Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday the immediate deployment of a group of firefighters from around San Diego County who will head to North Carolina and assist communities affected Hurricane Helene. The Type III water rescue team made up of 46 firefighters and support staff from various local agencies will head to areas hit the hardest by the Category 4 hurricane that made landfall Thursday and assist with search and rescue operations. The specialized unit, known as California Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 8, will work closely with the Federal Emergency Management Administration and three other similar task forces from other Southern California agencies to also handle incident management and emergency operations, the governor’s office said. “These highly trained individuals perform search and rescue operations in the most challenging conditions — whether it’s collapsed structures, flooded areas, or dangerous debris,” said California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Director Nancy Ward. “Their ability to swiftly locate survivors, provide medical care, and navigate extreme environments makes a world of difference in saving lives when every second counts.” Officials said the team will get to North Carolina by driving semi-trucks, vans and SUVs with personnel and equipment. Newsom’s office said the deployment will have no impact on California’s emergency response and firefighting capabilities. North Carolina has been under a state of emergency since Wednesday as a result of Hurricane Helene’s path toward destruction. The state has since been hit with storm-force winds and flooding, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said. The Associated Press reported Helene had killed at least 40 people in four southeastern states as of Friday, and rescuers were attempting to free people trapped in cars, under debris and within their own homes. The National Weather Service said in a briefing that North Carolina residents could expect minor coastal and river flooding throughout the weekend.