During a storm, when it is unsafe for police or ambulance or fire trucks with firefighters to respond, if you have an emergency, such as a heart attack, you are on your own until it is safe for emergency vehicles to respond. You are made well aware of this way before the storm approaches. Some firefighter, including my husband Gooch, have been known to respond on their own during a storm to help someone. They risk their own life, to save someone who should have heeded the warning and left when told to.
During Hurricane Lily, my husband responded during the peak of the storm to help a neighbor who was pregnant who had slipped and fallen during the storm. He did this on his own. The wind was howling so hard that it ripped several of my neighbor’s chimneys right out of their roof.
If they can get to someone, they will, but there are certain times doing a major hurricane that they can not get out to help you.