3 Massachusetts Search And Rescue Team Members In Florida Helping Rescue Efforts In Condo Collapse

BEVERLY (CBS) - Massachusetts emergency crews from Beverly left the state to help relieve rescuers who are searching the rubble after a condo building came crashing down in Surfside, Florida last week.

Three members of the Massachusetts Search and Rescue Team are now in Florida helping with rescue efforts.

"They are currently all engaged in the current recovery efforts," said Mark Foster, Task Force Manager for Search and Rescue. "FEMA is making sure we have enough assets in the field down there, in case they need to do a dual thing, which is actually a collapse rescue and a water rescue."

Search efforts were suspended on Thursday over concerns about the stability of the standing part of the building. The concern is that tropical storm Elsa would hit Southern Florida causing more problems for rescuers.

President Biden met with families and rescue works off site because fo those stability concerns. As of Thursday, the death toll stands at 18, with over 140 people still unaccounted for.

Massachusetts Search and Rescue says it is prepared to send down more help if called upon.