As Hurricane Milton hit landfall Wednesday, Florida police worked quickly to evacuate a home with over a dozen people inside after a tree fell on it.
The rescue happened shortly before 10 p.m. when Tampa police officers sheltering from the horrendous storm received a 9-1-1 call about a downed tree that struck a house, the department stated in a news release. In recently body camera footage, officers moves 15 people, including children, into vehicles so they could be taken to a nearby shelter.
RELATED:
- Fla. Police Work Streets to Urge City's Vulnerable to Leave ahead of Hurricane
- Video: Fla. Trooper Saves Abandoned Dog Tied to Post ahead of Hurricane
"Every member of this department is committed to the safety of our community," said Chief Lee Bercaw in a statement. "The swift actions taken by these officers during a break in the storm bands provided this family with a sense of safety in a time of fear and uncertainty."
Hurricane Milton made landfall in Siesta Key as Category 3 storm at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, NBC News reports. As of 5 a.m. Thursday, the eye of the storm was just northeast of Cape Canaveral, and it had become a Category 1 hurricane.
Four people have died because of the storm. The deaths came in St. Lucie County on the state's east coast after tornadoes set off by the hurricane tore through the area.
