AUSTIN, Texas — Texas is sending help to Florida ahead of what’s expected to become a major hurricane at landfall later this week.
Tropical Storm Helena formed on Tuesday in the western Caribbean and is expected to strengthen in the Gulf of Mexico. The track has it heading into the Big Bend area on the west coast of Florida as a Cat. 3 hurricane.
In a news release sent out on Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott said he directed the Texas Department of Emergency Management to send Texas A&M Task Force 1 to Florida ahead of the storm’s arrival. Texas A&M Task Force 1 would be used for urban search-and-rescue with a team of 80 people, 15 vehicles, six boats and six canines ready to help…