Missouri Task Force 1 continues search efforts one week after Helene impacted the Southeast
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Missouri Task Force 1 is continuing its deployment to search along the Catawba River in McDowell County, North Carolina one week after then-Tropical Storm Helene hit the area.
According to a social media post, the team is continuing its search along the Catawba River in McDowell County, North Carolina. This includes using two specialized cadaver dogs, one from Massachusetts Task Force 1 and another from Missouri Task Force 1.
On Sunday, Task Force members were assigned to conduct wide area searches and look at large debris piles along 10 miles along the river.
On Thursday the team searched the riverbanks for any stranded people along with damage assessments of homes, bridges, roads and other infrastructure. According to the social media post, the team found 19 homes were damaged and 11 were completely destroyed in the Pisgah National Forest region.
"Despite the demanding circumstances, the spirit of our team remains high," Boone County Fire Protection District said in the post. "Members are committed to performing their duties with professionalism and compassion as they respond to the needs of the community."
Boone County Fire Protection District, the headquarters for Missouri Task Force 1, shared the team was searching both on-foot and in boats. The search team members were in knee-high mud while trying to look for any people stranded.
The post also mentioned Boone County Fire is developing a contingency plan to extend the deployment beyond the normal 14 days as the task force has been deployed since Sept. 25. This plan could include sending in new members or extending the current team members time in the field.
