COLCHESTER, Vt. (WCAX) – After 17 days of deployment to Florida and parts of North Carolina, the Vermont Urban Search and Rescue Team returned to the Green Mountains Thursday.

The team of 21 left for Florida on September 24, before Hurricane Helene. They were responsible for fast water rescue and recovery missions and conducted several aquatic searches along the Gulf Coast.

In North Carolina, the team was tasked with recovery and search missions for victims who did not survive the storm. For some members, the difficult mission was their first out-of-state deployment.

“We often don’t interact much with the family during a tragedy. It was definitely arm in arm with family members throughout the event – ​​it was a challenge. But we had a mission to accomplish and we accomplished it and we feel good,” said Josh Merriam of the team.

“It was our job, and to do that we felt like we were making a difference, accomplishing something,” said Taylor Peyton of the team.

Team commander Mike Cannon said that after arriving in North Carolina, the team recovered the bodies of 11 family members after their homes were swept away by a landslide.

The team was welcomed by state leaders upon their return.

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