Missouri Task Force 1 returns home after helping people affected by Hurricane Ian

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri Task Force 1 made it back to Columbia around noon Wednesday after more than a week in hurricane-ravaged parts of Florida.

The team headed to Orlando on Oct. 2 to help with search-and-rescue operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian's devastation. The team worked a lot in the Fort Meyers area.

Forty-seven members were deployed with equipment and two cadaver dogs. Canine search specialist Tyler Grosser said its teams primary mission was to rescue people trapped in the storm. 

"From there we moved into a search and recovery mission for any deceased that might be still left," Grosser said .

Grosser said its cadaver dogs were able to lead them to human remains that it's team may not have been able to locate on their own. 

"It's definitely not a fun job but were able to provide you know a little bit of closure to the families," he said.

The Boone County Fire Protection District posted on social media Tuesday night that the team completed its search efforts.

And although the teams Florida mission is complete, Assistant Boone County Fire Chief Gale Blomenkamp said its crew will be back on the road again next week. Missouri Task Force 1 will be traveling to the Guardian Centers in Perry, Georgia. 

Blomenkamp said crews will be in Georgia doing search-and-rescue missions in flooded neighborhoods, collapsed buildings and also in wide area search scenarios which are planned at the Guardian Centers. 

The team consists of more than 80 people as well as a drone team. 

Blomenkamp said its team is practicing being able to provide real time imagery and mapping back to the state emergency management agents at the emergency operation center in Jefferson City. 

The team is expected to leave on Monday and will return on Thursday.