained for swift water rescues to help the victims,” he told CBS News.

Tropical Storm Helene is close to being upgraded to a category 1 hurricane with its wind speeds reaching 70mph, National Hurricane Center announced at 7am ET in its latest advisory.

Hurricanes occur when maximum sustained winds reach 74 mph, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Helene is situated just offshore the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, as per the NHC’s update. It continues to move north west at approximately 9mph.

Its tropical storm warning has been extended northward to Altamaha Sound, Georgia.

Blood donation charity OneBlood, that operates across Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, has called for more donations in preparation of Tropical Storm Helene’s prospective landfall at the west coast of the Florida Peninsula and Big Bend on Thursday.

O Negative, O Positive and platelet donations are particularly in demand, OneBlood said in a press release.

“Hurricanes and tropical systems can disrupt blood collections. The most critical time for blood donations is prior to the storm in order to ensure a ready blood supply during and immediately after the event,” the charity added.

Helene threatens to become the strongest storm to hit the US in over a year, with winds potentially strengthening to up to 120mph by the time the storm hits the Florida Gulf Coast.

The Florida Department of Education has announced that K-12 schools across 51 counties will be closed from either Wednesday, Thursday or both days in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene making landfall.

A further 17 college systems and eight universities have announced closures, as of Wednesday morning.

“The Florida Department of Education works closely with school districts before, during and after natural disasters to ensure they have the resources necessary to resume normal operations as quickly as possible,” the departmen wrote on its website.

“We will continue collaborating with district leadership to address questions as they arise. At this time, the Department is monitoring the storm.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis expanded a state of emergency declaration to 61 counties, while the state made evacuation orders effective in 20 counties ahead of Tropical Storm Helene making landfall.

According to the latest update from the Florida Division of Emergency Management, nine counties have been given mandatory orders to evacuate - including Wakulla County, Taylor County, Pinellas County, Manatee County, Hillsborough County, Gulf County, Franklin County, Citrus County and Charlotte County.

A further six counties - Baker County, Gadsden County, Jefferson County, Madison County, Suwannee County and Union County - have been issued voluntary orders to evacuate.

Dixie County, Hernando County, Levy County, Pasco County and Sarasota County have been issued information about a prospective evacuation.