Ohio Task Force 1 announces deployment to Florida in preparation for Tropical Storm Helene

DAYTON — Ohio Task Force 1 has been activated due to the potential for Tropical Storm Helene to become a major hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico.

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OH-TF1 announced Tuesday it received activation orders to mobilize as a Type I team to support FEMA Region 4 and the state of Florida.

“The early activation of OH-TF1 will put them in a better position to respond to affected areas if state/local officials request assistance,” a spokesperson for the task force said in a social media post.

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The team will be deploying 82 members who are skilled in various aspects of search and rescue operations, including water rescue and K-9.

The team will be headed to Orlando, Florida for staging. Their specific destination has not yet been determined.

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