Dozens of Missouri Task Force 1 members return home

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Several Missouri Task Force 1 members returned to Boone County on Friday after spending about three weeks assisting with hurricane relief efforts in North Carolina.

The 45-member Type III team was deployed on Sept. 25. after areas of North Carolina were heavily damaged by Hurricane Helene. Members participated in search efforts first in McDowell County before relocating to Black Mountain and later to Avery County, according to the Boone County Fire Protection District.

Task Force 1 leader Randy Sanders said the damage in North Carolina was disastrous, but his crew did amazing work and he's glad they're back home safe.

"[The water] just took everything away: houses, buildings, the landscape," Sanders said. "We searched from the creeks to the mountains to the rivers and our guys would walk along and step down, maybe step up to 3 feet of mud, and we just kept on working through it."

This was the longest deployment Sanders has been a part of at 24 days. He said the task force couldn't do this without the support of their families.

"I was happy to see my wife and one of my sons and my daughter-in-law, and I can't wait to squeeze them again," Sanders said. "I asked my wife if I needed to show an ID card."

The task force's mission had been extended beyond its typical 2-week deployment due to the ongoing need in North Carolina. The Boone County Fire Protection District Facebook page previously said members were rotated out with new personnel in early October.

Many task force members have already returned home this week, including a 16-member water rescue mission team on Thursday and three cadaver dog teams on Wednesday. Spokesperson Gale Blomenkamp said four more cadaver dog teams will be arriving home Saturday.

One task force member is still deployed and has transitioned to Puerto Rico ahead of potential impacts from Invest 94L.