DAYTON, Ohio — Busses carrying members of Ohio's Task Force 1 pulled into their headquarters in Vandalia, Ohio on Monday, Oct. 14. As dozens of it's members stepped out, the end of a very long journey for the team began.
The task force had just returned from a 21-day deployment, marking their longest deployment ever. The group was assisting FEMA with search and rescue efforts in Florida and North Carolina following hurricanes Helene and Milton. The team said they spent many long hours looking for the missing through mud and debris across three different cities.
They were tired and happy to be home.
Many of them are firefighters or first responders in their day jobs, and serve in Task Force 1 on the side.
On Sept. 24, the task force was first mobilized to Orlando, Fla. in anticipation of Hurricane Helene. In the days following the storm they worked in the destruction it left behind, looking for people hidden under debris.
As Helene made its way north and tore through North Carolina, it left behind days of rain and mudslides all across the region.
Ohio Task Force 1 once again began their mobilization efforts-- heading to Ashville, N.C. Once there, they used search K-9s, boats, and specialized equipment to locate missing residents.
But their job wasn't done yet.
As Hurricane Milton began to form off of Florida's coast, they returned to Florida on Oct. 7 and weathered the storm together. Once the skies were clear, they returned to their rescue efforts, not stopping until the start of their return home on Oct. 13.
The newest Task force leader is John Kaminski, Toledo's assistant fire chief. Kaminski sacrificed his personal time to join this mission. He said seeing the impact they were able to make is its own reward, and it's left him moments he'll never forget.
"We got to go in, make a difference, and help people back on their feet, and turn that corner. And to see neighbors helping neighbors, I don't care where it would be, whether it was in Tampa, North Carolina, or the Orlando area, just seeing everyone helping each other," said Kaminski. "It's remarkable. It just really shows what we are as human beings to lean on each other and help each other out."
While on their journey home, Kaminski said local fire departments waited on overpasses overlooking the highway, saluting them after a job well done.