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Ohio Task Force 1 demobilized, returning home

By WHIO Staff

Ohio Task Force 1 FILE PHOTO (Brandon Lewis/STAFF)

By WHIO Staff

VANDALIA — Ohio Task Force 1 (OH-TF1) was demobilized Sunday morning after being deployed for nearly three weeks.

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The 82-member Urban Search and Rescue team is expected back home today around 5 p.m.

OH-TF1 went to Orlando, Florida ahead of Hurricane Helene on Sept. 24 where they worked in Pasco and Hernandez Counties following Helene’s landfall along the Florida Gulf Coast.

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On Monday, Oct. 1, the team was called to North Carolina to assist in multiple counties surrounding Asheville, North Carolina to search for missing persons.

With Hurricane Milton heading toward Florida, OH-TF1 was sent back to Florida on Monday, Oct. 7th.

“As the OH-TF1 convoy headed to Florida, a few team members had to return home to Dayton due to personal or professional obligations,” a spokesperson for OH-TF1 said. “Replacement team members were quickly dispatched, leaving Dayton to meet the team in Florida.”

By Tuesday, Oct. 8, the team was fully staffed and settled in Orland ahead of Hurricane Milton’s Landfall.

“In the evening hours of Wednesday, October 9th, tornados racing ahead of Hurricane Milton would strike Port Saint Lucie, Florida,” the spokesperson said. “OH-TF1 was requested to assist with search and rescue efforts before hunkering down as Hurricane Milton tore across the state.”

OH-TF1 assisted with search and rescue efforts until they were told on Saturday, Oct. 12 that they would likely be sent home. The team worked to be ready to travel and on Oct, 13 the demobilization was made official, according to the spokesperson.

OH-TF1 spent Sunday night in Northern Georgia and were on the road first thing Monday morning, they are expected to be back at their Vandalia headquarters this evening.

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