Missouri Task Force One returns from deployment in San Antonio

COLUMBIA Mo. KMIZ

45 Missouri Task Force One crewmembers returned home from San Antonio Saturday afternoon after assisting in search and rescue operations following extreme flooding in the region.

The team originally deployed to Texas roughly seven days ago in response to severe flash flooding caused by heavy rains in the state's southern region. Following operations in Zapata County near the southeastern Texas-Mexico border, the unit repositioned to San Antonio to prepare for potential deployment during Tropical Storm Bertha.

Earlier this month, the team assisted in southern Missouri during its four-day deployment in Reynolds and Iron counties to respond to and help with the historic flooding.

Task Force 1 arrived back at Boone County Fire Protection District Headquarters around 3:00 p.m. this afternoon.

Lieutenant Ryan Benedict with the department said the main priority of the task force was to meet up with local agencies and stage for awaiting missions.

Benedict said that the team was out the door headed to Texas 4 hours after they got the activation call.

"So whenever the activation order comes in, we've got to be wheels on the road within four hours. That's a commitment that we made to the folks that call us," he said.

"It was for us to provide relief for them. Our priorities were to maintain mission readiness. We were there to answer 911 calls along the river basin along the Rio Grande," Benedict said. "Should anything arise. We had teams monitoring the conditions and the water levels."

Benedict added that teams also worked to monitor water levels along the river, and even with the quick turnaround, they were always ready and prepared.

"So we're always ready to respond; our thinking on our way down there is what do we need to do to be available in case that call comes in," Benedict said. "When we got to the staging area, when we were relocated to sort of out of county, and then even we were relocated back to staging in the anticipation of the tropical storm coming in."

Benedict said that teams also assisted with reconnaissance on the Rio Grande.

"The idea was to recon that area, familiarization with the area because the water levels were coming up dramatically," Benedict said.

He added that the team did not make any rescues during the deployment.

Task Force 1 medical manager Jared Norman said the team's morale held strong during the back-to-back deployments.

"So that obviously is pretty challenging, but overall, I think everybody's morale is fantastic; there were always smiles on people's faces," Norman said. "You know, I think a lot of people on the team are the type who want to be out there doing things and helping."