SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Task Force 1 returned home Tuesday, arriving at its logistics center in West Jordan, following a 19-day deployment by FEMA to the Southeast in response to Hurricane Helene.
“We had an 80-person team go all way across the country, over 4,000 miles total round-trip travel, and do some incredible rescue work,” said Bryan Case, the program manager of the task force.
Back in the Salt Lake area, the task force members could reflect on their latest mission, which had them primarily working in northeast Tennessee, which was devastated by Helene.
“When we arrived, we understood this was a recovery and not necessarily a rescue mission for us, and we’re fine, we’re adept because we can help solve complex problems for the affected community,” said Case.
At the same time, while task force members were helping local authorities in Tennessee, they couldn’t help but think about what might be next, with reports that Hurricane Milton might also strike the area.
“All deployments are different. This one was of course really different, knowing a second storm in the gulf was headed that way as well,” said Utah Task Force 1 leader Tua Tho. “But our guys stayed focused. They knew their mission. We were there to help local authorities search for their community members.
After Tennessee, the task force stood at the ready to go into Florida behind Milton, but their services weren’t needed.
And now back home, it may not be for long, with it still being the peak of hurricane season.
“The reality is we will do a quick turn, get ourselves on the big board, so to speak, and be available again, rehab our people and our equipment and be ready to go in about a week,” said Case.
