sole lifeline. the three other stations are closing for the storm. virgil fernandez is fire chief. what we want to do is make sure that our equipment is able to rerespond afterwards. we will keep a contingency here at one of the fire stations. but we don t want to mess up our equipment and not be able to respond. reerpt today, firefighter . reporter: the city has also announced first responders will not be responding at some point. after 40 miles an hour, we can t safely send personnel out in the street. reporter: residents planning to stay have been warned. when you hear the warnings, do you stop and pause? i think about it. everybody panics, but i try to remain calm. i take it as any other hurricane. we are preparing as best we can. reporter: the approaching storm, a twist of fate for chief
forcing some tough but prudent choices by first responders. you get a sense of how all that happens. now to msnbc s lester holt who reports for us. [ siren ] reporter: it is business as usual at miami beach s fire station two. station two might be the seven square-mile island s sole lifeline. the stations closing for the storm. their apparatus to be relocated to the mainland. virgin fernandez is fire chief. what we virgil fernandez is fire chief. what we want to do is make sure we can respond afterwards. we will keep a contingency here at one of the fire stations. we don t want to mess up our equipment and not be able to respond. reporter: firefighter ready gear for search and rescues that could be necessary. the city has also announced first responders will not be responding at some point. after 40 miles an hour, we can t safely send personnel out