(WSLS 10) -- The Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) in the Western Region of the state, along with Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and individual localities, has sent crews to Floyd and Patrick counties to prepare for the upcoming weather events forecasted for this weekend.
VDOF is helping with planning, logistics and supporting VDEM operations within the region. VDOF has an 11-man team on standby to help localities with potential downed trees resulting from saturated ground and strong winds. These teams are made up of sawyers and swampers with equipment for tree clearing and hazard removal.
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VDOF has also deployed an Incident Management Team (IMT) based out of the Salem regional office. The team is supporting Floyd and Patrick counties and VDOF saw teams with logistical, financial, planning and safety needs.
Headquartered in Charlottesville, VDOFÂ has forestry staff members assigned to every county to provide service and public safety protection across the Commonwealth, which it's been doing now for more than 100 years.