Family members welcome home dozens of Missouri Task Force 1 members on Friday

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Several Missouri Task Force 1 members returned to Boone County on Friday after spending more than 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.

MO-TF1 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."

He described searching debris piles as large as buildings, and using everything from boats, helicopters and sonar to aid on their search.

"We put our people and our crews in the worst of conditions, and they did the best work I've seen so far," Sanders said.

Many family members were at Boone County Fire headquarters Friday to welcome their loved ones home.

Sedalia resident Hannah Yonce and her family were there to welcome her husband, Donavan Brickey, who had been away for the entire deployment. She said she was ready to have him back home.

"I do worry, but I know he's with the best of the best," Yonce said. "These people are so highly trained and I know he trusts them, so I trust them, and that's kind of how I get through it."

Her family welcomed Brickey home with custom t-shirts with his name and face, while other families opted for signs.

Task force member Dan Haid was also deployed for the entire length of the mission, and his wife Bethany and their five children welcomed him home with homemade signs on Friday. Bethany said they have missed having him around at sporting events and sharing bedtime stories.

"We're happy to share Dan with North Carolina, but we're really glad that he's back, too," Bethany Haid said.

She said Dan has been going on these missions for around 10-11 years. Their oldest son, Daniel Henry Haid, said it feels good to have a dad as a part of Missouri Task Force 1.

"It feels nice because he's somebody that will go out and help, and he's willing to help no matter what type of problem is going on," Daniel Henry Haid said.

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.

At 24 days, Sanders said this was the longest deployment he has been a part of. He was welcomed home by his wife, one of his sons and daughter-in-law, and said the task force couldn't do this without the support of their families.

"We can call home and check on family, but it's not the same as being there," Sanders said.

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.

Sanders said mental health assistance is available for task force members both during deployment and at home for those who need it.

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