TOLEDO, Ohio — A Toledo firefighter is saving lives hundreds of miles away.
Private Jake Hoffman is a member of an elite group of first responders who were deployed with Ohio Task Force 1 to Louisiana for over a week in response to Hurricane Laura.
During his stay, he helped rescue 21 dogs, evacuated six people from a nursing home and that's not all...
"Ohio Task Force 1 is responsible for more than 25,000 structural assessments in the Lake Charles and Calcasieu Parish area," said Hoffman.
Hoffman said the amount of damage from Hurricane Laura is difficult to describe, but compares it to one of the worst natural disasters in recent northwest Ohio history.
"Damage from Fremont to the Indiana line, in the Michigan line down to Findlay... Only thing that I can compare it to is the Lake Township tornado back in 2010, just on a much wider scale," added Hoffman.
Many people that work with Hoffman are proud of him for using his ability to help others outside of his community.
"Use those talents locally as Jake works for Toledo fire Department and for also on a national level on this case those skills can be used in areas in time of need," said Pvt. Sterling Rahe with the Toledo Fire and Rescue Department.
Hoffman added that if the opportunity strikes again to get deployed with Ohio Task Force 1 and help out, he would do it in a heartbeat.