Ohio Task Force 1 OH-TF1 returned to its headquarters in Vandalia on Monday after a 21-day deployment, the longest in the team’s history.
A total of 82 members were deployed to assist with disaster response efforts, first in Florida ahead of Hurricane Helene and later in North Carolina due to severe flooding.
Captain Jeffrey Newman reported that during their time in Pasco County, the team searched nearly 20,000 structures in approximately 15 hours.
The task force encountered unprecedented flooding in North Carolina, describing waters that rose 80 to 100 feet above normal levels, even trapping cattle on high ground due to the rapid rise.
After addressing flooding in North Carolina, the team returned to Florida to help with the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, including responding to tornadoes that struck Port St. Lucie, damaging around 300 homes.
Throughout their deployment, OH-TF1 faced significant destruction and worked alongside human remains detection dogs to provide closure to families affected by the disasters.
Comprised mainly of firefighters and paramedics from Ohio and northern Kentucky, team members emphasized the invaluable experience gained from such challenging situations.
Safety officer Chris Alsip noted that this deployment was like “three deployments in one,” highlighting the lessons learned that can be applied to local emergency responses.