HUTCHINSON COUNTY, Texas —
Firefighters from both the Midland and Odessa area have been called upon to help fight the fires up in the Texas Panhandle.
The Midland Fire Department and Odessa Fire Rescue are sending whoever they can spare.
“We do have personnel that are part of the Texas Interstate Fire Mutual Aid System, that’s TIFMAS. We do have one personnel over there right now and we’re gearing up to send a second guy," said Cody Ritchie, assistant chief of operations for Odessa Fire Rescue. "Whenever an outside agency requests us, we gear up and go help with whatever they need.”
The Midland Fire Department has sent over two firefighters along with a brush truck.
Though the problem may not be in their area, all these departments want to do what they can to help.
"So it allows for extra staffing and allows for those people who are on initial response of the initial incident to go back, make sure their families are taken care of, make sure they get some rest before they're needed to come back out," said Michael Tully, assistant chief of administration for the Midland Fire Department. "We're helping our neighbors no matter how far away it is."
The Midland County Northeast Volunteer Fire Department also went out to support the other firefighters who are battling the flames in the Texas Panhandle. They're sending their brush truck and command unit as well.