Governor Chris Christie has announced that NJ Task Force 1 has been activated as members of the National Urban Search & Rescue Response System and will be deploying to Texas to assist with the rescue and recovery efforts resulting from the unprecedented and catastrophic flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey.

“As Americans, we come together during times of crisis and today New Jersey’s heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the people of Texas at this very difficult time,” said Governor Christie. “During Superstorm Sandy, emergency and law enforcement response contingents from around the country came to our aid. New Jersey stands ready to assist Texas with their search and rescue response to the destruction and devastation wrought by Hurricane Harvey and the recovery process begins.”

The NJ Task Force 1 team is departing tonight and will arrive in Texas on Monday, August 28. Originally deployed to San Antonio, the team has now been redeployed to Katy, Texas because the roads to San Antonio have become impassable.

New Jersey’s Urban Search and Rescue team operates under the auspices of the New Jersey State Police and the Office of Emergency Management. The team is divided into six components: Search, Rescue, Planning, Logistics, Hazmat and Medical. All components train at the NJTFI Training Facility in Lakehurst.

Besides assisting with events in New Jersey such as the Passaic County Floods and Hurricane Irene, the team’s most recent deployment was to North Carolina to assist in rescue operations following Hurricane Matthew.

New Jersey’s Office of Emergency Management continues to closely monitor the events that are taking place in the Gulf region as a result of Hurricane Harvey.