Missouri Task Force One returns from Ida search and rescue mission

COLUMBIA, MO. (KMIZ)

Missouri Task Force One returned safely Saturday to Columbia after being sent to Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, to assist in search, rescue and assessment efforts after Hurricane Ida.

FEMA tapped Task Force One on Aug. 27, sending 80 men and women from across the state to Louisiana.

Chuck Leake, assistant chief of the Boone County Fire Protection District and task force program manager, said some of the best tactical rescue personnel and highly trained professionals from across the state and Mid-Missouri went to Louisiana.

"Two doctors, and four paramedics. Doctors like trauma surgeons and emergency rooms, you've got structural engineers you've got firefighters from all those areas that are tactical rescue, you've got folks that are canine handlers, the dogs can either search for live find or human remains," Leake said.

Leak said the team arrived in Jefferson Parish where they set up a command center and began their wide area search, rescue and assessment.

"Those folks went out and whether it's knocking on the door and saying 'hey are y'all okay?' or whether its sitting down with a GPS unit and plugging those things in and letting us know that the house has no damage at all and these folks are sheltering in place, or is there minor damage to the house, or is this house complete destroyed," Leake said. "They do that and then they start seeing the bigger picture -- they can start seeing how they are going to respond to the incident, it can also give them the ability to see what the recovery is going to be."

The information gathered by the task force is now being used by the local authorities to piece together the recovery efforts.