VANDALIA, Ohio — Crews from Ohio’s Task Force 1 have returned safely to Vandalia, Ohio, after spending the past three weeks responding to search and rescue operations left behind by Hurricanes Helene and Milton .

The team of 82 men and women is made up of Ohio firefighters, paramedics and other first responders who volunteer to help others. Task force leader Jeffrey Newman said most of the crew were firefighters from Ohio fire stations.

The teams returned to Ohio in trucks, cars and specialized cargo vehicles.

WCPO 9 News

Crews worked to clear debris and rescue people stranded in Florida and North Carolina. They were accompanied by their K-9 counterparts, including Annie, an animal specialist specializing in the recovery of human remains.

“Even when we work together on a search, for example, we will have people who are hazardous materials specialists, we will have people who are rescue specialists. The whole team works together when we conduct searches, and the K-9 is part of that team,” said Melissa Morgan, Ohio Task Force 1 coordinator.

The teams were distributed throughout the response structure, where team members would work on land. The second part is an aquatic response, where task force members were equipped with boats so they could navigate dangerous floodwaters, hoping to find people waiting to be rescued.

The three weeks of work began Sept. 24, when teams were deployed to the Florida coast when Hurricane Helene struck, according to Ohio Task Force 1. The teams assisted in the response in Pasco and throughout Hernandez County.

Crews were then sent to North Carolina to assist victims of the damage in the counties surrounding Asheville on October 1.

The crews would then return to Florida to assist in preparations for Hurricane Milton. They began their return journey on Sunday.

Newman told WCPO that their work could not be successful without the help and support of their families and local jobs in Ohio.