Missouri Task Force One is scheduled to arrive back in Boone County Saturday after responding to Hurricane Sally in Louisiana.
Assistant Fire Chief and Public Information Officer Gale Blomenkamp said that the team remained in staging in Hammond, Louisiana but after the hurricane turned and hit Alabama and Florida, no resource need or missions were necessary.
“We are one of the three closest teams to the Gulf Coast, so anytime a hurricane is approaching the United States, FEMA will mobilize the three closest teams first,” Blomenkamp said.
Blomenkamp said that there is one member of the team that is mobilized in Oregon to assist in the response to the wildfires in the state.
“This is really the first time an Urban Search and Rescue Task Force has been mobilized as part of a wild event, fire situation,” Blomenkamp said.
According to Blomenkamp, mobilizations can last for up to 14 days, with some lasting a few days longer depending on the situation.
Blomenkamp said Missouri Task Force One is one of 28 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Teams in the U.S. and has 210 members across the state.