CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Fire Department has activated its Urban Search and Rescue team to support emergency response efforts as Hurricane Erin advances toward the North Carolina coast.

Task Force 3, based in Charlotte, departed early Friday morning for Edenton, where they will stage in preparation for potential flooding and other weather-related emergencies caused by the approaching storm.

Battalion Chief Joshua Johnson said the team received deployment orders last Thursday and was rolling out by 8 a.m. Friday. The specialized unit includes firefighters trained in swift water rescue and equipped with boats, high water vehicles and specialized gear to assist in a wide range of emergencies.

While their initial destination is a staging area in Edenton, the team may be moved at any poin

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