MISSOURI – The extreme devastation from Hurricane Helene is prompting Missouri Task Force 1 to make contingency plans in the event their presence is requested beyond the typical 14-day deployment.
“There’s a lot of work to be done,” Gale Blomenkamp, assistant fire chief for the Boone County Fire Protection District and spokesman for the task force, said.
The specialized search and rescue unit is based out of the Boone County Fire Protection District in mid-Missouri.
Blomenkamp said members have been walking through knee-deep mud along riverbanks and navigating through piles of debris during their deployment.
Part of the assignment includes assessing infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and water towers. Rescue operations have now shifted to a focus on recovery with help from K-9s trained to detect human remains.
“It’s difficult work, but our crews are in good spirits, and they’re glad to be helping neighbors,” he said. “The importance of this work is getting closure to the families that still have loved ones that are missing.”