FEMA sends Missouri Task Force 1 to Texas for flooding response
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KOMU) — More than 50 members of Missouri Task Force 1 will travel to Texas to respond to deadly flooding in the state, the Boone County Fire Protection District announced Monday afternoon.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency activated the task force to deploy as a type-three task force with a focus on water rescue operations and human remains detection capabilities, according to the Fire District.
The deployment includes four human-remains detection canines and handlers, as well as an additional search team manager.
The mission is expected to last up to 14 days.
“It’s a difficult mission, it will be hard on our members. It will be hard seeing the people that have been through this devastation. But, providing some sort of closure for those families down there is very important to us and important to them, so we will make every effort to make that happen for them,” said Boone County Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Gale Blomenkamp.
Fifty members of the task force are set to depart for Kerr County, Texas, at 6:30 p.m. Monday. The team anticipates arriving at its operational location Tuesday afternoon. Two more members will travel on Tuesday, making the total number of members deploying 52.
The death toll from the catastrophic flooding in the Texas Hill Country surpassed 100 on Monday, the Associated Press reported.
In Kerr County, home to Camp Mystic and several other summer camps, searchers have found the bodies of 84 people, including 28 children, Kerr County officials said.
“We’re there to do whatever we need to do to help the citizens of Texas, and Kerr County, and Kerrville. Whatever that mission looks like, we’re willing and able to do it,” Blomenkamp said.
The Boone County Fire Protection District said that a final destination for the team has not been confirmed.
Colorado Task Force 1 will join MO-TF1 in its operational location.
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Jacob Richey
news@komu.com
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