SURFSIDE, Fla. — As Elsa moves up the Florida coast, it's presenting a new challenge for search efforts in Surfside.
The storm is growing stronger as it makes its way along Florida's west coast, but Virginia Task Force 2 Deputy Task Force Leader Jim Ingledue said his team of trained emergency workers isn't letting the weather slow them down.
"There are no plans to pause at all," Ingledue said. "Typically we'll work through the rain."
At the site of the collapsed building, the death toll continues to rise as crews uncover more victims.
Ingledue said his team has experienced its fair share of heavy rain and forceful winds from Elsa's outer bands.
"It has impacted our efforts here a couple of times, some outer bands have come through," he said. "Yesterday afternoon, we had a band come through here that was pretty serious."
Bands of heavy rain were expected in Surfside.
Ingledue said the only things that have slowed their efforts are lightning and wind gusts that make it too dangerous for the towering cranes to stay elevated.
"I would say that there were probably 30 mile [per hour] sustained and maybe even some gusts of 45 [miles per hour]. So they made the cranes lower their booms down and everybody got off the pile for a while," Ingledue said. "But as soon as it passes, then we're right back to work."
Right back to a difficult mission of sorting through the rubble.
Ingledue said as Elsa passes by, his team is facing another problem: poor footing. The rain creates a lot of mud at the site.
So the weather is a new challenge after demolition crews took down what was left of the tower.
"The men and women of these teams – and I can speak specifically for our team – they expect it and they are well trained," he said.
"And our team specifically was working in the area, yesterday; all day for the 12 hours from noon to midnight. In that area where they hadn't been since the night of the collapse."
Crews from Virginia Task Force 2 have split up into two teams, each working 12 hours shifts to ensure they always have a presence at the site of the collapse.
Ingledue said his crew is highly trained, but the efforts can take a physical and emotional toll on rescuers, so teams here in Hampton Roads, including Fire Chief Dave Hutchinson, are making sure Virginia Task Force 2 has whatever resources it needs.