VANDALIA — Ohio Task Force 1 (OH-TF1) has returned home.
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The team received demobilization orders on Thursday to return home as Kentucky transitions from rescue operations to stabilization efforts.
They returned to the Vandalia headquarters late Friday morning.
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OH-TF1 was activated on Saturday and left on Sunday for Perry County, Kentucky to assist in search and rescue following deadly flooding in the state.
The 47-person team spent three days conducting search and rescue missions in Martin and Floyd counties.
They used bots and UTVs to access communities cut off by flood waters.
“We were operating in places where waters not supposed to be,” Mike Lotz, rescue team manager, said.
Lotz told News Center 7 that boats were in the water at night in a snowstorm.
“That was challenging,” he said.
The team also worked with search and rescue teams from Indiana and Missouri to assist with evacuations.
OH-TF1 spent about five days in freezing temperatures and waters.
“It always feels terrific to return home. One of the things that felt terrific yesterday was a warm shower for my crews,” Jim O’Conner, Task Force leader, said. “We had a lot of busy days and didn’t get those things. No complaints about it, we’re happy to do it.”
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