LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Members of Nevada Task Force 1 have finally returned home after helping with recovery efforts from hurricane damage in several states like Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee.
The team left in 2 waves. The first group departed in September with the second wave following shortly after.
Matthew Gordon is one of the leaders on this deployment. He said it was out of the ordinary to respond to two disasters back to back.
“Most of us are first responders when we’re not doing the USAR work and for us to adapt and change on the fly, it’s something we prepare for,” said Gordon.
USAR also known as Urban Search and Rescue has 28 teams across the country including here in Southern Nevada, it’s a branch of FEMA ready to assist with water operations and large search rescues.
“We do that and sometimes it’s the little things like just checking somebody’s blood pressure because they’re not feeling well or delivering the food or the water or helping them move the debris from their driveway just so they can get their vehicles in and out, those kind of things tend to be the most meaningful,” Gordon explained.