Colchester, Vt. — Fifteen first responders affiliated with the Vermont Department of Public Safety have deployed to Texas to help with relief efforts from Hurricane Harvey.

The storm battered almost the entire Gulf Coast region of Texas starting early Saturday and lasting into this week. The storm has since moved into states like Louisiana but has been downgraded to a tropical depression. The city of Houston, which is roughly the size of Rhode Island, experienced historic flooding. Helicopters and boat crews — including many civilians — have rescued thousands from homes, offices and medical facilities.

Vermont’s first responders have been deployed for 12 days, which includes two days of travel in each direction and eight days on the ground.

The first responders work on Vermont Emergency Management’s Swift Water Rescue Team based in Colchester. An additional 25 members of the rescue team are still in Vermont and could be deployed in the future as needed.

The members who are leaving are affiliated with groups all across the state, including the office of the state fire marshal, the Williston (Vt.) Fire Department and the Rutland City Fire Department.

“We’ve been in constant contact with emergency management of Texas since this began, and the team here has been anticipating this, and they’ve been readying themselves,” Gov. Phil Scott said in an interview on Thursday.

Scott said the state received the request that morning through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a multistate mutual aid agreement, and deployed the team almost immediately. “Because of the compact we have to respond within five hours of the request,” he said.

“In the days and months after Tropical Storm Irene our friends from around the country eagerly came to our aid. In times of need there are no borders, we’re all united as Americans to help those in danger,” Scott said in a Thursday morning news release.

Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger said one of the Vermont team members works for the Burlington Fire Department. Another already has deployed through Massachusetts Urban Search and Rescue. A third deployed through the National Disaster Medical System.

In the face of this tragedy, it is welcome news that three members of the Burlington Fire Department with specialized training are deploying to Houston to help in the recovery efforts,” he said in a news release.