Missouri Task Force 1 may help in Colorado floods

Missouri Task Force 1 announced Friday it is on alert for a possible deployment to Colorado to help in the major flooding disaster.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) notified the force around 1:30 a.m. to put 80 members on standby. If the force is sent out, it will have to be out the door within four hours of the notification.

The group was told to prepare for water rescues and to bring additional flood rescue equipment.

The force, based in Boone County, has previously been sent to assist in major disasters such as the World Trade Center terrorist attacks in 2001 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Missouri Task Force 1 is one of just 28 specialized urban search and rescue teams in the country.