LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- Specialized ambulance units and paramedics are heading to Florida to help OTHER first responders as Hurricane Ian makes landfall.

"On Monday morning we deployed 10 ambulances and a support vehicle to Pensacola, and those 22 crew members have since moved to Tallahassee at the Tallahassee Civic Center and will deploy further into the hurricane-affected areas once the hurricane passes," Public Information Spokesperson Randall Mann said.

Tripp Blanchard was deployed to Florida and is describing the experience as fast-paced.

"Since we arrived it's been very fast-paced going location to location just to see where the needs are, and we have been staging in waiting to see what the state would like us to as far as deployment wise and what areas are going to be most affected."

Blanchard says Acadian Ambulance will be the first to deploy for search and rescue after the storm passes.

"So we know that the team we are a part of the first deployed. As soon as that storm passes we will actually be passing behind the storm as soon as it makes landfall and crosses to where we can get safely to those affected areas. We are first to deploy for search and rescue as far as ambulance operations is concerned."

Blanchard says teams are prepared for a multiweek deployment and are willing to stay as long as they are needed.