Missouri Task Force 1 returns home after 14-day deployment in Kentucky

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ.)

A 14-day deployment has come to an end for Missouri Task Force 1. 

The rescue team was sent to Kentucky at the end of July to help with disastrous flooding. 

The team took part in and organized wide area searches and helped many families during their time in Kentucky.

Randy Sanders a team leader says the mission was successful and describes some of the conversations he shared with survivors as heartfelt. 

"It seemed like everybody has a story to tell..how someone got swept out of their hands or how their members got swept off the porch and it was very touching for our teams and our crews. It was heartfelt," said Sanders.

Historic flooding in Kentucky pushed Missouri's Task Force 1 to pack their bags, load their trucks and hit the road to Kentucky to help people who were stranded. Heavy rainfall led to widespread flooding in Eastern Kentucky making it "the deadliest" Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear says he's ever seen

The catastrophic flooding killed at least 39 people and hundreds lost everything they've worked for. 

"They had a hard time… some of them didn't have much and now some of them don't have anything so they needed a lot of help and we were down to do anything that they needed," said Sanders.

Sanders says his team was ready to work when they got down to Kentucky and helped rescue people and find human remains. After a week the crew served as a quick response rescue team. 

And although the mission has ended, Sanders says his group would be ready to repack and do it all over again if needed. 

"They're glad to be home if they'd call us to go out again tomorrow or the next day were going to repack their bags and come out here tomorrow--we're ready to go," said Sanders.

Sanders also said in a Facebook post on Friday, that his team remained engaged throughout the entire mission and he couldn't be more proud of the work his team accomplished.